Children's home run by Stockton on Tees Borough Council in Stockton-on-Tees

Inspection report children’s home: SC456710 1 SC456710 Registered provider: Stockton-on-Tees Borough 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 provided by the local authority and is registered to care for up to four children and/or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The registered manager has been registered since 2015.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 16 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: SC456710 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/01/2019 Full Outstanding 08/01/2018 Full Outstanding 17/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 22/11/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC456710 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home and; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(f)(h)) 19/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— undertake appropriate continuing professional development; receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)) 19/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; a child protection enquiry involving a child— 19/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC456710 4 is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or 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)(e)) The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking

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Requirement Due date

into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1)(2)) 19/03/2020

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Recommendations

 Where there is a possibility that a child will run away or go missing from a children’s home placement, their placement plan should include a strategy to minimise this risk. If the child is looked-after, their care plan (arranged by their placing authority) should include such a strategy. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.24)  The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should: – detail the necessary management and staffing structure (including any staff commissioned to provide health and education), the experience and qualifications of staff currently working within the staffing structure and any further training required for those staff, to enable the delivery of the home’s Statement of Purpose; – detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction,

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Recommendations

probation and any core training (such as safeguarding, health and safety and mandatory qualifications); – detail the process for managing and improving poor performance; – detail the process and timescales for supervision of practice (see regulation 33 (4)(b)) and keep appropriate records for staff in the home. The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff – including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8) Inspection report children’s home: SC456710 5

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people are making progress and the quality of individualised care is good. The manager and staff build positive relationships with the children and understand their needs. Staff provide nurture and offer clear, consistent boundaries. The children and young people are happy living in the home and trust the staff who look after them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people achieve in education. Staff ensure that there is effective liaison with schools and colleges. Where children and young people need extra help with their learning, staff find support from professionals. The children and young people gain confidence in their abilities and their life chances are improved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people can express their views and they know staff listen to them. Support is provided to help children and young people follow their interests and choose activities that they enjoy. Staff encourage individual pursuits and group activities. This helps the children and young people have influence in their lives and make positive choices.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people have positive and meaningful relationships with people who are important to them. They receive support to be able to spend time with their family and friends. Staff include family members and recognise the importance of their contribution in the children and young people’s lives. This helps the children and young people to feel valued and have a strong sense of their identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Members of staff advocate on behalf of the children and young people. Effective relationships with local services help the children and young people receive specialist help. Staff challenge barriers that the children and young people face and support them to deal with difficulties. This helps children and young people develop a positive view of themselves.

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

Children and young people say that they feel safe, and staff provide them with a home that is comfortable and homely. Positive behaviour is promoted in the home. Verbal praise when children and young people are doing well makes them feel good about themselves. Consistent boundaries and clear expectations, along with the opportunity to be able to negotiate changes, help children and young people to manage their behaviour and regulate their responses.

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

Risk assessments that are detailed and up to date, with clear strategies that staff follow, contribute to keeping children and young people protected, both inside and outside the home. Staff use one-to-one sessions to help children and young people learn how to keep themselves safe. Staff encourage children and young people to reflect when there Inspection report children’s home: SC456710 6 has been an incident of concern. This helps children and young people to learn from their experiences.

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

Physical intervention is rarely used in the home and when it is, it is for a short length of time and to protect children and young people. The recording of incidents clearly describes the methods used, contains the views of children and young people and is overseen by the manager of the home. A debriefing with children and young people enables them to reflect upon the incident and learn how to avoid similar situations in the future.

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

Staff understand the potential dangers of social media and the internet. Regular checks on mobile devices, combined with education around the dangers of the internet, are carried out with agreement from children and young people, who are happy to share their browsing history with staff. This means that children and young people can access social media in a safe, enjoyable and fun way.

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

Staff can evidence the actions they take in the event of any safeguarding concerns they have about a child. Children and young people can identify a trusted adult they can talk to about any concerns. Information is available that explains to children and young people how they can complain to other professionals. This ensures that children and young people feel confident that they can make a complaint to the right person.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The quality of professional relationships is very good. Feedback from a wide range of professionals and family was very complimentary about the manager and the home. Communication between all parties is good and ensures that children and young people receive consistent support from the adults who care for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has a wealth of experience of working with children in residential care and is suitably qualified for the role. He knows the children well and spends time with them daily. The staff team is committed and has high expectations for the children and young people its members look after. Care and support is delivered in a way that is highly effective and nurturing. The children and young people receive consistent care from a stable staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff receive advice and guidance from the manager. The staff meetings take place on a regular basis and individual children and young people’s plans are discussed. However, supervision and appraisal of staff has not taken place on a regular basis and plans to develop the workforce have not been updated. This means that well-being and professional development of staff have not been addressed effectively. Opportunities to improve staff practice and knowledge and care have been missed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager and staff work proactively with the local community to ensure that children have access to local facilities, youth groups and clubs. The children are learning to help others through charitable events. This develops a sense of belonging, security and value for children and young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC456710 7 There are gaps in management records. The registered manager has not undertaken a review of the quality of care provided by the home. This means that the manager is less effective at understanding the home’s strengths, weaknesses and shortfalls. In addition, the manager has not undertaken monthly monitoring or followed recommendations made by the independent visitor. As a result, there are no clear plans in place to develop the home. Shortfalls in management practice in recording are not addressed. Because of this, there is a risk that children and young people do not receive the most effective

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

services to meet their individual needs.

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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: SC456710 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland TS18 1LD

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Inspectors

Mark Proffitt, social care inspector Catherine Heron, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC456710 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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