Children's home run by Paddock House Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1252120 1 Registered provider: Paddock House 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 privately owned and provides care and accommodation for up to six children or young people. The home looks after children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager was registered in April 2017.

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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: 21 February 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1252120 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 01/11/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 1252120 3

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Recommendations

 Regulation 19(2) details sanctions that are prohibited in behaviour management. Any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. In some cases, it will be important for children to make reparation in some form to anyone hurt by their behaviour and the staff in the home should be skilled to support the child to understand this and carry it out. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38) In particular, ensure that young people are helped to understand how sanctions will be applied to provide consistent care.  Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that

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Recommendations

distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) In particular, all staff should be familiar with the home’s systems for recording and retrieving information.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people develop positive relationships with the staff team. There is a homely atmosphere and young people choose to spend time with the staff at mealtimes as well as relaxing and doing activities with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a focus on activities to help disrupt negative behaviours. The activities also allow the young people to have different and enjoyable experiences. House meetings consider the views of the young people on a regular basis. The staff team meetings then consider how to plan and respond to the young people’s requests. Activities arranged at the young people’s request include swimming, going to theme parks, caravan breaks, go-karting, bike riding and cinema trips.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One young person has settled in particularly well. A parent commented, ‘The staff are just amazing. I can settle, as I know [name of child] wants to be there. He loves the activities they do. They have helped him have a voice, and in my opinion that makes them outstanding.’ Inspection report children’s home: 1252120 4 When young people are not happy regarding their plans and arrangements, they are encouraged to express their views. Young people are supported to have access to an independent advocate. One young person commented, ‘The staff listen to me and help me. I’ve never had that before.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some of the young people are making good progress in all aspects of their lives. Each young person has a dedicated key worker to help them to reflect on their history and their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has dedicated ‘champions’ among the staff team. For example, there is now a champion for independent living skills. Young people are supported to develop skills that will help them move on and live independently. This is captured through photographs and acknowledging achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is valued in the home. The staff advocate well on behalf of young people. The registered manager has escalated concerns when there have been delays in identifying educational placements for young people. This has had the desired effect and helped move young people into educational provisions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team understands the importance of young people maintaining contact with family and friends. Regardless of geographical location, the staff team will support and facilitate contact arrangements in line with the young people’s contact plans.

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

Comprehensive risk assessments identify young people’s individual vulnerabilities. Risk assessments make links to young people’s past experiences. This helps to identify proactive ways to disrupt negative behaviours. Risk assessments and placement plans are regularly updated. The quality assurance process enables the management team to monitor the progress of young people.

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

The numbers of episodes of young people going missing from the home have fluctuated over recent months. When young people are missing from the home, the procedures are followed by staff. Efforts are made to safely return young people home. Young people have access to independent visitors on their return home. This enables the staff team to consider information that is likely to strengthen risk assessments further.

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

Behaviour in the home is well managed. Physical interventions are rare, and staff apply de-escalation techniques to manage behaviours to ensure the safety of all young people.

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

There have been several bullying incidents in the home. The staff team is proactive at managing incidents and working with young people to prevent further incidents of bullying occurring. There is now an anti-bullying champion in place to ensure appropriate oversight.

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

When sanctions are used, they are appropriate. However, young people are not yet supported to understand how sanctions are applied in a way that will benefit them. Clear Inspection report children’s home: 1252120 5 approaches to applying sanctions would provide young people with consistent messages and consistent care.

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

Safeguarding is now a standalone agenda item in staff supervisions and team meetings. This has strengthened the safeguarding culture in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is appropriately qualified and experienced for the position held. He is supported by an experienced deputy manager and senior staff team. There are several new members of staff who have joined the team in recent months. The registered manager has been astute in his approach to the recruitment process. He has appointed staff members with varying skills and experience.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that professional development is well supported. Mandatory training has been completed and more specialist training identified. Regular staff supervisions and appraisals provide opportunities for reflective practice and further training and development opportunities to be explored. There is additional training by the in-house clinical psychologist.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. He appreciates feedback from the independent visitor and inspector to help drive improvements forward.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a monthly monitoring system in place and consults with the young people and professionals on a regular basis. This helps him to evaluate and develop practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Generally, records are well documented and reflect the needs and vulnerabilities of young people. The manager has introduced a cross-referencing system that helps to link some of the documentation. In those instances, it is an effective system. However, not all staff are yet confident in applying the referencing system. The registered manager must ensure that all staff are familiar with the home’s systems for recording and retrieving of information to ensure that a consistent approach is applied.

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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. Inspection report children’s home: 1252120 6 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

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Information about this inspection

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: 1252120 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Paddock House Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: A1, Marquis Court, Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead NE11 0RU

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Inspector

Jacqueline Tate, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1252120 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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