Children's home run by Howard House Care Limited in Northumberland

Inspection report children’s home: SC479281 1 SC479281 Registered provider: Howard House Care Limited 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 private organisation and is registered for the care and accommodation of up to two children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager was registered in February 2017 and is appropriately qualified.

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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: 19 September 2017

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC479281 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/09/2017 Full Good 14/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 18/10/2016 Full Good 22/12/2015 Interim Not judged Inspection report children’s home: SC479281 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

While the home is registered for up to two children or young people, the statement of purpose confirms that currently the provider only offers ‘solo placements’. This is for children or young people who require high levels of supervision. It has operated in this way throughout this inspection period. The staff have created a homely and comfortable retreat in this very rural setting and offer excellent levels of nurturing care as well as clear expectations. All of the children and young people recently cared for at the home have made very good relationships with the staff, and these have been the basis for high-quality work and some excellent outcomes. The children and young people are supported to develop good routines. This has helped them settle and has provided an excellent base from which to make progress. The children and young people at this home have thrived and flourished. The children and young people have made exceptional progress from low starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

One young person has been supported to understand their disability and has made huge progress with improving their emotional well-being. This has led to them significantly reducing their self-harming behaviour. This young person was able to maintain this impressive progress when they moved on to a more long-term placement. Another young person has made significant progress with improving their aggressive behaviour. They started school and maintained full attendance, after a significant period of non-attendance and a number of residential placements. They were also able to make significant reductions in their risky behaviour around drugs and alcohol misuse. This young person was able to make a successful return to their family. Another excellent outcome. The registered manager and staff make very good assessments of individual need and deliver care in a very personalised way. They are able to use their understanding, skill

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

and experience to provide very good care. They also show tremendous commitment to their work. These efforts are directly linked to the good outcomes the children and young people achieve. The young people are supported to maintain and develop relationships with their families and are fully involved in their overall care planning.

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

Safeguarding at this home is very strong. The staff understand risk and make good assessments. They are able to put in appropriate controls with high levels of staff supervision and give the children and young people very clear boundaries. All of the children and young people who have been admitted to the home during the inspection period have arrived with significant safeguarding concerns around them. They have all made significant progress in reducing these concerns, and because of this have been able to make excellent progress in other areas of their lives. This is as a direct result of the consistent, tenacious and skilled support offered by the staff. The staff have clearly used various theoretical approaches and new research to help them understand Inspection report children’s home: SC479281 4 issues and to help them offer the most appropriate care and support. Staff were able to offer excellent support to one young person who had significant and

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

complex issues around self-harm, and they were able to keep them safe through some periods of very challenging behaviour. This approach worked extremely well and the young person was later able to understand and reflect on how much this support helped them to make significant positive changes in their life. One young person presented high levels of aggression and violence towards staff. The staff were able to work together to support this young person to reduce this and to reflect on their behaviour and then make clear positive changes. Staff were able to help this young person to understand their feelings of anger and to help them take other action to address these feelings more appropriately. There have been very few incidents of children and young people going missing, and on the rare occasion when it has happened, staff have reacted quickly and effectively to resolve the situation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is confident, thoughtful and dedicated to his work. He has a strong commitment to the children and young people he works with and always wants the best for them. He underpins all his work with reference to theory and research, and this is a considerable strength of the home. The registered manager is an excellent role model and has high expectations of all his staff. He has built a strong team of staff who work well together and who support each other. Their quality of care practice is high and particularly consistent. This is also a key part of the success at this home. The staff have a high regard for the registered manager and it is clear that, in turn, they are valued and respected by him. The registered manager provides excellent support, supervision and training to his staff. He is quick to praise them and has created a culture where consistency and openness are clear to see.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

When children and young people need support from specialist workers, the registered manager is quick to identify the appropriate person or resource and to get them involved. One child has required a specialist assessment around behaviour and the registered manager got an appropriate person involved quickly. This person is not only able to assess the child, but also offers clear guidance to the staff in order to develop much-needed joint approaches and ongoing work. The registered manager is quick to challenge others when needed and makes his views known so that placing authorities are very clear about what is required when care planning is being thought about.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC479281 5 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: SC479281 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Howard House Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Netherton Colliery, Bedlington, Northumberland NE22 6BB

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Inspector

Colin Imrie, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC479281 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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