Children's Home run by St Cuthbert’s Care in Newcastle upon Tyne

Inspection report children’s home: SC033467 1 SC033467 Registered provider: St Cuthbert’s Care 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 charitable organisation. It is registered to care for up to six children or young people who may have social and emotional difficulties. The experienced, qualified manager was registered to manage this home in 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 outstanding

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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: SC033467 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/08/2018 Full Good 05/09/2017 Full Good 15/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 23/08/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC033467 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people are happy and progressing well in this home. They live in the home for a long time and are growing up together. Children and young people develop strong, trusting relationships with members of staff. This helps them to accept the care provided to them. They view this home as their home. As a result, their progress in all areas of their development is sustained.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Members of staff provide nurturing, individualised care to children and young people. The staff team celebrates the successes of children and young people and helps them to overcome any difficulties. Children and young people know that their carers want the best for them. This helps them to believe in their own abilities and to achieve success.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people do well at school. Members of staff help children and young people with homework and make sure that they are well prepared for the school day. Children and young people make academic progress. They enjoy the social aspects of school and join in school activities. Children and young people are building positive memories of being in school, as well as working towards important qualifications.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people are healthy. They attend routine medical appointments. Longstanding health conditions improve and the need for medication reduces. Members of staff encourage children and young people to work with professionals to improve their emotional well-being. Children and young people recognise the value of this support. This is indicative of the progress they have made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Members of staff encourage children and young people to develop and maintain friendships and support this by making links with the parents of their friends. Friends are encouraged to come to the home and members of staff include them in activities. These relationships help children and young people to develop resilience and social skills. This helps to develop their confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people keep in touch with their families. Members of staff help families to view the home positively. For some relatives, this is the first time they have been able to accept their children living apart from them. Children and young people know that members of their families are pleased about the care they receive. This helps children and young people to feel secure and content in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people routinely provide their wishes and feelings. They contribute their views at well-attended home meetings. They take part in the recruitment of new members of staff. They contribute to their care plans and work with staff to devise solutions to difficulties. As a result, children and young people feel invested in the home. They realise that they have a right to influence their world and do so. Inspection report children’s home: SC033467 4

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

Children and young people feel protected in this home. For some, this is evidence of very good progress. There has been a significant reduction in the amount of time children and young people are missing from the home. They enjoy being in the home and want to spend time with their carers. They benefit from the high-quality care they receive.

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

There are no significant concerns about substance misuse, exploitation, self-harm or criminal activity. Members of staff and children and young people devise individualised safeguarding plans. Children and young people learn about their vulnerabilities and how to reduce them. They trust their carers and respond very well to this input.

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

Members of staff successfully manage behaviour that challenges. There is an emphasis on encouraging positive behaviour. Physical intervention is rarely used. Although incidents continue to take place, the rate and severity are reducing. As a result, children and young people learn to regulate their emotions.

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

Currently, there is no bullying in this home. This had been raised as a concern in the previous inspection. Since then, members of staff have worked hard to reduce this issue. Children and young people now understand the impact of being bullied. As a result, they no longer become involved in such behaviour, either in the home or elsewhere. For some children and young people, this is evidence of very positive progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has made a significant difference to the way this home operates. She is inspirational and ambitious for children and young people. She wants them to be settled, happy and safe. The registered manager is determined that children and young people will make progress and drives forward improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager leads by example. She is very experienced and shares her knowledge with the staff team. She also encourages members of staff to develop their own ideas. Members of staff feel very supported by their manager. They report high morale and a strong sense of pride in the quality of their work. Children and young people are living in a home where their carers are motivated and invested in looking after them well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager advocates compellingly on behalf of children and young people. When professionals do not act in the best interests of children and young people, the registered manager insists on their needs being prioritised. She is tenacious. She has achieved excellent results for all the children and young people as a result of her approach.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has recruited several new members of staff. As a result, agency workers are no longer used in the home. Members of staff are supported to carry out Inspection report children’s home: SC033467 5 their roles with reflective supervision. They also undertake team development. Children and young people are now looked after by carers they know well and who respond consistently to their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Members of staff are qualified or working towards qualification. They have access to the training they need to enable them to perform well. The registered manager has identified some innovative training. Members of staff are enthusiastic about these learning opportunities. Children and young people are looked after by a skilled workforce that is motivated to keep learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has developed very effective monitoring systems. She knows the rate of progress for the children and young people. If they need additional services, her monitoring makes this clear. As a result of these systems, there is no delay to changing the way that care is provided, when necessary. The registered manager’s monitoring would be strengthened with clearer links between documentation. This was a recommendation at the last inspection and is being repeated now. A new system is being developed, although it is too early to know the potential impact. Inspection report children’s home: SC033467 6

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Recommendations

 Some records may be kept electronically (Regulation 38), provided that this information can be easily accessible by anyone with a legitimate need to view it and, if required, be reproduced in a legible form. In particular, transfer of records to electronic formats is carried out in a timely manner to avoid any unnecessary impact upon case records. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 14.2) In particular, ensure that a system is developed that makes it easy to link documentation to track children and young people’s progress.

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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: SC033467 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: St Cuthbert’s House, West Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 7PY

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Inspector

Jane Titley: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC033467 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

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