Children's Home run by Highfield North East Limited in Redcar and Cleveland

Assurance visit report: SC476512 1 SC476512

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children and/or young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is owned and operated by a private company.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2014 .

p.1

Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

p.1

Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:  children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

p.1

Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

p.1

Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

p.1

Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit. Assurance visit report: SC476512 2

p.1

The care of children

Children have positive relationships with staff. They say they are able to speak to staff about their feelings. One child said, ‘Living here is good; it couldn’t be better in any way.’ Managers and staff have a nurturing approach towards the children. As a result, children are able to form trusting relationships with the adults around them.

p.2

The care of children

Each child has a personal development plan in place to encourage them to learn independent living skills. These plans identify tasks and activities for the children to complete, and range from making hot drinks to cooking meals. This means that the children learn the skills they need as they move towards adulthood and independence.

p.2

The care of children

Children’s education is a priority for the home. Attendance at school for two of the children was a concern prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. A change of school and reduced class sizes have made a positive difference to their attendance. Staff supported one child to find employment opportunities and to enrol on a college course. The children learn the importance of education and make progress in this area of their development.

p.2

The care of children

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the children have kept in contact with their family by telephone. When the restrictions eased, face-to-face contact resumed. This means the children are able to maintain their relationships and connections with the people who are important to them.

p.2

The care of children

Children take part in a variety of activities, including playing board games and go- karting. They also make good use of the spacious grounds around the home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff and children take regular walks to the nearby beach. A focus on fun activities helps the children to create positive memories.

p.2

The safety of children

Children become increasingly safe because staff are able to identify and act on changes to children’s behaviours. Staff use individual strategies, including increased staffing levels, to help to keep children safe when they need more support.

p.2

The safety of children

Children benefit from detailed support plans and risk assessments. These identify the children’s known risks and include strategies for staff to use to help to keep children safe. When children have specific risks, including certain medical conditions, staff receive specialist training to enable them to respond to these risks. This helps to protect children from harm.

p.2

The safety of children

The home is clean and well maintained, and the grounds are well kept. However, there is no outside lighting, and in the winter months this may make entering or leaving the home in the dark dangerous. Assurance visit report: SC476512 3 Children complete key-work sessions with staff around keeping themselves safe online. They engage well in this work and are now more aware of online dangers and the steps to take to reduce potential risks to their safety.

p.2

Leaders and managers

The registered manager is currently not working in the home and is due to leave the post shortly. A new manager has been recruited and is in day-to-day charge of the home and has introduced new routines. The children are benefiting from the new changes to the home. One child said, ‘I like the changes; there are more boundaries now.’

p.3

Leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have introduced more streamlined filing systems, amended children’s plans, and revised risk assessments. This means the staff are able to spend more time with the children. One child said, ‘Staff spend less time in the office and more time with us.’ This has a positive impact on the relationships the children have with staff.

p.3

Leaders and managers

Staff receive formal supervision. However, these sessions do not enable the staff to reflect on their practice. Consequently, staff do not have opportunities to discuss their personal development. The manager does not receive formal supervision. As a result, her practice and performance is not suitably monitored.

p.3

Leaders and managers

Monitoring systems do not support the manager to scrutinise the home effectively. These lack an evaluation of the care provided for children. As a result, necessary improvements to the home may be missed.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The quality of care report completed by the manager does not contain feedback and opinions from the children. As a result, this does not meet regulation. This was an issue at the previous inspection and the requirement made then is repeated.

p.3

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, 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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.3

Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; 30/11/2020 Assurance visit report: SC476512 4 use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.3

Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

p.4

Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(i)(ii))

p.4

Requirement Due date

Specifically, provide suitable external lighting to enable children, staff and visitors to enter and exit the home safely.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.4

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 30/11/2020

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

p.4

Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

p.4

Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)) 30/11/2020

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person should actively seek scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from internal monitoring. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

p.4

Children’s home details

Assurance visit report: SC476512 5 Unique reference number: SC476512

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Highfield (North East) Limited

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 37 Emerald Street, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Cleveland TS12 1EE

p.5

Inspectors

Gemma McDonnell, Social Care Inspector Jane Titley, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC476512 6 to 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.

p.5

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspectors

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6