Children's Home run by North East Autism Society in Durham

Inspection report children’s home: SC458415 1 SC458415 Registered provider: North East Autism Society Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides short-breaks care and accommodation for up to six children and young people who have a learning disability. The home specialises in looking after children and young people who have an autism spectrum disorder.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since 2018.

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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

Date of last inspection: 22 January 2019

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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: SC458415 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/01/2019 Full Outstanding 18/07/2017 Full Outstanding 20/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/08/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC458415 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people receive consistently good-quality care. The staff communicate well with the wider team of professionals to ensure that each child or young person receives the best possible support during their short-break stays. The children and young people and their families are central to all decision-making. This ensures that the decisions made are unique to the individual child or young person.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Throughout the home there are photographs of children and young people. These are sometimes in collages or displayed on a tree that has been painted on the wall, on which children and young people place painted leaves. Each leaf describes an achievement. In a separate, quiet room, children and young people have access to computers for play and learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education and health needs are met. School-to-home diaries are maintained during the stays and well-developed professional relationships ensure that children and young people receive a seamless level of care. The safe handling and administering of medicines for children and young people is thorough and meticulously maintained. This ensures that health and well-being are pivotal to a positive experience for children and young people with additional healthcare needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people are prepared carefully for any transition. The staff ensure that their oversight and support of children and young people are individualised. They are based upon well-thought-out strategies that help children and young people to regulate their emotions and settle as soon as they can.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The activities that are provided to children and young people are plentiful and help them to enjoy themselves in the community. For example, recent access to a community youth club has provided opportunities for children and young people to have fun and pursue interests in music alongside their peers. This has enabled friendships to develop, which boosts the confidence and self-esteem of the children and young people who attend.

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

The children and young people are kept safe during their short breaks. The staff work closely with all relevant parties to ensure that individual risks and behavioural traits are known prior to a stay commencing. This ensures that information is recorded in well- written risk assessments and behavioural support plans to guide staff in keeping children and young people safe from harm. There have been no episodes of children and young people going missing from the home. The staff are trained to recognise exploitation and abuse and to respond accordingly when concerns occur.

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

The staff work collaboratively with the provider’s positive and proactive support team to prevent behaviours of concern and reduce risk to children and young people. The strategies implemented enable children and young people to reduce the likelihood of Inspection report children’s home: SC458415 4 immediate stress and anxiety. Children and young people receive skilled care from staff who know them well and are proactive in their support, often removing potential triggers before behavioural episodes occur. For example, some children and young people accessing short-break stays need a quiet, uncluttered environment. The home has appropriate space to enable this to occur.

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

A social worker commented on a young person who had moved on successfully, stating: ‘[Name] has built up his self-confidence. The service understood and managed his behaviour to enable him to grow into a confident and settled young man.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and suitably qualified. She is supported by two able assistant managers. They share the same values and commitment to providing quality short breaks to children and young people and their families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team actively and regularly monitors the quality of care provided. The systems in place to support this scrutiny are thorough and well documented. This supports staff’s practice. The manager, along with the external independent visitor, has identified the need to archive documents to ensure that children’s files are manageable and thus more effective. This is work in progress at the time of inspection visit.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff receive regular supervision which is supportive and reflective. The manager has introduced a safeguarding scenario in supervision and team meetings. This enables the competence of staff members to be tested, as well as enhanced, through group exercises. This develops and supports the safeguarding ethos of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A notifiable incident, which is still being investigated, was not notified to Ofsted and, as such, this is a shortfall in practice. However, steps were taken to safeguard children and young people at the time of the incident. An up-to-date assessment of the locality in which the home is situated had not been undertaken. A requirement has been made to address this as soon as possible, incorporating the views of the relevant professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The statement of purpose is kept under review and clearly sets out the ethos and objectives of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been some positive improvements made in the monitoring of the home and its practice. The one requirement and two recommendations issued at the last inspection have been met. Inspection report children’s home: SC458415 5

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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 notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if–

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(e)) 14/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in a calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When consulting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46(1), (2)) 14/11/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC458415 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North East Autism Society

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 15 Lumley Court, Drum Industrial Estate, Chester-le- Street, County Durham DH2 1AN

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Inspector

Michael Dack, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC458415 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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