Children's home run by North Tyneside Council in North Tyneside

Inspection report children’s home: SC408072 1 SC408072 Registered provider: North Tyneside Council

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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 children’s home provides care and accommodation for four children and young people who have learning disabilities. A local authority operates the home. The manager has been registered with Ofsted 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC408072 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/05/2018 Full Good 13/06/2017 Full Good 24/01/2017 Full Good 13/06/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC408072 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people make good progress. They respond positively to the clear boundaries and the consistent practice of staff. As a result, they are supported to regulate their emotions through sensitive and personalised care. Staff listen, observe and invest time in getting to know children and young people well to ensure that they are protected, and their welfare is promoted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people have either school or college placements, and attendance is excellent. The books used to communicate messages between the home and school, and shared routines and behavioural support strategies, lead to quick interventions and solutions being used in both areas of the child or young person’s life. This ensures that children and young people are provided with the best possible support and environments in which to learn.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people’s care planning is individualised. This includes health and medication protocols. Children and young people have their own health passports and medication files to assist staff with clear guidance on personal care. This supports staff in responding to complex medical and behavioural conditions. Staff are appropriately trained and skilled in understanding the needs of the children and young people. As a result, children and young people’s health needs are well met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children and young people to be involved in their care planning. Social care professionals commented on how well the staff use a variety of communication aids to assist with gaining the views of children and young people. Examples included children and young people contributing to their transition plans into adult care and providing input into any required assessments. This recognises and respects the views of children and young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support and develop children and young people’s independence. Support is based on developing micro-skills such as using a fork or recognising personal care needs. Children and young people progress in these areas and have their achievements acknowledged through rewards and praise. This helps children and young people to progress in their day-to-day activities and promotes their dignity and slef-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff strongly advocate and support family time for the children and young people. This takes place in family homes, in the community and at the home. As a result, children and young people and their families experience a sense of belonging and develop their identities. This promotes their well-being as a family.

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

Well-written safety plans and positive behaviour support plans are followed by staff and support the safe care of children and young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC408072 4 Plans are coordinated and promote a consistent approach to care planning. The staff have in-depth knowledge of children and young people’s complex and profound difficulties inclusive of sensory impairment. This helps children and young people safe to be better protected. However, the scheduled updating of children and young people’s plans is not always consistently completed.

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

The staff are highly attentive and responsive to the children and young people. The levels of supervision and support of children and young people are high and in accordance with levels of ability and need. Staff encourage communication through the use of a range of tools, including iPads, symbols and the spoken word. This, along with the observation of behaviours, leads to individual support strategies being regularly reviewed and implemented. This helps children and young people to progress in their communication skills and promotes their well-being.

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

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities as identified in safeguarding procedures. Good communication between professionals and families ensures that information is shared promptly to safeguard children and young people. A social worker commented, ‘Incidents recorded and shared with me are detailed in analysis and evaluation which helps to support future care planning.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and suitably qualified. She has brought stability and organisation to the service. Feedback from families and external professionals at this inspection has highlighted the consistently good care that is provided to children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager advocates strongly on behalf of children and young people. The manager leads by example and is an effective role model. Staff morale has improved, which has led to a positive working environment in which children and young people make progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager recognises the strengths and areas for development in her staff team. She is proactive in engaging staff in the development of the service. This often takes place in fortnightly team meetings. Small teams, led by a senior member of staff, have been developed to represent each child and young person in the home. This is to develop and improve upon consistency of practice and support. This means that children and young people will always have key staff available at any time to attend meetings and provide up-to-date knowledge on their care. This provides for a more fluent and effective service to children, young people and their families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff training is maintained to a good and consistent level. This ensures that children and young people are cared for by skilled and knowledgeable professionals. Staff supervision is monthly and is commented on by staff as positive and supportive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team has responded to improvements required in the home since the Inspection report children’s home: SC408072 5 last inspection. However, further work is required to ensure that the living spaces are made homelier and promote children’s sense of well-being and enjoyment. Inspection report children’s home: SC408072 6

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the maintenance of internal living spaces is carried out in a timely manner, ensuring that any repairs or changes to the fabric of the interior do not negatively impact on the homely appearance.

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Recommendations

 Regulations 35-39 detail the records that must be kept in children’s home. All children’s case records (regulation 36) must be kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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

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: SC408072 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North Tyneside Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 16 The Silverlink North, Newcastle upon Tyne NE27 0BY

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Inspector

Michael Dack, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC408072 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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