Children's home run by Compass Children’s Homes Northeast Limited in North Tyneside

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC403472 1 SC403472 Registered provider: Artemis Support Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides accommodation for up to five children and/or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a private company.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a manager in place who is not yet registered.

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Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 23 October 2018

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Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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 the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has had an unsettled period following the last inspection but since the appointment of a new manager, who is yet to be registered, there have been improvements in a number of areas. The requirements from the previous inspection have been met and a development plan is in progress. This has improved the quality of the care offered to children and young people, enabling them to settle and progress.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

However, the home continues to be in need of decoration and replacement of furniture and fittings. The manager has made efforts with decoration of some parts of the home, but overall this continues to need addressing. The physical condition of the home leaves children and young people feeling undervalued. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC403472 2 Educational attendance and attainment have improved, and children and young people are now engaging in their plans. Risk assessments and care plans have been reviewed, and are individualised to children and young people. The introduction of a „my plan‟ enables children and young people to aspire, and to develop a sense of belonging and ownership of the decision-making processes. However, the care plans and risk assessments need further development to ensure that they detail specific strategies for caring for children and young people, and for mitigating and minimising risk. In addition,

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

risk assessments need to include criteria for the evaluation of risk.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The use of sanctions is high in this home, and they are not always effective in managing behaviour. The staff team needs to develop positive ways of managing behaviour to help children and young people understand the boundaries, and the expectations of them.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Complaints raised are responded to by the manager and the outcomes fed back to the complainants, including where these are children and young people. However, they are not always recorded in the home‟s complaints log. This prevents the manager from monitoring themes and patterns that emerge from complaints.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has developed a monitoring system, and she responds well to reports by the external independent visitor. However, the reports do not contain the times of the visit, and the statement about the safeguarding and well-being is not explicit within the report. This prevents the quality of the report being evaluated.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has strengthened the supervision of staff. Supervision notes include an evaluation of practice that is helpful to staff and ensures that children and young people receive effective care.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/10/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/02/2018 Full Good 28/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 20/04/2016 Full Good Interim inspection report children’s home: SC403472 3

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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, the 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 ensure that an independent person visits the children‟s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person‟s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person‟s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children‟s well-being. (Regulation 44 (1)(4))

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Requirement Due date

In addition, times of the visit should be identified to assist in the evaluation of the quality of the reports. 30/04/2019

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Recommendations

 For children‟s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children‟s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than „institutional‟ impression. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 15, paragraph 3.9) In particular, consideration should be given to improving the furniture and fittings in the home, as well as the decoration.  Staff should encourage children to share any concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. Children must be able to take up issues or make a complaint with support and without any fear that this will result in any adverse consequences. Regulation 39 sets out the requirements on the registered person

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Recommendations

to have a complaints procedure. Children must be aware of this procedure and be reminded of it as necessary. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 22, paragraph 4.13) In particular, ensure that all complaints made by children and young people are included in the home‟s complaints log. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC403472 4  Expectations of standards of behaviour should be high for all staff and children in the home. These standards should be clear and unambiguous. Children should be supported to develop understanding and empathy towards each other. Positive behaviour and relationships should be reinforced, praised and encouraged; poor behaviour should be challenged and discussed. The development of safe, stable and secure relationships with staff in the home should be central to the ethos of the home and support the development of secure attachments that, where

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Recommendations

appropriate, persist over time. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 39, paragraph 8.11)  Staff should understand factors that affect children‟s motivation to behave in a socially acceptable way. Staff should encourage an enthusiasm for positive behaviour through the use of positive behaviour strategies in line with the child‟s relevant plans. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 39, paragraph 8.13)  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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

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‟. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC403472 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Artemis Support Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 92 Whitton View, Rothbury, Morpeth NE65 7QN

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Inspector

Susan Atkinson-Millmoor: regulatory inspection manager Interim inspection report children’s home: SC403472 6 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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