Children's Home run by Evolution Children Services Limited in Newcastle upon Tyne

Inspection report children’s home: SC382595 1 SC382595 Registered provider: Evolution Childrens Services Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is owned by a limited company.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been registered for two years.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 31 October to 1 November 2018

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 24 October 2017

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC382595 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/10/2017 Full Outstanding 01/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 13/12/2016 Full Outstanding 17/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC382595 3

p.2

Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

p.3

Recommendations

In particular, the children’s bedrooms should be personalised, and the home should be decorated throughout.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children living in the home have a good standard of care to meet their individual needs. The longest placement has been since October 2018. Despite placements being relatively new, the two children living at the home are making progress. From the point of admission, the children are responded to in a sensitive and caring way. Staff quickly develop positive and nurturing relationships with the children, which helps them to settle.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are proactive in supporting children’s educational attendance and achievements. One child is waiting for an educational placement. The staff team ensures that he has access to home tutoring as well as other educational activities. This will assist with the transition to an educational placement. Links with a range of different provisions, alternative placements and the virtual school are strong. Staff know the children’s backgrounds and abilities. They understand how these can cause barriers to education. Staff support children in a sensitive way to ensure that they have positive and enriching educational experiences.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive a good standard of care. Staff show genuine care and concern. The nurturing culture helps to build trusting relationships. The use of the positive observations and achievements log to record events ensures that the children receive regular praise. This helps to build confidence and self-esteem. Children are encouraged to record their feelings alongside those of the staff. Their comments demonstrate how important recognition and positive praise is to them. Comments seen included ‘Buzzing’, ‘I feel great’ and ‘Makes me feel fantastic.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is showing some signs of some wear, tear and damage. Efforts to improve the look of the home have begun. However, some areas still need further attention. One bedroom seen, although clean and neat, lacked any degree of personalisation. To create Inspection report children’s home: SC382595 4 a more homely and welcoming atmosphere within the home, further work needs to be carried out. Children’s bedrooms need to be personalised, individual spaces that the children are proud of and reflect their individuality.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of each of the children’s likes and dislikes. Through consultation with the children, the staff team designs structured, well-planned activities.

p.4

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

The children say that they feel safe. Staff help children to understand risk and how to keep safe. They understand the need for children to become independent and to take appropriate risks. Children are helped to manage their behaviour and to regulate their responses. This enables them to manage their feelings and behaviour in a positive way.

p.4

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

Children are provided with a safe place to live. Comprehensive and clear risk assessments support the safety of the children inside and outside of the home. Consistent boundaries in the home safeguard them effectively.

p.4

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

Missing episodes have decreased. When missing episodes have occurred, staff have followed relevant protocols. Staff have very good communication with the police when children go missing from the home. The manager is part of a multi-agency risk management group, where relevant intelligence is shared on a regular basis. This acts as a protective factor for the children.

p.4

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

The introduction of the ‘restorative practice’ model, focusing on building, maintaining and restoring relationships, has greatly enhanced positive practice within the home. Staff understand the children’s therapeutic needs. Working with other professionals ensures that behaviour and care plans are informed by current research. Structured and individual responses mean that challenging behaviours are reducing. Children are beginning to learn how to manage worries and anxieties. A member of staff said, ‘I love having restorative conversations with children. It is so positive. I can see them grow and understand themselves. It makes me feel so proud of them.’

p.4

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

Staff use key-worker sessions to help effectively the children to understand how to keep themselves safe when not with adults. The staff show a good understanding of the risks that children take and why. This leads to warm and proportionate responses from staff, resulting in children learning from their experiences.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is passionate and inspirational. He knows the children and the staff team very well. His enthusiasm motivates the staff, who are ambitious for children to achieve the best outcomes.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is supported by a committed deputy. The staff team is knowledgeable and child-focused. The manager knows the strengths and weaknesses of the home. He has Inspection report children’s home: SC382595 5 clear and achievable plans in place to meet any shortfalls.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Regular and effective supervision enables the staff to reflect on their practice. Through implementing learning from a range of training, staff have gained the skills to meet the children’s complex needs. Monthly meetings take place in which training and development are reflected upon and the manager recognises the positive work of the staff. Staff feel supported and valued.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A number of ‘champions’ for specialist areas of practice, including safeguarding and restorative practice, have been appointed by the manager. He has been innovative in creating these areas of responsibility. Staff take pride in developing in-depth knowledge, and this is shared with other staff. This ensures collaborative and consistent practice, which means the children receive high-quality, effective and well-planned care.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager works with a care team of other professionals that includes the police, health workers and social workers. A professional commented, ‘The staff have been brilliant. They have helped the child I work with settle into the home really quickly. They keep me well informed. They are going above and beyond to keep him safe.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff are constantly striving to promote positive outcomes for all of the children. They understand the need to develop the children’s confidence and self- esteem, and of helping children to be more resilient in the future. They have created a nurturing environment in which the young people are able to be safe, achieve and flourish.

p.5

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.

p.5

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: SC382595 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Evolution Childrens Services Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Coburg House, 1 Coburg Street, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear NE8 1NS

p.6

Inspector:

Dot McGough, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC382595 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.

p.6

Inspector:

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector:

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector:

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7