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

Inspection report children's home: SC394909 1 SC394909 Registered provider: Right-Trak Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home accommodates up to six children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a private provider. There is an acting manager in post who is not yet registered.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The management team and the staff have worked hard to drive improvements forward. Since the full inspection, several children and young people have been supported to move on in a planned way. A young person commented, ‘They actually care about you and want the best for you.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been four new admissions to the home since the full inspection. These were well considered, planned and risk assessed. Care planning does not yet explicitly detail children and young people’s starting points on admission. This would help the staff team to effectively track progress and review care planning according to individual care requirements. Inspection report children's home: SC394909 2 Children and young people build positive relationships with the adults that care for them. When children and young people are in crisis situations, they receive nurturing responses to help calm them and keep them safe. This provides children and young people with consistent care to help them make progress.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been a recruitment drive since the last inspection, and eight new members of staff have joined the team. The home’s manager has ensured that appropriate training and inductions have taken place. In addition to mandatory training, the home’s manager has sourced specialist training relevant to the vulnerabilities of the children and young people that they care for. Training has included safeguarding children with disabilities. The in-house clinical psychologist has also delivered training on trauma and attachment.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people can access a range of activities that help support a healthy lifestyle as well as opportunities to enjoy and achieve. Activities include swimming lessons, scouts, bike riding, gym and day trip outings.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Independent life skills are given priority in the home to help the young people make progress. At the time of the inspection, one young person was being supported to prepare a meal as part of building her independent skills. Another young person was being supported to move on to independent living.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Risk assessments are current and identify children and young people’s individual vulnerabilities. Strategies are identified to mitigate risks. There is evidence that children and young people are supported to keep themselves safe. Key-worker sessions explore a range of topics relevant to need. The home’s manager has been creative in the way that proactive work is to be completed with the children and young people. Tools used are tailored to each child and young person’s level of functioning and ability.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has introduced a new system that takes a more restorative approach to managing low-level disruptive behaviours. Its effectiveness is not yet known. The home’s manager encourages the staff team to praise and reward positive behaviours. Using positive reinforcement as a behaviour management tool helps children and young people to develop pro-social behaviours and promotes good self-esteem.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the full inspection, the home’s manager has developed an efficient system to gather information that enables her to monitor practices in the home. Forums such as team meetings and individual supervisions enable her to raise practice issues to help drive improvements forward.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has created a good safeguarding culture. Safeguarding is a stand-alone agenda item that is discussed in detail during individual staff supervisions. She has also encouraged reflective learning. There was good evidence of the manager supporting her staff team to link theory to practice. This helps to develop a skilled and knowledgeable workforce.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

When there have been missing from home episodes, the appropriate procedures have been followed to aid the safe return of children and young people. Return home Inspection report children's home: SC394909 3 interviews have been requested by an independent visitor. This helps strengthen strategies to keep children and young people safe. However, there is not a consistent approach to independent visitors completing return home interviews following periods of missing episodes categorised as absence. The manager is escalating this as a matter of importance.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The quality of recordings in key documents is good. Daily logs on the electronic system do not yet record specific times. This makes it difficult to follow timelines. There were also some minor errors in recordings. This made it difficult to retrieve information on children and young people’s files. The importance of carefully recording information has been made as a recommendation.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/08/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 20/06/2017 Full Good 12/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recommendations

 Effective care planning and strong working relationships between the staff of the home and the placing authority are essential to the success of placements. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.2) In particular, care planning for children and young people admitted to the home takes into account their starting points to measure progress.  Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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 Inspection report children's home: SC394909 4 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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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’.

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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

Jacqueline Tate, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC394909 5 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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