Children's home run by North Tyneside Council in North Tyneside

Inspection report children‟s home: SC412705 1 SC412705 Registered provider: North Tyneside Council

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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 children‟s home provides care and accommodation for short breaks for up to two children or young people who have a learning disability. A local authority operates the home. The manager has been registered since February 2018. Inspection dates: 18 to 19 December 2018

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/03/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/07/2017 Full Good 18/01/2017 Full Requires improvement 13/06/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC412705 2

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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 registered person must compile in relation to the children‟s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. Nothing in paragraph (5) or regulation 46 (review of premises) requires or authorises the registered person to contravene or not comply with— any other provision of these Regulations; or any conditions in relation to the registration of the registered person under Part 2 of the Care Standards Act 2000. (Regulation 16 (1)(5)(6)) 30/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must— ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(d)) In particular, the registered person must ensure that fire drills are carried out at different times of the day and night. 30/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children‟s home at least once each month. The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person‟s report to— HMCI (Regulation 44 (1)(7)(a)) 30/01/2019

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Recommendations

 Regulation 39 sets out the requirements on the registered person to have a complaints procedure. Children must be aware of this procedure and be reminded Inspection report children‟s home: SC412705 3 of it as necessary. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, pages 22 and 23, paragraph 4.13) In particular, ensure that this is available in a range of formats to enable all children and young people attending for short stays to access the procedure.  The home‟s staff should recognise and celebrate the achievements of their children. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 31, paragraph 6.7)  For non-looked-after children, the home should ensure they have sufficient information from the child‟s „placing authority‟ and other relevant agencies to effectively assess whether they can meet the child‟s needs. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 57, paragraph

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Recommendations

11.5) In particular, ensure that file audits identify timelines for receipt of information to establish next steps if required in the escalation policy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people receive consistent and attentive care from staff, which is tailored to their individual needs. Well-written short-break care plans set out individualised routines and what is needed to ensure that children and young people gain benefit from their short stays. Many children are unable to contribute to their plans in any meaningful way. However, staff consult with parents, carers and professionals who are involved with the children and young people. This ensures that, through respectful and proactive communication, relationships are positive, and each plan is an accurate representation of the children and young people‟s needs and what staff must do to meet them. Children and young people enjoy coming to the home to spend time with familiar staff and peers. Careful consideration is taken to match children and young people who share similar interests or are compatible in abilities and behaviours. This enables each child

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

and young person to have the best experience during their stay. Children and young people are supported to make choices throughout their short break. The staff team uses a range of communication aids, such as symbols, Makaton and pictures. This helps children and young people to be involved in their care and decision- making. Timelines and pictorial information, in the form of stories and short steps, enable them to work towards agreed aims and goals. This develops small steps towards independence, for example through completing household tasks around mealtimes. Children and young people are encouraged to take part in activities both inside the home and out in the community. For example, one parent commented, „The staff challenge him as in taking him out to places that we often struggle with. They took him on the North Shields Ferry, which he would not do with us, and they managed fine. We listened

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

to the staff and tried again; he loved it.‟ This helps families build confidence and enjoy experiences together. The staff team routinely praises children and young people and provides certificates of achievement. However, it is recognised by the staff and management that this is an area Inspection report children‟s home: SC412705 4 for improvement as celebrations are not innovative in meeting the complex needs of the children and young people.

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

Risk assessments and behaviour support plans are followed by staff, which keeps children and young people safe. The staff team has well-developed, specialist knowledge around the vulnerabilities and behaviours associated with the complex needs of the children and young people. This enables staff to plan their stays and ultimately reduce any potential dangers. The living environment is warm, tidy and clean. Often, the staff will prepare the home specifically for the children and young people who come to stay, in line with their known characteristics. This ensures that the living spaces are safe. Children and young people will self-harm unintentionally when they struggle to regulate their emotions and through increased anxiety. The staff team is trained and knowledgeable in responding and in supporting recovery, through sensitively implementing agreed de-escalation strategies. When necessary, staff apply physical intervention, for the shortest period, to ensure that

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

the children and young people are kept free from harm. Staff and managers undertake a range of training in safeguarding matters. Staff undertake online courses while waiting for face-to-face courses. This ensures that staff have the appropriate knowledge of safeguarding practice. The safe care, storage and administering of medication is excellent. The staff team is competent in the well-established medication protocols. The management and staff team work to a consistently high standard with parents and health professionals to ensure that the safe care of children and young people is maintained throughout their short breaks. The staff team conducts fire drills throughout the year to ensure that everyone in the home is protected and safeguarding procedures are known in case of fire. However, improvements are required to ensure that fire drills are carried out at different times of the day and night to simulate the experience and help children and young people to be

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager is an experienced and knowledgeable professional who has been in this position for a relatively short period of time. She has already had a positive impact on staff stability and morale. An able deputy and experienced team leaders support her. They show a commitment to the children and young people and their families and that is a credit to them. The manager and her staff team work effectively with a number of agencies. However, there are delays in accessing educational healthcare plans and minutes from short-break care reviews in a timely manner, thus potentially limiting the overall experience for children and young people. The staff endeavour to maintain open dialogues with all professionals and parents, which reduces any negativity in planning in the short term. The staff receive regular supervision and the team benefits from well-attended staff meetings and professional handovers between shifts, which ensures that information is

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

thorough. This is supported by feedback sheets completed by parents prior to short Inspection report children‟s home: SC412705 5 breaks for their children and young people. Planning is essential, and appropriate time and effort are made to ensure that each individual child or young person has a bespoke package of care. A parent commented, „What I would say, which is the most important aspect, is that [Name] is happy and settled. That is the biggest compliment. They know him very well, he is safe, and he enjoys coming. There is great communication between the home and me. They provide a comprehensive run-down of his time at the home and a written summary is provided.‟ This provides transparency of care and much-needed reassurance and confidence for parents that their child or young person is safe and happy. Senior management directed the registered manager and her team to support a young person in crisis. This is not in accordance with the home‟s statement of purpose. As this

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

was not a placement, no children or young people were directly affected by the young person‟s presence but, nevertheless, it was outside the home‟s remit and the skills of the staff team. To the staff‟s credit, the young person was supported during her limited time in their care and a thorough risk assessment was in place. Parents/carers are provided with information that enables them to understand the complaints procedure. However, children and young people with communication difficulties are not provided with a range of different formats to assist them in their understanding. This leaves them at a disadvantage and does not promote their well- being sufficiently. An independent person visits the home regularly and provides a report. However, their reports are not consistently sent to HMCIin a timely manner. This limits the effectiveness of independent scrutiny.

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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: SC412705 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: North Tyneside Council, 16 The Silverlink North, Newcastle upon Tyne NE27 0BY

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Inspector

Michael Dack, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC412705 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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