Children's Home run by South Tyneside Council in South Tyneside

Inspection report children’s home: SC032697 1 SC032697 Registered provider: South 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

This children’s home provides short-breaks care and accommodation for up to four children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A local authority operates the home. The manager was registered in July 2016. He has considerable experience within a residential setting.

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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 Good

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC032697 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/03/2018 Full Good 17/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/08/2016 Full Good 22/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC032697 3

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Recommendations

 Supervision of staff practice should ensure that individual adults in the home are engaged in the safeguarding culture of the home so they understand what they would need to do if they found other staff misusing or abusing their position to the detriment of the safety of a child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.14) In particular, safeguarding should be explicitly referred to in staff supervisions.  Regulations 35–39 detail the records that must be kept in children’s homes. All children’s case records (regulation 36) must be kept up to date and stored securely while they remain in the home. Case records must be kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is maintained to an exceptionally high standard. Communal areas are well used by the staff team, children and young people. The service offers an ‘edge of care’ provision, which provides outreach and residential care and support to children, young people and families who live in the local area. This means that staff are available to support families in crisis. In addition, the home offers a short-break provision as part of a wider support package. There has been a reduction in children and young people accessing the short-break provision. Effective outreach work has reduced the demand for the short-break stays. There is clear evidence that the provision is meeting the aims and objectives as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. There is a strong ethos of supporting education and helping children and young people build their self-esteem. Records indicate that children and young people are making

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

excellent progress in most areas. For some children and young people, they have discovered that they have new talents such as art and drawing. The staff team encourages new interests to help build confidence. The registered manager carefully considers new referrals to the service. He plans admissions to ensure that the short-break provision is appropriate to meet the needs of children and young people. Children and young people are sensitively welcomed into the service. This means that they can quickly build trusting relationships with the adults who care for them. Early intervention helps children and young people make progress quickly. The staff are highly skilled. This enables them to undertake meaningful, direct one-to- one work with the children and young people. A young person said: ‘I love to come here. Inspection report children’s home: SC032697 4 The staff are great, and I can talk to them about anything. They help me to clear my

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

head.’ Bespoke care plans set targets that are regularly reviewed. Children, young people and their families are regularly consulted. This leads to successful outcomes as the service is tailored to focus on what children, young people and their families require. Additionally, all children and young people have been signed up to Mind Of My Own. This is a digital tool to help children and young people speak freely and raise issues anytime they want. This has been successful in its aim to help children and young people to fully participate in their care. Children’s and young people’s achievements are celebrated well. Moments are captured using photographs. ‘Proud clouds’ are a tool used to encourage children and young people to recognise and embrace their own achievements. This helps build their confidence and self-esteem. The staff are creative in how they help children and young people to develop independent life skills. Fun day outings involve the children and young people in

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

planning events from the outset. This has included how they will get to events on trains or other means of transport. For some children and young people who have developed culinary skills, they have been able to invite family members to the home to cook for them. This helps children and young people celebrate their achievements with family members.

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

There is good evidence that children and young people are effectively safeguarded during their short-break stay. Risk management processes are good, with individual risk assessments identifying strategies to mitigate risk of harm. The staff team is knowledgeable and experienced in all areas of safeguarding practice. Where there have been safeguarding concerns, appropriate action has been taken. The staff have received mandatory child protection training and additional training that covers a range of safeguarding matters. There has been training about the issues surrounding exploitation of boys and men, child sexual exploitation as well as training on strengths-based practice. There are delegated champions in the staff team. They each attend different forums and meetings to ensure that safeguarding practice and knowledge remain relevant and up to date. There are currently no children or young people at risk from exploitation, radicalisation

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

or extremism. There have been two missing from care episodes since the last inspection. In both instances, the appropriate procedures were followed to aid the child’s or young person’s safe return. Independent visitors completed return interviews to help understand the reasons behind the missing from home episodes. Behaviour management is very effective. There are no incidents of bullying, physical intervention or damage to the property. Proactive direct work with children and young people helps them to explore their emotions and feelings in a safe and nurturing environment. Positive reinforcement helps to promote prosocial behaviours. Inspection report children’s home: SC032697 5 A professional commented: ‘The staff are excellent when it comes to managing behaviours. I have witnessed one child display aggressive behaviour towards a parent. [Name] deescalated the situation and still went on to have an excellent working

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

relationship with both the child and parent.’ Good health and safety, as well as fire safety measures, ensure that the children, young people, staff and visitors are safe. Safeguarding is a standard agenda item in staff supervisions and has been recently added to team meetings. Safeguarding is not explicitly referred to in supervisions, and this change would improve the safeguarding culture in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced for the position held. His hard work and vision for the service has helped drive improvements forward. He has been astute in his recruitment of staff since the service first opened. All the staff have a level 3 diploma in caring for children and young people, and some staff have a level 5 diploma and/or a social work qualification. The registered manager provides continuous opportunities for professional development within the staff team. The role of champions and bespoke training help to develop knowledge and skills, thereby creating a happy workforce. The staff feel valued and appreciated. Subsequently, staff sickness and the turnover of staff is extremely low. This means that children and young people receive care and support from a consistent staff team. The registered manager leads by example. This means he can monitor and observe practice and ensure that the home maintains its high standards. The registered manager

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

is aspirational for the children, young people, staff and the service. He does not become complacent and knows the home’s strengths as well as any areas for development. He has recently secured funding to develop the outside area of the property to include a sensory garden and hub. Several staff members made comments such as ‘This is the best place I have ever worked’ and ‘I feel privileged to work here.’ Staff morale is high, and this means their energy and time is focused on making a difference and improving the lives of children, young people and their families. The registered manager and staff team are held in high regard by a range of professionals that they work with. The service is just one aspect of a wider care team. The registered manager ensures that either he or a staff member attends care team meetings and groups. This means that the care and support provided helps to achieve progress in line with each child’s and young person’s relevant plan.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has introduced a range of monitoring systems that collect data relating to the children’s and young people’s progress and their outcomes. Consultation with the children, young people, families, and other professionals has already influenced changes and led to further developments. Arrangements for independent monitoring have benefited the service. The registered manager accepts constructive feedback to Inspection report children’s home: SC032697 6 drive improvements forward. Overall, the recordings in the home are of a high standard and there is excellent management oversight. The inspector found some minor issues with recordings. This included inaccurate information on one log and some signatures missing from documents. This does not show accountability. A recommendation has been made in this area.

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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: SC032697 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: South Tyneside Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Westoe Road, South Shields NE33 2RL

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Inspector

Jacqueline Tate, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC032697 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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