Children's Home run by Northumberland County Council in Northumberland

Inspection report children’s home: SC486604 1 SC486604 Registered provider: Northumberland County 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

This home is run by a local authority. The home is registered for the care and accommodation of up to four children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered in June 2016 and is appropriately qualified.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 26 February 2019

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC486604 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/02/2019 Full Outstanding 21/03/2018 Full Outstanding 28/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 08/11/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC486604 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people:

Young people have strong and secure relationships with the staff team at the home. The calm, welcoming and positive environment nurtures these relationships, ensuring that the young people thrive and make excellent progress. Some young people who have moved on to live independently choose to live close to the home to keep in touch and benefit from staff support. This further demonstrates the strength of the relationships that are made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people:

Young people continue to be supported, where possible, to build relationships with their families. Meetings with families are now facilitated by the staff team in the home, creating a more informal relaxed setting. This promotes young people’s sense of identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people:

The positive and aspirational culture of the home is based on a therapeutic model of parenting. This model is delivered collaboratively and consistently by the stable staff team and helps young people to develop skills and strategies to manage their emotions and build resilience. Young people told the inspector that the best thing about the home is the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people:

Young people attend school regularly, and older young people who attend college are progressing well. Education is seen holistically both through formal education and through direct work and activities with staff. This ensures that all young people have good opportunities to equip them for their futures, developing their self-worth and learning new skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people:

Young people are actively involved in work to achieve their goals. Staff are extremely child centred and work creatively with young people. Achievements are celebrated and positive behaviour recognised, which further promotes young people’s self-worth. Young people are involved in choosing activities, which recently have included wild camping and the Great North Bike Ride. Staff and young people achieved a national award for excellence in challenging bullying. Activities are used exceptionally well, providing young people with new experiences, creating positive memories and building relationships.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected:

Staff have a comprehensive understanding of safeguarding issues and respond appropriately to identify and reduce risks. This means that young people are kept safe. Innovative direct work with young people supports the young person’s own understanding of risks and the consequences of their behaviour.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected:

The therapeutic model of parenting ensures a consistent approach to behaviour management. The model focuses on de-escalation, restorative practice and the use of sanctions, as well as reinforcement of positive behaviour. Physical interventions for young Inspection report children’s home: SC486604 4 people decrease over time, demonstrating the effectiveness of practice. Internet safety is well considered, with effective monitoring to ensure that young people are safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected:

There have been just two safeguarding concerns during the inspection reporting period. These were responded to and resolved quickly with appropriate referrals and involvement of safeguarding professionals. Risk assessments were updated as required. Staff have very good working relationships with social workers and with the designated officer.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected:

Young people told the inspector that they feel safe, that boundaries are clear, sanctions and interventions are fair and they knew how to complain. Complaints are taken seriously, handled promptly and usually resolved informally. This promotes young people’s self-worth and confidence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers:

The registered manager is inspirational. She is child centred and highly effective in ensuring that the home is staffed and resourced appropriately to meet the needs of the young people. She has created a stable, consistent and highly skilled staff team, building on staff members’ individual strengths to ensure that young people receive the best care. She has experienced, supportive senior staff in the home to whom she can delegate with confidence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers:

Staff are well supported through comprehensive training, support and supervision. This is demonstrated well in their knowledge and understanding of the young people and effectiveness of working practices. Supervision is regular, reflective and focused on the needs of children. Staff turnover is minimal, and this helps to ensure the delivery of a consistent, effective service. Recruitment processes are thorough, which safeguards children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers:

There is an exceptional culture of learning and reflective practice. Staff are confident, motivated and aspirational for young people. The use of the therapeutic model is successfully embedded and ensures a consistent approach so that young people thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers:

The manager knows the service well. She monitors standards of care diligently and develops effective individualised care planning. The standard of case recording is excellent, and case recording is accessible to young people and reflective of the therapeutic approach to care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers:

The manager is proactive, using research to good effect and continually developing and improving the service for the benefit of young people. Practice is further enhanced through the close working with other professionals. Young people are also actively encouraged to contribute to the development of the service. This builds their confidence and develops a sense of ownership and achievement. Inspection report children’s home: SC486604 5

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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: SC486604 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Northumberland County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Morpeth, Northumberland NE61 2EF

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Inspector

Fiona Millns, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC486604 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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