Children's home run by North Tyneside Council in North Tyneside

Inspection report children‟s home: SC412705 1 SC412705 Registered provider: North Tyneside Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The children‟s home provides care and accommodation for short breaks for up to two children or young people who have a learning disability. A local authority operates the home.

p.1

Judgement at last inspection: good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last full inspection in July 2017, the home has appointed an experienced and knowledgeable registered manager. This has been a positive development, as the manager had supported the service on an interim basis and already has strong relationships with staff, parents and some children and young people. The team has responded with enthusiasm to her understanding of the service and to improvements she has made. The policies and procedures have been reviewed. The frequency of supervision is good and staff training records have improved. A member of staff said, „[Name] has been a positive change. She is happy to get “stuck in”, completing sleep-ins and she gets really involved with the children.‟ The children and young people enjoy a range of activities in the community that include swimming, climbing, trampolining, trips to the coast and going to the local shops. Inspection report children‟s home: SC412705 2

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Transitions to and from the home are good. The home maintains a high level of communication with parents to ensure that every aspect of the care provided to the children and young people is explained. Visits are arranged for parents and there are tea visits for the children and young people before an overnight stay is completed. A courtesy call is made to parents prior to any short-break stays. This provides opportunities to discuss additional requirements or any changes in presentation, reference, behaviours or medication. Telephone contact by parents is encouraged in order to reduce any anxieties that they may have concerning their child, and also the children and young people are able to ring home for reassurance. This helps the children and young people to feel relaxed and enjoy their stay. The children and young people make progress in their aims and targets that have been identified. A staff member said, „One young person previously would not go out on an

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

activity on her own, or with staff or in a group. Now, with a consistent approach, she is accessing swimming and other local outdoor activities.‟ The manager, due to unforeseen circumstances, has had to cancel a number of planned short-break stays. This has been because of a lack of staff to enable the short-break provision to remain open. The children and young people, although offered alternative dates, have been subject to inconsistency in the delivery of their relevant plans. This has impacted on their attachments and emotional well-being, in addition to disrupting routines that enable children and young people with additional learning needs to make sense of the world they live in. A serious safeguarding incident occurred as a result of inconsistent supervision when a child was able to exit the premises. This is a rare event, but nevertheless a shortfall in practice. The child was located close by after a swift response from the registered

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

manager and the staff team, following the clear protocols in place. An evaluation and analysis of the incident has ensured that a number of actions to improve supervision and the security of the building have taken place. Risk assessments have been reviewed and updated and the incident has been discussed in team meetings and individual supervisions of staff. A requirement was made at this inspection to address the timely recording of a measure of control and/or restraint. A member of staff had taken annual leave without completing the relevant paperwork and, therefore, had not followed the required process. The registered manager has quickly addressed this through discussion with staff involved and this has been communicated to the whole team to prevent a similar incident from occurring again. This was raised through the independent monitoring system in place and it is evident that the management team responds accordingly to any improvements

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

to be made, swiftly and efficiently. An additional example of this ability to respond was with regard to the new file audit system, which was implemented and shared with the independent visitor following a recommendation by them. A similar system is also in place for the supervision of staff. The supervisor will discuss and record any actions that may be outstanding or are required, thus improving the effective management of case files and outcomes for children and young people. At the last inspection, a requirement was made in reference to the six-monthly monitoring report. This has only partly been met and, therefore, a recommendation has been made. This is to ensure that actions required to improve the service for the Inspection report children‟s home: SC412705 3 children and young people accessing the short-breaks stays are identified and subsequently addressed over the following six months.

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/07/2017 Full Good 18/01/2017 Full Requires improvement 13/06/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 16/03/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness

p.3

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children‟s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the „Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child‟s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; help each child to understand how to keep safe; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; that the home‟s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(v) and (b)(d)) 29/03/2018

p.3

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children‟s home and— In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that each child‟s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14(1)(a) and (2)(c)) In particular, ensuring that planned short-break stays are not cancelled if at all avoidable and consistency is maintained in the delivery of the service. 12/04/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC412705 4 The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes the name of the child; details of the child‟s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use

p.3

Requirement Due date

the measure; the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered as a result of the measure; within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person") has spoken to the user about the measure; and signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) and (b)(i)(ii)(c)) 12/04/2018

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person must demonstrate every effort to achieve continuity of staffing so that children‟s attachments are not overly disrupted. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 51, paragraph 10.1)  Regulation 45 sets out requirements for the registered person to have a system in place which allows them to monitor the matters set out in the regulation at least once every six months. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next six months of delivery in the home and how these actions will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 64 and 65, paragraph 15.2 and 15.4)

p.4

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children‟s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is Inspection report children‟s home: SC412705 5 making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

p.4

Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

p.5

Information about this inspection

Using the „Social care common inspection framework‟, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children‟s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the „Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟.

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: North Tyneside Council, 16 The Silverlink North, Newcastle upon Tyne NE27 0BY

p.5

Inspector

Michael Dack, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC412705 6 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children‟s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children‟s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.5

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6