Children's Home run by Stockton on Tees Borough Council in Stockton-on-Tees

Inspection report children’s home: SC035222 1 SC035222 Registered provider: Stockton on Tees Borough 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 is registered to care for up to three children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The registered provider is a local authority. The registered manager has been registered for six years.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 12 December 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/12/2017 Full Good 06/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC035222 2 14/06/2016 Full Good 16/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC035222 3

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Recommendations

 The registered person should build a strong safeguarding culture in the home where children are listened to, respected and involved in both the development of the home and decisions about the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.8) In particular, safeguarding should be a standard agenda item in team meetings.  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 a standard agenda item on the supervision agenda.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well maintained, warm and welcoming. The children receive a good standard of care to meet their individual needs. Staff show genuine warmth and concern for the children. They are focused on ensuring that the children achieve to the best of their ability. The children enjoy spending time with the staff, watching TV, playing board games and cooking. This means that the children are able to relax in a calm and homely atmosphere.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

School attendance is good. The staff understand the effect that education has on positive outcomes for children. They work closely and effectively with school staff and the virtual school for children looked after. A teacher said: ‘The staff are fabulous, very supportive, attend all meetings and this means that the two children that attend our school are doing very well.’ One child is waiting for an educational placement. The staff team ensures that this child has access to home tutoring, as well as other educational activities. This will assist in his transition to an educational placement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are making good progress in developing independence skills. The child- friendly ‘growing up plans’ are developed on an individual basis. They help the children to take responsibility for decisions that they make, helping to boost their confidence and self-care skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff know the children well. They know their likes and dislikes and, with the children, they design structured, well-planned activities. The children have the Inspection report children’s home: SC035222 4 opportunity on a day-to-day basis to meet friends and family, learn and have fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff enable the children to consider other people in the community and in the wider world. Fundraising activities and contributions to the community are wide-ranging. The children have recently contributed knitted hats for a local neo-natal unit. They received a lovely thank you letter and photograph, from staff at the unit. This reinforces a sense of belonging and enables the children to enjoy the benefits of seeing the impact they have made and can continue to make.

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

The children said they feel safe. The children reported that the home now feels more settled, following the moving on of one child, with the staff being able to focus their energies on them. Low-level disruptive behaviour in the home is managed effectively. Consistent boundaries in the home safeguard the children well.

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

The staff are able to help the children to understand risk and how to keep themselves safe. Staff understand the need for the children to become independent. They understand that the children need to take appropriate risks. Staff help them to manage their behaviours and to regulate their responses. This gives the children skills to manage their feelings and behaviour in a positive way.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the children’s therapeutic needs. They work in collaboration with social workers and child and adolescent mental health services. This means that care and behaviour management plans are personalised to the needs of the children. The use of child-friendly ‘my plans’ means that they are able to clearly understand targets and set realistic goals. Children are able to understand and participate in their plans, helping them to gain self-confidence and feel valued.

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

There are very few reports of missing from home episodes. When children have gone missing, relevant protocols have been followed by the staff. Records record the steps taken to safely return children to their care.

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

Staff use key-worker sessions efficiently to help the children understand how to keep themselves safe. The staff demonstrate a good understanding of the risks that children take and why. This leads to proportionate and warm responses from the staff. This helps the children to learn from their experiences.

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

Risks in the home are well understood. Supervision levels are appropriate to manage risk. Clear and comprehensive risk assessments support the children’s safety inside and outside of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Inspection report children’s home: SC035222 5 The manager is committed and effective. He is supported by a dedicated and knowledgeable deputy and staff team. He has ambition for all of the children. He is enthusiastic, and this is transferred to the staff team members, who share his passion to achieve the best possible outcomes for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager knows the children well. He spends time with the children on a daily basis. This ensures that he has a very clear understanding of their needs, behaviour and the progress that they are making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Monthly meetings take place in which training and development are reflected on and the manager recognises the positive work of the staff. To strengthen practice within the home, safeguarding should be made a standing agenda item in staff team meetings. This will give staff the opportunity to discuss the safeguarding ethos of the home on a regular basis.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Since the last inspection, the manager and his deputy have introduced a range of improvements and developments that have enhanced the home’s performance and outcomes for children. The manager uses current research to inform and enhance all aspects of practice in the home. He is insightful and has a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses and is able to implement effective strategies to mitigate shortfalls.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager works with a care team of other professionals, including the police, health workers and social workers. A professional commented: ‘The staff are awesome. I have confidence in them. They keep me very well informed. They know the children well and they go above and beyond for them.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are able to reflect on their practice, during regular and effective supervision. Staff spoken with during the inspection felt valued, supported and motivated. To strengthen practice in the home, safeguarding should be added to the supervision agenda. This will enable staff to discuss safeguarding concerns regularly during supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff are constantly striving to promote positive outcomes for all of the children. They understand the need to develop confidence and self-esteem, helping them to be more resilient in the future. They have created a nurturing environment in which the children are able to achieve and flourish.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC035222 6 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: SC035222 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Stockton Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland TS18 1LD

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Inspector

Dot McGough, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC035222 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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