Children's homes – interim inspection

Inspection report children’s home: SC035105 1 SC035105 Registered provider: Durham County Council 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 to provide care and accommodation for up to four children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The registered manager has extensive experience of managing a children’s home.

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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 outstanding

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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: 16 January 2018

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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: SC035105 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/01/2018 Full Good 09/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 25/10/2016 Full Good 24/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC035105 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, the 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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; and

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(2)(b)(i)(ii)) 04/11/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people develop excellent relationships with the adults who care for them. When young people return from school or activities they are welcomed by a caring staff team. There are firm boundaries and routines that are effective at managing low-level disruptive behaviour. The safe and consistent care that the young people receive helps them to make excellent progress. This is taking into account their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team has a variety of skills and experience. This enhances the opportunities and experiences that the young people have. Bees and chickens are kept to the rear of the property; some staff are knowledgeable about their care. There are opportunities for young people to learn and engage in agricultural activities. One young person enjoys joinery and a member of staff has helped him make bespoke furniture that is displayed with pride in the home. Varying charity events have enabled young people to enjoy and achieve while making a positive contribution. Inspection report children’s home: SC035105 4 The young people enjoy spending time with the adults who care for them and identify the staff as their family. One young person said: ‘I don’t feel like I am in care. I am treated like one of their own.’ When young people leave, they remain in contact with the staff team. A recent family reunion was arranged for ex-residents to attend. A comment

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

in a group chat included: ‘Love them. They are there when you need them, and they never give up on you.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Baseline profiles are used to focus on areas of progress for young people. This is an effective system to measure and monitor the progress of young people. There is clear evidence that young people are making very good progress in most areas. School attendance and achievement have been particularly good for all the young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people are consulted in a variety of ways, including house meetings and key- worker sessions. Two young people showed me their bedrooms that were decorated to a high standard and themed to their preference and choice. This helps young people to settle and feel that it is their home. Subsequently, damage to the property is not an issue in this home and young people respect their surroundings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is firm evidence that young people are helped to develop independence skills that prepare them for adulthood. The registered manager is innovative, and this helps engage the young people in different ways to develop their independence skills. For example, two young people were successfully accepted onto a ‘Teenagers 2 Work’ scheme. This provided opportunities to have work experience and earn extra pocket money. Achievements are celebrated well, and memory boxes help capture important memories for the young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals from other agencies speak with high regard for practice in the home. One professional commented: ‘I love everything about this home. They work relentlessly. They are second to none. All of the staff have a good understanding of [name of child] and they provide consistent care. I cannot fault them.’

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

Risk assessment and risk management processes are effective. The staff team has received safeguarding training, and works with a range of professionals to ensure that the right support and care is provided to young people on an individual basis. Missing from home episodes are not a regular occurrence; there has been one recent incident. On that occasion, appropriate procedures were followed to enable her safe return.

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

Low-level disruptive behaviours are addressed quickly. Restorative approaches are applied to any sanction that is given. Bullying has not been an issue for this home. Since the last inspection, there has been one physical intervention. It was effective at enabling the staff team to prevent further harm to the young person and to others.

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

The staff team supports young people and helps them to keep themselves safe. This was well evidenced through key-worker sessions. The staff team encourages each young person’s development by balancing interventions between keeping young people safe Inspection report children’s home: SC035105 5 and recognising that young people need to take measured risks to develop appropriate skills.

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

There is a very good safeguarding culture in the home. Safeguarding is a stand-alone agenda item that is explored during supervisions, team meetings and multi-agency forums. Intelligence received in the home informs and updates the home’s locality risk assessment.

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

When young people are admitted to the home, the registered manager ensures that there is sufficient information to understand the young people’s experiences. This is vital to ensure that the home can offer care to each young person as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. The manager attends multi-agency planning meetings prior to admissions. There is evidence that young people are sensitively welcomed into the home. There is not yet an effective system to evaluate the risks to all young people prior to new admissions. This has been raised as a requirement at this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is suitably qualified and has extensive experience for the position held. She is supported in her role by an effective senior team and dedicated staff team. The staff team is stable and there is a low level of staff turnover. This means that young people benefit from building secure and stable relationships with the adults who care for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager’s enthusiasm and passion to achieve the best possible outcomes for young people sets a precedent for the staff team. The team equally shares her values, and this means that young people receive consistent care that helps them to make excellent progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has effective systems in place to monitor progress and practice. She is confident in her senior residential workers. They assist the registered manager with auditing and quality assuring work of the staff. The registered manager is clear about the home’s strengths and areas for development. The effective systems she has in place help her to drive improvements forwards.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home’s practice is very much based on a multi-agency approach to meeting the needs of the young people. There is excellent evidence of the staff team advocating on behalf of young people when there is a shortfall in the expected level of care. Equally, there is excellent evidence that the staff team supports young people to access services when they have initially shown resistance. The staff team has provided opportunities for young people to make informed decisions about their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager provides the staff team with regular supervisions. This is in addition to monthly staff meetings that are effective at exploring safeguarding issues as well as updating the staff team on relevant changes to legislation and practice. Guest speakers have been used to help aid learning. The registered manager supports her staff team to develop professionally via additional training and learning opportunities. Inspection report children’s home: SC035105 6 The registered manager contributes to wider developments within the authority. This includes delivering training to help improve practice across the organisation.

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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: SC035105 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Durham County Council

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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: SC035105 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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