Children's Home run by Talbot House Children’s Charity Limited in Newcastle upon Tyne

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC432843 1 SC432843 Registered provider: Talbot House School, Newcastle Upon Tyne Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a charitable organisation and is registered for the care and accommodation of up to seven children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities. There is a manager in post who is not yet registered.

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children and young people have positive experiences and they are making progress. They develop good relationships with the staff and with each other. The staff spend time getting to know the children and young people. This helps children and young people to settle and to develop trust in their positive role models.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Before new placements begin, the manager and staff gather information and communicates effectively with several professionals and the children or young people who are moving into the home. This leads to risk assessments and personalised care plans being put in place. These are regularly reviewed and maintained. The needs of the children and young people coming to live at the home are assessed. However, this Interim inspection report children’s home: SC432843 2 assessment does not cross-reference effectively the needs of the children and young people already in placement, and therefore requires further development.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has had a settled period since the last inspection. This is mainly down to the appointment of a new manager, who is yet to be registered. There have been several improvements in various areas. The requirements from the previous inspection have been met, and recent recruitment will enable the staff team to be at full capacity. This provides children and young people with improved care, enabling them to progress.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A social worker identified the positive influence that the manager is having on children and young people’s outcomes and the levels of communication from the staff. This has improved staff morale and consistency in care practice.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home needs redecoration and refurbishment as well as exploratory checks to the external framework to eliminate any concerns. The manager and the leadership team are aware of the issues and a plan of action is in place. This is to be reviewed at the next inspection. There are no immediate concerns regarding the well-being of children and young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people are attending and participating in their respective educational placements. Where young people are not attending further education, staff are supporting them to seek employment. The manager has accompanied children and young people to job fairs and supported them in discussing employment options with career professionals. This enables children and young people to gain confidence and resilience.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has developed a monitoring system. This has led to consistently good practice in maintaining accurate and up-to-date care records. The manager has developed a positive relationship with the external independent visitor. The home’s statement of purpose and children’s guide have been updated. However, they have not been sent to HMCI and need further amendments. This has prevented the quality of the reports being evaluated in a timely manner.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has increased staffing ratios and her monitoring and close observation of staff practice have led to an improved working environment in which children and young people can progress.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/05/2019 Full Good 14/08/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 01/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/06/2017 Full Good Interim inspection report children’s home: SC432843 3

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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, the 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(vii) and (c)(i)(ii)) 04/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revision and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 27/11/2019 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC432843 4

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Recommendations

 The children’s guide should help children understand how to contact the Office of the Children’s Commissioner. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22)  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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’. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC432843 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Talbot House School, Newcastle Upon Tyne

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Inspector

Michael Dack, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: SC432843 6 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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