Children's Home run by Talbot House Children’s Charity Limited in Newcastle upon Tyne

Inspection report children‟s home: SC432843 1 SC432843 Registered provider: Talbot House School, Newcastle upon Tyne Interim 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 charitable organisation and is registered for the care and accommodation of up to seven children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities. The post of registered manager is vacant.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been a number of difficulties at the home since the previous inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been failures in the leadership and management of the home. The registered manager resigned after a number of allegations were made against her. She has now cancelled her registration with Ofsted. These allegations were that she failed to take action to safeguard children and young people and failed to take action to properly supervise and monitor staff.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A senior member of staff left employment at the home recently, after which a number of allegations were made against them. There is now an ongoing child protection investigation and the inspector has taken account of these issues in assessing the evidence for the judgement. Inspection report children‟s home: SC432843 2 Another member of staff has resigned their post after allegations were made against them of inappropriate physical intervention. This allegation is not connected to any of the others.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff have been unable to provide appropriate boundaries and routines for some of the children and young people. The staff have been unable to prevent some of the children and young people from going missing and they have been unable to prevent one young person from becoming involved in criminal activity. The staff have not made sufficiently good risk assessments, and have not been able to act to minimise risk. The staff have not been able to provide specialist support for one young person around their concerning behaviour. Three children and young people have left the home since the previous inspection because staff have been unable to meet their needs. Another child is currently about to leave after refusing to return from a home visit. The placing social worker is supporting their request to leave the home. Another young person is approaching their leaving date and insufficient planning has been carried out to ensure

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been other management failures. Staff have not been given sufficient supervision and training and have not completed their mandatory qualifications within the required time limits. The interim manager has not notified HMCI (Her Majesty‟s Chief Inspector) of one allegation made against a worker. The quality of care review has not been completed and sent to HMCI. Some of the recording has not been kept up to date and this includes the records around a physical intervention. The statement of purpose has not been updated as required.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Overall, the children and young people have not made progress in this inspection period. Some of them have had poor outcomes and in general their experience of living in the home has been poor. In the last few weeks, however, the home has become more settled and the three young people currently residing at the home have enjoyed a relaxing and fun holiday.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is an interim manager in post currently. They have been asked to act up from their previous position as senior worker. The interim manager is not qualified and does not have a great deal of experience, and so they are not suitable for registration. This change has also left the senior staff team depleted at a time whenthere is an overall lack of experience within the staff team.The responsible individual has a clear development plan in place and this includes recruitment and additional training and supervision for staff.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A number of the requirements made at the previous inspection were not met, and so have been raised again at this inspection, along with some additional requirements. Some of these requirements have been raised to compliance level and a notice of restriction of admissions was issued on 17 August 2018. A notice of proposal to suspend the registration has also been issued.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection report children‟s home: SC432843 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/06/2017 Full Good 07/12/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 11/05/2016 Full Good

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— (a) understand the children‟s home‟s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; (b) use this understanding to deliver care that meets children‟s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— make decisions about day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6(2)(b)(ix)) In particular, to ensure that children are given clear boundaries around bedtimes and getting-up times and given clear boundaries and expectations around attending school or training. 16/09/2018

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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 16/09/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC432843 4 to the child. (Regulation 12(2)(a)(i)) In particular, to keep all safeguarding risk assessments up to date and to assess the risks around use of mobile phones and internet and to put controls in place to manage any identified risks. 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(2)(b)) In particular, provide appropriate individualised work to reduce risk for children who have sexualised behaviour or sexually

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Requirement Due date

harmful behaviour. *The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— Lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home‟s statement of purpose. Ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. Ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13(2)(a)(c)(d)) In particular, to ensure that the home has a suitable interim manager and suitable senior staff to lead shifts. 16/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children‟s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that arrangements are in place to— plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child‟s placing authority. (Regulation 14(1)(a)(b)) In particular, to ensure that a young person‟s needs are fully assessed and that these assessments are acted on prior to a 16/09/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC432843 5 young person leaving for adult care. The registered person must— notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(b)) 16/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if by the relevant date, the individual has attained— the Level 3 Diploma for residential Childcare (England) (“the level 3 diploma”) or a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. The relevant date is— in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32(4)(a) and (5)(a)) 16/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development and receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(a)(b)) 16/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

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 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. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)) 16/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which are kept up to date. (Regulation 36(1)(b)) 16/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI without delay if there is 16/09/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC432843 6 an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40(4)(c)) The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months and must supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care is reviewed. (Regulation 45(1) and (4)(a)) 16/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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

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.

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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‟.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Talbot House School, Hexham Road, Walbottle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 8HW

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Inspector

Inspection report children‟s home: SC432843 7 Colin Imrie, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC432843 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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