Children's Home run by Spark of Genius North East LLP in Stockton-on-Tees

Inspection report children’s home: SC477031 1 SC477031 Registered provider: Spark of Genius North East LLP Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to five children and young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. The manager has been registered since July 2016.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC477031 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/05/2017 Full Good 16/08/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 09/05/2016 Full Good 17/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC477031 3

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Recommendations

 As set out in regulations 31–33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) In particular, employment records must record the date and method used to verify employee references.  Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5) Inspection report children’s home: SC477031 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive exceptional care from staff who know them well and are responsive to their emotional and physical needs. Staff understand the significance of early childhood experiences, which have often been traumatic. They endeavour to provide a nurturing and positive environment for children that is supportive and safe. A child said: ‘It is a good home. It is like a family, as we are always there for each other.’ All of the children are new to the home since the last inspection and have developed friendships with each other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s progress is exceptional. Staff take time to understand why children behave in the way that they do. Weekly individual key-work sessions carried out with children enable them to reflect on their past experiences. They learn strategies to address their behaviours and to live as a family. As a result, children grow in confidence and develop resilience while being supported and guided by trusted adults.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are in school, and their attendance is high. An education professional commented on one child’s behaviour as showing significant improvements in such a short time, and on another as being the ‘best move ever, for him.’ He expressed further, ‘I cannot think of any negative aspects of the care that they [staff] provide.’ Staff have high aspirations for the children and believe that they can achieve .

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are registered and supported to attend local health services when they need them. Staff work with a clinical psychologist and other specialist services to meet children’s individual mental and sexual health needs. Staff take on specific responsibility as part of their learning in supporting those identified. This enables children to have the consistency and security of a familiar adult, when required.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager and staff recognise the importance of contact with the family and friends of children. They provide transport when required and facilitate contact, both in the home and in the local community. Professionals, parents, carers and friends are welcome in the home. The manager and staff advocate strongly in support of contact for children, and challenge when necessary. The result is that children feel listened to and valued .

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is well decorated and maintained to a high standard. Staff and children respect the living environment. This ensures that it is comfortable and welcoming. There is plenty of space for privacy and play.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children continue to be consulted prior to their reviews and in individual key-worker sessions. Children’s meetings are positively ensuring that children express their views about activities, menus and holidays. Planning has already taken place for the summer 2019 holiday abroad. Children and staff work together, planning every step that is required. Last summer’s holiday to Barcelona was a huge success. The manager and staff produced a DVD for the children, capturing their memories of the trip. Inspection report children’s home: SC477031 5 Children develop their independence skills by completing each of the four stages of the home’s comprehensive independent living programme . The manager and staff support children who wish to start this process early, linking the development tasks to incentives . The programme is supported by taking photographs eliciting feedback each time a child achieves outcomes and targets. Children take pride in engaging with staff to achieve, and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

respond positively to praise and reward. This supports positive memories and helps them to prepare for adulthood, promoting confidence and self-esteem.

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

The risk assessment and risk management systems are of the highest quality. The staff involve children in the development of positive strategies that keep them safe. This enables them to support children in identifying and acknowledging their own risk areas. Therefore, children achieve a sense of empowerment.

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

The staff and manager discuss current risks and behaviours at each team meeting. They agree plans and strategies weekly, in collaboration with a clinical psychologist. This consultation enables a greater understanding of theoretical models of practice. The home works to the playfulness, acceptances, curiosity and empathy (PACE) model. The staff have developed a nurturing and calm environment that enables children to feel safe.

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

The staff are proactive in identifying subtle changes in behaviours. They openly display physical warmth through hugs and genuine love and attention. A child commented, ‘They can tell when you are upset and, no matter what, they will stop what they are doing and sit down and talk.’ Another child commented, ‘It is a loving home and staff are there to support you through bad times.’ This contributes to the feeling of trust and a sense of belonging for children.

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

Staff know the children well and, as such, are able to identify potential risks and triggers. They ensure that communication with professionals, for example in education, pre-empts behaviours before they escalate. A social worker said, ‘I am so impressed by them; they work proactively and extensively with school. They attend meetings within school and follow a programme of support for [Name] together, talking to each other all the time.

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

Significant behaviours such as going missing or self-harming are reducing in frequency, due to staff diligence and effective communication with children. Social workers and care professionals use words such as ‘massive’ and ‘fantastic’ when discussing the progress that children have made since their placement began .

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

Each child is supported by three key workers, which supports consistency. The staff follow excellent safeguarding procedures that enable any concerns for a child’s welfare to be raised immediately with the relevant professionals. The safeguarding culture within the home is embedded in team meetings and supervisions, ensuring that children’s safe care is paramount at all times . Inspection report children’s home: SC477031 6

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has a wealth of experience of working with children in residential care and is suitably qualified. She is supported by an able assistant manager and a highly effective staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager demonstrates strong leadership, which has enabled the home to continually progress. She leads from the front, displaying passion and ambition for children. Increasing the skills of the staff is high on her agenda. The manager uses team meetings to introduce research findings, and encourages staff to develop their practice to good effect through discussion and engagement. Workshops on PACE, for example, enable staff to practise and develop their knowledge. A learning culture has been adopted in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has developed excellent internal monitoring systems that enable effective analysis and evaluation of risk management. This allows for the identification of external triggers and the associated peaks and trends linked to the life experiences of the children. This informs the strategies that support interventions by staff and reduce behaviours.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children’s case records are excellent. Care planning is demonstrated in the seamless flow of written case notes/recordings detailing each child’s support and the progress made. For example, monthly key-work sessions and subsequent action plans are monitored. This is to ensure that staff understand and follow the quality standards. Staff are linking knowledge to practice effectively, in securing positive outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and her leadership team provide staff with regular and highly effective supervision. The records show that there is opportunity for reflection and learning. Staff feel supported, valued and motivated, as a result.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

External monitoring, on occasion, lacks evaluation and analysis, particularly when determining the effect that children’s behaviour may have on each another. This has, however, been identified by the management team and is under review.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The safer recruitment checks undertaken by the provider ensure that children are safeguarded. However, the records reviewed on inspection did not give the date that the employee references were verified, although other information and conversations were recorded. This needs to be addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home continues to achieve its aims and objectives as set out in the Statement of Purpose. Inspection report children’s home: SC477031 7

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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 difference 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: SC477031 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Spark of Genius North East LLP

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: King Edwin School, Mill Lane, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland TS20 1LG

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Inspector

Michael Dack, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC477031 9 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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