Children's Home run by Newcastle City Council in Newcastle upon Tyne

Inspection report children’s home: 2530086 1 Registered provider: Newcastle City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children and young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home provides medium-term placements, while long-term plans are identified. The suitably qualified manager was registered with Ofsted in June 2019. This is the home’s first inspection.

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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: not applicable, first inspection

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2530086 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress from their starting points. They are settled and increasingly stable in their placements. Children speak positively about their experiences of living in this home. They recognise that they have done well. As a result, children are generally happy and looking forward to their futures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children build positive relationships with members of staff. They trust their carers to look after them well. Children listen to their carers and talk to them about the issues that matter to them most. Because of the strength of these relationships, the children are learning to make positive decisions about their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Members of staff work successfully with the children’s parents and other family members. As a result, the children receive consistent care from the staff team and members of their family. This enhances their overall progress and prospects for the future. This work has significantly contributed to the positive outcomes for the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children are not yet in full-time education. However, members of staff advocate on their behalf. There has been recent progress in identifying the correct educational placements. While children are out of school, members of staff encourage them to take part in educational activities. This means that the children are beginning to learn the importance of education. This is evidence of progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are healthy. They have received immunisations that were overdue prior to coming to the home. They have been to appointments at the dentist and GP. The children are developing an improved sense of their own physical well-being, as a result of the care they receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children receive support from a range of professionals. Support is provided directly to the children or through their carers. Because of the way this support is arranged, the children receive individualised help when they need it. Delay in getting support in place is reduced and children make progress as a result.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Members of staff regularly seek and act on the views of children. These include their wishes and feelings about the plans for their next placements. This gives children a powerful message that their views matter. The children invest in their care plans and their self-esteem improves.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well maintained and nicely furnished. However, the children’s bedrooms are not always clean and tidy. Staff are not always aware of any deficits in cleanliness. Poor bedroom conditions affect children’s sense of self-worth. During the inspection plans were put in place to address this during the inspection. Inspection report children’s home: 2530086 3

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

Children are increasingly safe in this home. Members of staff use their positive relationships to talk to the children about risk-taking behaviour. They prepare individualised safety plans with the children. As a result, the frequency of missing episodes, as well as incidents in the community and in the home, have all reduced.

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

When the children do go missing, members of staff follow the appropriate protocols, including going out to look for the children. This approach helps to keep children safe. It also gives them a powerful message that members of staff care and worry about them. This response provides a positive example of safe care for their next placements.

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

The children do not have significant difficulties with substance misuse. Members of staff recognise the risks that the children can face from these issues and undertake preventative work with them. As a result, the children are better informed of the risks from substance misuse. This enables them to make safer decisions about their future behaviour.

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

Members of staff use their positive relationships to manage behaviour that challenges. The children are not restrained unless there is an immediate safeguarding need. Members of staff model appropriate behaviour and use de-escalation techniques effectively. Because of this approach, the children’s ability to reflect on their behaviour has improved. There has been a notable reduction in the number and severity of incidents in the home.

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

Health and safety processes in the home generally ensure that the children are safe. Members of staff tell the children about fire evacuation procedures. However, the children do not always take part in a fire drill after they move into the home. Because of this, they do not know exactly what to do in the event of a fire.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers are ambitious for the children placed in this home. They want the best for them and advocate on their behalf. Managers ensure that care planning meets the needs of individual children. When this is in doubt, they challenge other members of the professional network. As a result, the children stay in the home until any required support is in place and it is appropriate for them to move on.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers understand the progress that the children make from their starting points. They develop tools to track how well the children respond to the care they receive. These tools highlight any ongoing difficulties, so that additional support can be arranged. Because of this approach, the impact of delay is limited.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers lead by example. They model appropriate responses to the children. Members of staff learn from this approach. Managers reinforce the theoretical principles of the home. These include knowing the impact of trauma and the need to build resilience. The children are increasingly confident that their carers are working together to keep them Inspection report children’s home: 2530086 4 safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers want to develop the home further. They feel that the current placements have been successful. However, they have identified areas for future improvements. Managers discuss the development of the service with the staff and encourage them to reflect on what has worked well. Because of this, members of staff strive to offer the most effective care to children and their families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Arrangements for supervision and training are good. The registered manager provides additional training according to the needs of the children. Supervisors encourage members of staff to reflect on their abilities and make changes when necessary. The children are cared for by a staff team with the skills and knowledge required to meet their needs to a good standard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have good oversight of the home. Members of staff are empowered to carry out the day-to-day care of the children. This means managers can monitor processes in the home. Managers respond very positively to external monitoring, including during this inspection. As a result, the quality of care provided to the children is good and improvements are made when necessary. Inspection report children’s home: 2530086 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, 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— provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(2)(viii) and (ix)) In particular, children must be helped to develop appropriate routines, so that their bedrooms are reasonably clean and tidy. 29/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(d)) In particular, children and young people moving into the home should take part in a fire drill, so they know what to do in the event of a fire. 29/11/2019

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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 Inspection report children’s home: 2530086 6 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: 2530086 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Newcastle City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Barras Bridge, Civic Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8QH

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Inspector:

Jane Titley, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2530086 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:

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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