Children's Home run by South Tyneside Council in South Tyneside

Inspection report children’s home: SC032697 1 SC032697 Registered provider: South Tyneside Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides short-breaks care and accommodation for up to four children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A local authority operates the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 17 January 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Key findings from this inspection

 The staff deliver high levels of individualised care to the children, young people, and their families. Early indications show that the home is having a positive impact. The children and young people who have started their short breaks are Inspection report children’s home: SC032697 2 progressing and achieving.  The registered manager and the staff are experienced and highly skilled in delivering effective services to the children and young people. They use a range of strategies to actively engage the children and young people. Relationships between the staff and the children and young people are positive.  The children and young people are safe during their short breaks. They have very positive day-to-day experiences, and their views and wishes are taken into account. Promoting positive equality and diversity is paramount.  Strong leadership and management is clearly evident. The staff have the

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Key findings from this inspection

qualifications, skills and experience to meet the children’s and young people’s needs. Interagency and partnership working with other professionals is positive.  The registered manager and the staff are strong advocates for the children and young people. They have high aspirations and expectations for the children and young people.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/08/2016 Full Good 22/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 24/11/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC032697 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This children’s home closed in May 2017 to undergo a complete refurbishment, with exceptional results. The local authority has heavily invested to improve the interior and exterior of the home to provide the children and young people with first-class accommodation. The home is spacious and is furnished and decorated to a very high standard. This provides the children and young people with a homely, relaxing environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home offers an ‘edge of care’ provision, which provides outreach and in-reach care and support to children, young people and families who live in the local community. Staff are available to support families in crisis from 8am to 10pm from Monday to Friday. In addition to this vital support, the home operates a short-breaks provision that is open from Friday night until Sunday night.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The shorts-breaks provision has been operational for five weeks. Records show that the children and young people are benefiting from their short breaks, and that the care and support that they receive is improving their outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager carefully plans admissions to ensure that the short-breaks provision is needs led, and that the staff can offer focused interventions that meet the children’s and young people’s needs. This provides highly individualised care. Relationships between the children and young people and the staff are positive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff consult with the children and young people to ascertain and understand their wishes and feelings. This promotes positive inclusion and respects the children’s and young people’s equality and diversity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A young person said: ‘I love to come here. The staff are great and I can talk to them. They are helping me, and we do lots of great activities.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have a wide range of skills that enable them to undertake meaningful, direct one-to-one work with the children and young people. They have access to many therapeutic resources, which help the children and young people to talk about their difficult experiences and to help them to understand and articulate their feelings. This child-focused approach significantly impacts on the good progress the children and young people are making.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A social worker said: ‘This provision has made a huge difference to my young person. The staff go over and above, her keyworker is helping [the young person] to improve family relationships. The feedback from the family is very positive, and the young person loves it.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Good assessments and short-breaks planning ensure that the children’s and young people’s healthcare and educational needs are met. Inspection report children’s home: SC032697 4 A social worker said: ‘My young person has done a lot of direct work about his wishes and feelings and going to school, and the activities have been really good for him. This is a great place to support young people.’

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The children and young people are safe during their short breaks. Good, individualised risk management reduces known risks, and the staff are knowledgeable and experienced in all areas of safeguarding practice. The staff receive regular child protection training and they have good links with the local authority safeguarding officers. There are currently no children or young people at risk from exploitation, rationalisation or extremism.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff employ a range of positive behaviour management strategies. They work alongside the children and young people to teach them how to understand their feelings and their behaviours. The staff focus on positive outcomes by using gentle encouragement and positive incentives. This teaches the children and young people empathy skills by developing their self-confidence and their self-esteem. There have been no restraints and the staff do not use sanctions.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

A young person said: ‘The staff talk to us and this helps me. My keyworker is the best, and things at home are much better now.’

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Good health and safety, and fire safety, measures ensure that the children, young people, staff and visitors are safe. The registered manager oversees all staff recruitment safety checks. The staff vet and check all visitors to the home. These measures reduce the risk of exposing the children and young people to unsuitable adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is an experienced, highly trained manager and practitioner. He has worked tirelessly to set up this much-needed service to support vulnerable children, young people, and their families. He has very high aspirations for the children, young people and the staff. His drive, enthusiasm and positive work ethic are commendable.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager leads a strong, committed team whose members share the same high expectations to make a difference to the children’s and young people’s lives and their outcomes. All the staff have a level 3 diploma in caring for children and young people, and some staff have a level 5 diploma and/or a social work qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff training and development are a high priority. All the staff have had a thorough, comprehensive induction period, and they receive meaningful supervision and appraisals. Regular team meetings provide an open forum for the staff to share their ideas to improve the services provided. The staff feel valued and appreciated. Inspection report children’s home: SC032697 5 A staff member said: ‘This is the best place I have ever worked at. The team are amazing and the support from managers is fantastic.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Careful and thoughtful recruitment has been used to put together a team of staff who have a wide range of skills and experience. They have united as a strong team that provides high levels of meaningful support that has a positive impact on the children and young people. The staff identify the staff team as ‘one of the best things about working at the home’, and they agree that ‘staff morale is great’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Interagency and partnership working with a range of other professionals is an integral part of the services offered, as set out in the statement of purpose. This gives the children and young people access to specialist services to meet their needs. For example, the registered manager has commissioned a private counsellor who provides direct, specialist support for the children and young people who need a bespoke therapeutic support plan.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff actively work with parents to support them and to include them in the care of their children and young people. Supporting families as a ‘unit’ significantly increases the likelihood of improved outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A social worker said: ‘The feedback I’ve received from the parents of my young person is extremely positive. They feel included, and they are working with staff to improve relationships within the home. The staff have made a real difference.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has introduced a range of monitoring systems that collect data relating to the children’s and young people’s progress and their outcomes. Constructive consultation with the children, young people, families, and other professionals is already influencing changes and positive developments. Arrangements for independent monitoring add positively to the overall management and development of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are no requirements or recommendations arising from this inspection.

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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 making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out Inspection report children’s home: SC032697 6 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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC032697 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: South Tyneside Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Westoe Road, South Shields NE33 2RL

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Inspector

Debbie White, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC032697 8 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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