Children's Home run by South Tyneside Council in South Tyneside

Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 1 SC032701 Registered provider: South Tyneside Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home provides care and accommodation for up to five children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager has been in post since 27 August 2019.

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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: SC032701 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/01/2019 Full Outstanding 26/09/2017 Full Good 02/08/2017 Full Inadequate 08/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child— is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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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)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii) and (e)) 22/11/2019

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. Everyone working at the home must understand their roles and responsibilities and what they are authorised to decide on their own initiative. There should be clear lines of accountability. Each home must have clear Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 4

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Recommendations

arrangements in place to maintain effective management when the manager is absent, off duty or on leave. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.20) In particular, that the manager reviews all critical incidents to monitor and review practice.  Registered persons must ensure there are procedures in place for welcoming and introducing each child to the home, and that they are sensitive to the needs of the child at the time of arrival. A warm welcome and introduction to the home is an entitlement for all children whether they are admitted in a planned way or in an emergency. Where possible other children and young people should be supported to contribute to the design of the welcome and introduction and where appropriate the welcome itself. The home has a key role in helping children to understand why they are living there and the plans for their future. (‘Guide to the

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Recommendations

children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.7) In particular, that there is a consistent approach to recording key-working sessions and reviewing their effectiveness.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well maintained. An increase in critical incidents has seen some minimal damage to the home. Action has been taken to prevent further damage and the reasons have been explained to children and young people. This helps them to understand the reasons for decisions being made to keep them safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carers support children and young people to take pride in their home. Bedrooms are regularly checked to ensure that they are clean and comfortable. Young people on semi- independent plans are very well supported to develop skills that will help them to become autonomous adults. This includes having a say in decor, meal planning for themselves and ensuring that they can keep areas of the home clean and tidy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have been several changes to staffing. This includes a new manager, who has been in post for eight weeks, a newly appointed deputy manager and several staff absences. Despite the changes causing a level of disruption for the children and young people, they continue to have positive relationships with the core group of staff. A professional commented, ‘I think this is a fantastic home. Their [staff’s] real strengths are based on the quality of relationships that they have with all the children. They understand [Name] extremely well. This means that when [Name] is having a crisis episode they just know how to support and comfort her.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The team understands the benefits of engaging with wider systems and family members to provide the best possible care for children and young people. The manager and her team are confident in drawing on the support of other services to ensure that they help Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 5 children and young people now and as they transition to adulthood. Subsequently, the children and young people are making good progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carers are aspirational for the children and young people. There is a good ethos to participation, attainment and achievements in all aspects of the children and young people’s lives. Carers react swiftly and effectively if there is a breakdown in education/training placements to ensure that there is minimal loss of learning. Additionally, this supports daily routine and structure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people are provided with multiple opportunities to engage in activities and trips. This is achieved through good consultation with the children and young people. They attend equine activities, group holidays and youth groups. These enhance the opportunities and experiences that the children and young people have, which boosts their confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Overall, recordings have improved. However, the language used in recordings is not always helpful for children and young people. The manager recognises this and has plans to address shortfalls in practice.

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

Risk assessment and risk management processes are effective. Carers have received specific training in awareness of the risks of self-harm, suicide and county lines. This develops the staff team’s confidence in tackling complex safeguarding concerns when they arise. The inspector found some incidents that had not been notified to Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector and this has been made a requirement.

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

Risks are regularly reviewed to ensure that strategies remain relevant and effective at reducing and managing risks. Despite a significant increase in episodes of going missing from the home, members of staff have followed the appropriate protocols and documented steps taken to ensure the children and young people’s safe return. Opportunities are provided to consult with an independent visitor on their return. This provides opportunities for the children and young people to discuss any concerns with an independent person.

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

Regular key-working sessions support the children and young people to stay safe inside and outside the home, and when accessing social media. However, there is an inconsistent approach to recording and delivering key-working sessions. It is difficult to assess how some are linked to the overall plans for the children and young people. This means it is difficult to monitor progress for the children and young people in some areas as the effectiveness of interventions is not clear.

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

Behaviour management is good. Restorative approaches and incentives are the strategies used to manage behaviours. This means that children and young people are supported to develop skills that encourage pro-social behaviours. There have been three incidents of physical intervention used to safeguard children and young people. Recordings reflect the necessity for and appropriateness of such interventions. Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 6

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in post since August 2019. She is passionate and enthusiastic about developing practice to help drive improvements forward. She is supported in her role by two effective deputy managers and a resilient staff team. There have been several changes to the staff team. The manager has relied on the strengths and support of her core staff team without over-reliance on agency staff. This means the children and young people have received care from a consistent group of carers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager supports her staff team well. Due to the increase in critical incidents for the children and young people, this has placed added pressures and challenges on the staff team. Regular supervisions demonstrate reflective discussions as well as professional development. Regular team meetings provide opportunities to discuss issues and practice. Furthermore, the manager supports the team’s health and well-being. She has encouraged counselling services to be accessed as an additional support. As a result, the staff team members feel valued and motivated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager recognises the importance of having a skilled staff team. She sources training relevant to the needs of the children and young people in her care. This means that children and young people continue to receive support from a skilled group of carers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring and reviewing systems are very good. Critical incidents are recorded in a timely manner and reflect the steps taken to safeguard the children and young people. Some incidents have not been reviewed by the manager. This would demonstrate monitoring of her staff team members to ensure that they consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children and young people in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and the staff team show great insight into the home’s strengths as well as areas that could be improved. The manager welcomes feedback from her independent visitor as well as her inspector. When shortfalls are identified, she responds quickly and puts plans in place to improve practice. The care provided to the children and young people is delivered in line with the aims and objectives as set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

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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. Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 7 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

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Information about this inspection

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: SC032701 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: South Tyneside Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Westoe Road, South Shields NE33 2RL

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Inspector

Jacqueline Tate: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 9 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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