Children's Home run by Durham County Council in Durham

Inspection report children’s home: SC449096 1 SC449096 Registered provider: Durham County 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

The home is run by a local authority and is registered for the care and accommodation of up to four children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC449096 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/06/2017 Full Good 09/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 12/07/2016 Full Good 10/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC449096 3

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which— include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)(c)) In particular, each young person should have an updated placement plan at the point of admission to ensure that appropriate targets are set. This would assist in measuring the progress of young people from their starting point. 30/06/2018

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Recommendations

 Supervision of staff practice should ensure that individual adults in the home are engaged in the safeguarding culture of the home so they understand what they would need to do if they found other staff misusing or abusing their position to the detriment of the safety of a child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.14) In particular, safeguarding should be a stand-alone item on supervision agendas. Additionally, reflective discussions should be explicitly recorded within supervision notes to demonstrate professional development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are two recent admissions to the home. The registered manager has consulted the home’s locality risk assessment and completed impact risk assessments ahead of admissions. Admissions to the home are conducted in a planned way to ensure that young people’s experience of entering the home are positive. Young people who have Inspection report children’s home: SC449096 4 moved on from the home have done so in a planned way. Most case records are up to date. For one young person who has recently been admitted to the home, their placement plan was incomplete. This means that it was difficult to track that young person’s progress from their starting point. The registered manager and staff team understand each young person’s needs and there appears to be no adverse impact on that young person. It is, however, a requirement that each young person has a relevant plan. The young people have access to individual living spaces that are personalised, as well

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

as access to communal areas. There is a large garden area that allows the young people to enjoy seasonal activities. Overall, the home is very well maintained. Damage to the home is rare. There is evidence that most young people are making progress when taking into account their starting points. Young people said that they have positive relationships with the adults that care for them. Observations made during the inspection indicate that the young people enjoy spending time with the staff and receive nurturing responses. This is balanced with clear and consistent boundaries. One young person, commenting on the level of care that they receive, said ‘[Name, registered manager] would never give up on any of us. I feel safe here and I like it and don’t want to move again.’ Each young person can have independent time away from the home. This is supported and assessed in line with their level of need and vulnerability. Relationships with friends

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

and family are supported where appropriate. Staff demonstrate a very good understanding of each young person’s likes. This assists in planning activities, such as theatre trips and overseas holidays. Most young people have good school attendance. For children who refuse to attend school, there are alternative educational provisions in place. This is likely to support reintegration back into education. Although there have been changes to the staff team since the last inspection, this has not affected the consistency of care. There are a range of skills within the staff team that are complementary.

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

The staff help the young people to understand risk and how to stay safe. This is achieved through focused key-worker sessions. One young person at risk of child sexual exploitation has received support from the staff team, as well as a range of support services. Her level of risk has significantly reduced. The young people report that they feel safe living in the home. Each young person has an individual risk assessment. Risks are well understood and there are clear strategies identified to mitigate risk of harm. Risk assessments are shared with young people so that they understand what is necessary to keep them safe. The staff team works collaboratively with the police, social workers, health and educational professionals to ensure that the young people are effectively safeguarded. Inspection report children’s home: SC449096 5 Regular care team meetings are attended by a member of staff to ensure that any

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

changes to care plans are quickly updated to manage risk. When young people go missing from home, the staff team takes a proactive approach to enable the safe return of young people. Missing from home protocols are followed and return home interviews happen in a timely manner. One professional commented, ‘This home is so proactive at going above and beyond to take reasonable steps to locate young people when they go missing. You can’t fault them.’ There is an inconsistent approach to safeguarding issues being discussed within individual supervisions. Additionally, reflective discussions are not always recorded in supervision notes. Adding both these aspects to supervisions would strengthen safeguarding practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced for the post. She has a strong commitment to improving outcomes for the young people. She is supported in her role by a dedicated staff team that is effective at advocating on behalf of young people. Through verbal and written communications, the registered manager has been able to access varies provisions for the young people. This has ranged from specialised services and therapeutic interventions, to one young person being supported to enrol onto a summer academy. The academy aims to engage young people in fun activities to build their confidence and educate them on how to stay safe. Additionally, through communications with one young person’s social worker, she has secured an overseas trip for the young person this summer. The registered manager has ensured that mandatory training has been completed by all members of staff. She has sourced additional training relating to gender issues. A

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

skilled and knowledgeable staff team is likely to enhance individualised care and improve outcomes for young people. The registered manager recognises the home’s strengths and areas of required development. She has an effective auditing system in place that enables her to monitor trends and themes. This assists her to implement effective ways to improve practice in the home.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC449096 6 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 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: SC449096 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Durham DH1 5UL

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Inspector

Jacqueline Tate, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC449096 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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