Children's home run by Right-Trak Limited in Newcastle upon Tyne

Inspection report children’s home: SC465475 1 SC465475 Registered provider: Right-Trak 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 provides care for up to six children who have emotional/or behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a private company.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post for 18 months.

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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 good

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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: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC465475 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/07/2017 Full Outstanding 02/02/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 23/08/2016 Full Outstanding 25/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC465475 3

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Recommendations

 Staff skills for safeguarding should include being able to identify signs that children may be at risk, and support children in strategies to manage and reduce any risks. Staff should encourage children to express their views about whether they feel safe both within and outside the home. Staff should support children to understand how to ask for help to stay safe and that the home is an environment which supports this. In particular, safeguarding should be a standing item on the staff supervision agenda. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.10)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children develop excellent relationships with the staff team. Staff have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the impact of early childhood experiences on children’s ability to develop and sustain positive relationships. This helps the children to settle quickly and securely at the home. The home is safe and very homely, providing children with a space to grow and develop.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s progress is outstanding. Staff have created a therapeutic environment in which they flourish. The psychologist employed by the company works closely with staff, providing training, support and supervision. This ensures that staff are confident to deliver well-planned therapeutic care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The use of colourful and child-friendly ‘measurable outcomes’ books provides a rich and vibrant account of the children’s exceptional progress. Children are able to see a clear record of their progress and achievements. Staff understand the need for nurture and security. They are motivated and committed to enhance the children’s life chances.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children attend school. Children who have had difficulties attending school in the past are now making considerable progress. Information sharing between school staff and staff at the home is effective. These extremely positive relationships help to create shared approaches to behaviour management, making school a more secure and welcoming place for children to thrive. Staff are purposeful in encouraging and supporting children’s education. There is a wealth of educational toys, books and games in the home, which means that learning is made fun. Staff have very high aspirations for children and believe that they are able to achieve. This helps them to grow in confidence and self-esteem. A school social worker spoke very positively of the staff’s work to support the children’s education. She has been particularly impressed with the work they have done with one young person who spent a long time out of education prior to

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

coming to live at the home, saying that, ‘He is amazing: he loves coming to school, is Inspection report children’s home: SC465475 4 always really smart and above all is settled in class and doing very well.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have developed age-appropriate independence skills that have helped them to manage personal care needs. They have become confident and are proud of their achievements. Progress is well recognised and rewarded with certificates and celebrations. Staff have created a culture in which children are praised and valued, which gives them a sense of self-worth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff support contact by facilitating transport and supervision as needed. A parent said, ‘The staff are great: they are helpful, and my child is safe at the home. Recently, they helped them come to a special family party, which meant a lot to me and all of our family.’

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

Children say that they feel safe. Staff provide them with a safe place to live. There are clear boundaries in place, which help children to manage their behaviour and regulate their responses.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the children’s needs. Clear, well-written risk assessments support children’s safety inside and outside of the home. A good understanding of the children’s therapeutic needs underpins care planning in the home. Collaborative working with social workers and a psychologist ensures that behaviour management and care plans are effective. Alongside these, the use of individual therapeutic care plans strengthens practice. Structured and individualised responses mean that challenging behaviours are significantly reducing. Children are gradually learning to manage their worries and anxieties.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. When this does happen, staff are vigilant and proactive in their responses. Missing from home protocols are followed, all relevant agencies are informed and missing from home interviews take place.

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

Staff use key-worker sessions effectively to help children understand how to keep themselves safe. Staff show a good understanding of risks that children take and why they do so. This results in proportionate and warm responses from staff, which helps the children to learn from their experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is well qualified and experienced to meet the aims and objectives set out in the home’s statement of purpose. He is strongly committed to improving outcomes for children. He leads a staff team whose members have very high aspirations for children, who have a good understanding of their needs and are motivated and passionate in the care they provide.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is committed to continuing professional development, which means that he is up to date with research and practice. Since his appointment, he has Inspection report children’s home: SC465475 5 driven improvements, resulting in positive outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive good support and supervision on a regular basis. Training is good, and staff reported that they have relevant training that helps to support them in caring for the children in a confident way. To strengthen practice in the home and give staff the opportunity to discuss the safeguarding ethos of the home, safeguarding should be a standing agenda item in supervision. Staff spoken to all felt very well supported and valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager works very closely and effectively with a core team of other professionals, such as social workers and health workers. He is a strong advocate for children and is able to make appropriate professional challenge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are involved in the daily running of the home, choosing meals they like and planning activities. The use of the weekly ‘chatterbox’ consultation helps them to make regular contributions and to feel valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff are dedicated to promoting positive outcomes for children. They strive to develop children’s confidence and self-esteem, helping them to be more resilient in the future.

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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 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: SC465475 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 104 1st Floor West, Wingrove House, Ponteland Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE5 3DE

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Melanie Spriddell

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Inspector

Dot McGough, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC465475 7 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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