Children's home run by Interactive Development Support Limited in Newcastle upon Tyne

Inspection report children's home: SC486527 1 SC486527 Registered provider: Interactive Development Support Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by an independent provider. The home provides care and accommodation for up to four children or young people who are aged between 10 years old and 17 years old on admission who have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager was registered with Ofsted on 13 March 2017.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC486527 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/06/2017 Full Good 05/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/06/2016 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC486527 3

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Recommendations

 Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. If a child makes a choice that would place them or another person at significant risk of harm, staff should assist them to understand the risks and manage their risk taking behaviour to keep themselves and others safe. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraphs 9.5 and 9.7)  The review should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weaknesses in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next six months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. The

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Recommendations

whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)  Staff need the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12) In particular, on-line gaming and the monitoring of internet interactions with other users.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children develop excellent relationships with the staff team, whose members provide them with exceptional support and are responsive to their individual needs. The staff team is focused on helping them achieve their potential. The children spoke positively about the care that is provided throughout the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children experience stability and positive structure, which helps them move on from past trauma. They grow in confidence and self-esteem building strong relationships and trust in keyworkers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff team has high aspirations for children and as a result educational outcomes continually improve. Where children have struggled they are now re-engaging with mainstream education and making plans for their future careers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children engage in decision-making forums in the home as well as attending their respective care team meetings. The children meet every week to discuss their views and Inspection report children's home: SC486527 4 opinions on a range of topics that are important to them. The manager and staff ensure that their views are listened to and acted upon. The children express their wishes for activities, menus, and holidays in the UK and abroad to name just a few. Thus children’s active involvement in decisions that affect their daily lives creates positive memories, builds self-esteem and promotes resilience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children develop a range of independence skills that prepare them for being adults and for moving on. For example, independent travel and household budgeting are being encouraged and supported by keyworkers. This approach develops trust and respect. The staff team provide praise and positive encouragement from which children develop confidence and take pride in their accomplishments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The care plans and associated records are meticulously maintained and address the full range of children’s individual needs. Contact with families and friends is a key area which, with support and planning, enables children to travel independently where appropriately. The staff team is committed to developing children’s confidence and positive decision making.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is furnished to a high standard and the children have personalised their individual bedrooms. They engage in positive activities together and alongside staff. An ‘Easter’ egg activity event produced some wonderful and creative art designs. The children and staff participated together and plans were underway for a baking contest.

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

The children have detailed risk assessments. The staff team demonstrate a good awareness of identified risk, recording and implementing strategies to reduce the impact of harm to children. However, where risk is identified, the level of risk detailed is not always reflected in the rating. In addition, where there are potential on-line risks these should be included. The absence of clear assessments of risk diminishes the ability of staff to protect children and could potentially put them at risk of harm.

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

The staff team ensures that children have a good understanding of risk and speak to them consistently during day-to-day activities and formal keyworker sessions on relevant areas of concern. This enables positive safe care messages to be discussed and reflected on with trusted adults. As a result the risk of harm to children is reduced. The home is a very safe place, this is reflected in feedback from children during inspection.

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

The children do not go missing and become increasingly safer as a result of their positive and nurturing relationships with staff. The children are supported to develop appropriate friendships and seek support when feeling anxious or unhappy.

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

As well as having a sleep-in facility, the home now operates with a waking night member of staff following a recommendation from the last inspection. This provides added support that maintains a quick response in times of crisis. Inspection report children's home: SC486527 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The experienced manager is passionate and highly motivated. He is supported by a very competent deputy who shares his vision and dedication for achieving the best outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Through the development of a supportive learning environment, the staff have gained the skills and knowledge to meet children’s complex needs. In particular, the deputy manager supports staff development through regular interactive supervision. He has embedded learning through the introduction of pieces of research and relevant social care papers. The staff team enthusiastically engages in this learning process.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and his deputy lead a confident staff team whose members are committed to ensuring that children are highly valued and achieve positive outcomes. This supports the development of children’s self-esteem and they are able to thrive and gain confidence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The recommendations made at the last inspection have been met notably the introduction of an appropriate sleep-in room with personal care amenities for the staff. This ensures that staff feel valued and promotes morale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager users internal monitoring and the external visitor’s evaluative reports to build on the home’s strengths. However, the home’s six-monthly regulatory report, omitted any action plan. This reduces any internal and external evaluation of progress planned.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff team maintain excellent relationships with appropriate partner agencies. The pro-active levels of communication ensures that children’s care plans are highly effective and promote a forward thinking approach to their care.

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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 under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it Inspection report children's home: SC486527 6 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: SC486527 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Interactive Development Support Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3-5 Brenkley Way, Blezard Business Park, Seaton Burn, Newcastle upon Tyne NE13 6DS

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Inspector

Michael Dack, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC486527 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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Inspector

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