Children's home run by Interactive Development Support Limited in Newcastle upon Tyne

Inspection report children’s home: SC486527 1 SC486527 Registered provider: Interactive Development Support Limited

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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 is operated by an independent provider. The home provides care and accommodation for up to four children or young people who are aged between 10 and 17 years old on admission who have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager has been registered since 2017.

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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 good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC486527 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2018 Full Outstanding 27/06/2017 Full Good 05/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/06/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC486527 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people have experienced mixed outcomes since the last inspection. However, the quality of individualised care and support provided by staff is both nurturing and consistent. Children and young people live in a home that is safe and very homely. The home decor includes examples of children and young people’s awards and artwork. The amount of space in the home offers the opportunity for play, as well as privacy and relaxation. The children and young people took part in an archery tournament with staff during inspection. This is one of a range of activities that take part in and out of the home. Relationships between staff and children are positive. One young person said, ‘This has been the best children’s home I have lived at. The staff go above and beyond for you. They do what is best for you, not what is easier.’ This means that children and young people are able to build trust with, and respect, the adults who care for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff work with education and health professionals to promote children and young people’s attendance and attainment. This supports their well-being and life chances as young adults. When difficulties arise, the staff take action to find positive solutions. The children and young people are at the forefront of any decision-making. Children and young people know how to make a complaint. For example, staff helped a young person to complain to her local authority. This led to positive outcomes for the young person both in the short term and for the future. Children and young people are supported and encouraged to develop skills to help them live independently in the future. The steps taken by staff are well planned and purposeful. This means that children and young people learn through practice and play. For example, children, young people and staff take part in baking competitions in the home. This, alongside shopping trips to the local supermarkets, encourages budgeting

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

and develops confidence. The staff encourage children and young people to travel independently. This can be for family time or to meet friends in the community. Personal incentives for positive behaviour help children and young people to develop socially and educationally. This helps to develop a positive and respectful environment in the home.

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

Risk assessments for children and young people are detailed and show a clear awareness of identified risks. However, they do not consistently set out what action should be taken to address the risks. Crisis management plans do set out steps to take but lack specific detail. This means that risk management is not as effective as it could be. There has been an increase in episodes of missing from the home since the last inspection. However, children and young people return of their own accord. Staff Inspection report children’s home: SC486527 4 continue to spend time in the local community looking for children and young people when such incidents occur. This and other strategies help to reduce the time that children and young people are away from the home. On their return, one-to-one safe- care conversations take place with staff in addition to an independent interview. The staff use local knowledge and good relationships with the police to reduce any potential

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

harm to children and young people. One young person was felt to be at risk from being influenced by online extremism. The management and staff team’s proactive approach to working with all relevant agencies is reducing the level of harm. The police Prevent team has provided cyber training to staff and are maintaining regular contact with them as well as the young person while the investigation continues. All of the children and young people have been offered a holiday abroad this year. The staff team has worked with relevant agencies to ensure that thorough risk assessments and supervisory arrangements have been agreed. This means that children and young people will have the opportunity for a fantastic experience with staff, thus improving their well-being and confidence. Individual recruitment records for staff are not as thorough as they could be. Gaps in information held on file were notable on inspection. This was raised as a potential

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

shortfall in administrative practice, which could be a safeguarding issue. As a result, action was being taken to address this on the day of the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is supported by a deputy manager. They both show a strong and passionate commitment to achieving positive outcomes for children and young people. Staff are encouraged to develop their knowledge and skills to meet the children and young people’s complex needs. Internal promotion and progression provide staff with a positive working environment in which children and young people are able to grow into highly valued young adults. The manager and staff challenge local authority professionals to ensure that plans for individual children and young people comprehensively identify their needs. Any delays in accessing paperwork or fulfilling statutory responsibilities are escalated through appropriate procedures. This means that children and young people build attachments with trusted adults who advocate on their behalf. This raises children and young people’s self-esteem and resilience.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff receive supervision that is focused on the needs of children and young people and demonstrates effective support and reflection on professional practice and the demands of the role. This ensures that staff well-being is essential in providing a positive environment in which children and young people can flourish. Staff work collaboratively to provide consistency and stability. Some staff have moved to another service within the organisation. This has not had a negative effect on the quality of care being provided. A member of staff commented, ‘It is a relaxed and supportive Inspection report children’s home: SC486527 5 environment, but when there is a concern it is all hands on deck.’ Monitoring processes, both internal and external, are thorough and help the manager to build on the strengths and identify areas in need of improvement. The home’s six- monthly regulatory report was detailed and evidenced a commitment to maintaining high

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

standards for children and young people.

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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, 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 recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only— employ an individual to work at the children’s home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). The requirements are that— full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(1)(2)(3)(d)) 22/08/2019

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Recommendations

 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 home 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 Inspection report children’s home: SC486527 6 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: SC486527 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Interactive Development Support Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3-5 Brenkley Way, Blezard Business Park, Seaton Burn, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland NE13 6DS

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Inspector

Michael Dack, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC486527 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 in care, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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