Children's Home run by North East Autism Society in Sunderland

Inspection report children’s home: SC446957 1 SC446957 Registered provider: North East Autism Society

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately operated home provides care and accommodation for up to four children and young people who have a learning disability. The home specialises in looking after children and young people who have an autism spectrum disorder. The manager has been registered since 2012.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 27 to 28 November 2018

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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 outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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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

Date of last inspection: 20 September 2017

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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: SC446957 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/09/2017 Full Outstanding 28/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 13/12/2016 Full Outstanding 08/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC446957 3

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Recommendations

 Staff must help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are moving to another placement or adult care, or to live elsewhere with support tailored to their level of ability and disability. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27) Specifically, ensure that targets and goals are specific, measurable and current.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children and young people receive highly individualised care that consistently meets their needs. Their individual behaviours and needs are detailed in comprehensive care plans. The persistence and consistency shown in the staff team’s promotion of positive outcomes for children and young people is commendable.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

A family member commented, ‘He is a different child; they have given us our boy back. I cannot fault the staff. It is like having another family, second to none.’ Another said, ‘I am really pleased at where he is. I could not have had a better placement for him. I have seen and witnessed the great relationships he has with all the staff.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children and young people have developed trusting relationships with the staff because of the attentive, nurturing care provided by them. They have been able to provide a calm and secure environment, where there are also opportunities for individual one-to-one time with staff, to play or just relax. The progress that children and young people make is significant from their starting points. Key-workers play a significant role in supporting children and young people. The staffing rota and individual planning helps children and young people on the autism spectrum to reduce any anxieties by providing clear steps and routines.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Educational outcomes are exemplary. School professionals provide continuity of care and work collaboratively with the staff to maintain a consistent approach. School-home diaries support good communication between the two services. The children enjoy going to school and take part in after-school activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The registered manager oversees the health needs of children and young people, and the staff work well with healthcare professionals to promote children’s and young people’s individual needs. Training in relation to associated health issues has formed part of specific workshops, notably on epilepsy, which supported the smooth transition of a child into the home. Dental appointments often raise the anxieties of children and young people, complicated for this group by their sensory needs. However, staff support them to attend and through their patience, children and young people have formed positive Inspection report children’s home: SC446957 4 relationships with their dentists. Opticians come to the home to see children and young people to minimise the impact of attending a venue in the community that can be overwhelming for children and young people on the autism spectrum.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

A workshop on dietary issues is planned to meet the individual needs of the children and young people. This is part of the support for healthy living as detailed in children’s care plans, promoting good health and nutrition.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The scope of activities is wide-ranging, and key-workers support children and young people with communication difficulties to choose activities of their liking. The staff team uses a range of communication aids, such as symbols and signing. One child has an interest in using his hands to sign songs. His interest prompted the staff team to arrange and undertake a trip to London to see the ‘singing hands’ concert live with him. The staff commented how he loved the experience. This supported his self-esteem, confidence and ability to communicate.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff team works effectively and with compassion when supporting children and young people to have positive contact with their families. This helps to develop their sense of belonging and identity.

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

The children and young people are supported by a highly dedicated and knowledgeable staff team that is skilled in managing known risks. Staffing levels meet children’s and young people’s individual needs. This ensures that each child or young person is supervised appropriately. Personalised risk assessments and behaviour support plans are comprehensive. These are updated when necessary and frequently reviewed by the management team and key-workers. The plans are detailed and well written, promoting individualised care.

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

There have been no incidents of children or young people going missing from the home. The staff receive regular child protection training and respond effectively when there are safeguarding concerns. The skills acquired by staff in dealing with known, challenging behaviours is demonstrated by the low levels of physical intervention. The recording of the use of physical intervention is detailed and is evaluated effectively by the management team. The understanding of individual children’s and young people’s behaviour helps significantly in maintaining their well-being and keeping them safe from harm.

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

The management and staff team members maintain excellent levels of communication with schools, social workers, health professionals and families to develop and support a strong team around the individual child or young person. The sharing of strategies associated with behaviour management and maintaining healthy lifestyles is a strong feature of their daily approach to safe care. This close collaboration supports a consistent approach to safe care and overall care planning.

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

A social worker stated, ‘I feel that the care provided is fantastic. At a recent care team Inspection report children’s home: SC446957 5 meeting they came across as very committed and conscientious and there is a willingness to understand [name of child’s] needs more.’

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

Transitional arrangements for a child or young person coming into the home are carried out at the pace of the individual. A detailed impact risk assessment is carried out to ensure that unique complex needs can be met while living with other equally vulnerable children or young people. Tea visits and overnights stays are planned to enable children and young people to feel safe and stable in their new environment.

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

The specific vulnerabilities and communication difficulties of children and young people contribute to the requirement for a safe and secure environment. Consequently, there are necessary restrictions on liberty that do not allow children and young people to leave the home by themselves. However, they can ask to go out with staff. This safe caring practice has not resulted in any inappropriate restrictions on their liberty.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is suitably qualified, experienced and is highly knowledgeable about the children and young people in her care. She is resourceful in exploring the complex needs of the children and young people, sharing information with her team and other professionals involved in meeting their needs. As a result, children and young people make significant progress in all aspects of their lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is supported by an experienced assistant manager and a newly developed senior role. This supports succession planning and enhances the overall leadership in the team. The leadership team members are self-motivated and together model the standard of support that they expect of their staff. They have extremely high aspirations for the children and young people and consistently strive for outstanding outcomes for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There has been a successful recruitment drive and three new members of staff are due to commence employment. This will bring the service up to a full team. Throughout the last 12 months, there has been some disruption. Some staff have remained on the casual staff list, ensuring that where rota gaps need to be covered this is undertaken by staff known to the children and young people. This ensures continuity for children and young people, increasing their sense of safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The majority of staff have the necessary qualification or are working towards it with clear timescales for completion. The assistant manager takes responsibility for ensuring that staff training is up to date and, for the management team in-house training/workshops are provided frequently to strengthen overall performance. This improves the lives of children and young people on a daily basis. This also ensures that staff are valued and well equipped to carry out their roles. Staff receive regular supervision, which maintains professional standards, and the leadership team is always visible for support and guidance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home has a lovely, warm environment and a lot of consideration has gone into the Inspection report children’s home: SC446957 6 decoration of all rooms. The registered manager and her staff team work closely with other professionals, such as the occupational therapist, when designing children’s bedrooms. This information is extensive in their care plans and supports a positive experience for the children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff have excellent relationships with other agencies. A social worker commented, ‘They have implemented their own training/workshop to support the understanding of [name of child]’s needs, and the improvements that I have seen in him have been fantastic. They always keep you up to date, they are welcoming, [there is] no power imbalance in the team and they are equally warm with each other. The manager is very hands on.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The detail in records and reports completed for a range of meetings demonstrates how effective the manager and her team are in monitoring the progress and achievements each child or young person is making in their time at the home. An independent reviewing officer commented, ‘Both the registered manager and assistant manager attended [name of child]’s looked after children’s review during his transition period to the home, which was great. The report they provided was the best I have ever seen [and was] full of pictures of activities that [name of child] had clearly participated in.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff always promote the children and young people in the development of independence as much as they can. However, a delay in the introduction of a new recording system has affected the level of recording the children’s and young people’s progress and needs to be addressed.

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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: SC446957 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North East Autism Society

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 15 Lumley Court, Drum Industrial Estate, Chester Le Street, County Durham DH2 1AN

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Inspector

Michael Dack, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC446957 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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