Children's Home run by Gateshead Council in Gateshead

Inspection report children’s home: SC036773 1 SC036773 Registered provider: Gateshead 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

The home provides accommodation for five young people who are aged between 12 and 17 at the time of their admission and have been assessed as having their needs best met within a residential resource. The manager has been registered since 2016.

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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: 4 September 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC036773 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/09/2018 Full Good 09/01/2018 Full Good 11/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 13/09/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC036773 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people are settled and are supported by staff to build trusted and secure relationships. Observations and feedback from children and young people throughout the inspection confirm this. Many of the children and young people are on the cusp of independence and, as such, spend a considerable amount of time with friends, family and partners. Staff plan activities with children and young people in accordance with their interests. On inspection, children and young people were enjoying their time with staff at an open-air museum, telling the story of life in the North East of England over the decades. This supports children’s and young people’s awareness of their identity and cultural heritage. Staff use their extensive knowledge of alternative education providers and employment and training links to support children’s and young people’s continual progress. They are supported to attend and re-engage with schools. Excellent relationships exist with

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

professionals in education and employment. Every effort is made to educate and prepare children and young people for their futures. Staff support and promote contact for children and young people, in many cases re- establishing family ties with positive outcomes. Often, contact is enabled to take place in the home. Families and peers of children and young people are welcomed into the homely environment. This supports the children’s and young people’s well-being and promotes a sense of belonging. Children and young people who have moved on have done so by means of a planned and collaborative approach. A strength of the home is the consistent positive messages and outreach work that staff engage in with young people who, in many cases, seek advice and support well into adulthood. Relationships are professional, nurturing and genuinely caring. This is a well-maintained home that is respected by all. Children and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

young people are listened to and respected; this, in turn, is reciprocated in their interactions with staff.

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

The staff team works tirelessly to ensure that children and young people are safe from harm. Staff take time to ensure that children and young people receive consistent messages. These form part of a daily routine in and out in the community. As a result, nurturing and trusting relationships develop. Risk assessments and behaviour support plans are thorough. Staff know the children and young people well. Since the last full inspection, the manager has implemented a new monitoring system. Monthly reviews enable identified risks to be evaluated and progress to be demonstrated. This ensures a more targeted approach to safeguarding children and young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC036773 4 Effective working relationships with neighbourhood police officers have supported risk management. Over a four-week period, officers have provided informal training to children and young people. This has raised children’s and young people’s safer care awareness and

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

strengthened relationships with the police. The staff are committed to reducing the times when children and young people go missing. Proactive communication with families, professionals and friends supports swift returns. Overnight stays have been agreed where safe care has been established. Often, children and young people will return by themselves as a result of caring messages from staff. Children and young people develop a sense of well-being and belonging. Security in and out of the home is important and managed well by staff. However, staff have to be mindful of asking visitors to sign in and out of the home. This is essential for health and safety as well as safe care. This, as was found on inspection, is not routinely carried out and is a shortfall in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is confident and has shown strong leadership. She knows the children and young people well. Her dedication and commitment are shared by two experienced assistant managers. Both are undertaking the appropriate management qualification. The standard of recording in children’s and young people’s individual files is excellent. The quality of care is monitored through comprehensive and effective staff supervision. Regular team meetings enable staff to express themselves in a supportive forum. The staff feel valued and motivated as a result. The management team ensures that staff undertake and maintain training, which enhances their skills. The mandatory and specific training is relevant to children’s and young people’s needs. Internal and external monitoring is of a high standard. The culture of the home is based on firm but fair messages. This helps children and young people to develop trust and

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

confidence in staff. The manager and staff build excellent relationships with a range of professionals. This enables children and young people to make progress in all areas of their development. A social care professional commented, ‘I cannot speak highly enough of them. I work with several children’s homes and this is one of the best.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC036773 5

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Recommendations

 The policy for the protection of children from abuse of neglect should be available and explained to children and their families as well as to staff, whatever their role. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.21) In particular, staff should ensure that all visitors sign in and out of the home.

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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: SC036773 6

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Registered provider: Gateshead Council

Registered provider address: Civic Centre, Regent Street, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear NE8 1HH

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Inspector

Michael Dack, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC036773 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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