Setting run by Newcastle City Council

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2537322 1

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Newcastle City Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home provides care and accommodation for one child and/or young person who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not been visited since the home and manager were registered in October 2019.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out off-site to investigate potential breaches of regulations following information being shared with Ofsted. The home has not been visited previously.

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This monitoring visit

The visit was to address concerns regarding whether behaviour was managed effectively and whether children are kept safe.

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This monitoring visit

Staff encourage the child to join in with activities that promote well-being and mental health, such as daily routines, self-care, going to the gym, cycling and cookery. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there are fewer activities available for the child to enjoy in the community. This has impacted on the child’s progress and on his opportunity to develop interests.

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This monitoring visit

The child has some positive relationships with staff. The child knows whom to contact to make a complaint. The manager and staff listen to the child and express empathy and warmth, showing that they care. This reassures the child that their views are listened to and acted on. It helps the child to develop trusting relationships. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2537322 2 Staff and the manager understand the child’s needs and the impact that previous life experiences have had on the child’s progress. They share relevant information with other agencies and arrange meetings if they are worried about the child. The social worker, school and therapeutic services gave positive feedback about how staff share information. One professional said, ‘Staff know [the child] quite well and have a good grasp of the child’s needs.’

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This monitoring visit

The manager will advocate for the child to receive extra services. However, when there are delays in extra help being offered, the manager does not continue to challenge agencies. This means that the child waits too long for support.

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This monitoring visit

When the child is not attending education, staff work with the school so that the child receives regular homework. However, when the child does not want to participate in home learning, staff are not persistent. The strategies used to encourage the child are not clearly recorded or evaluated by the manager. This means that education is no longer part of the child’s day, which impacts on their learning and development.

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This monitoring visit

The child has a key worker and they spend regular time together. However, these sessions are not planned and do not link to the child’s relevant plans or show how progress will be made. This means that there are few opportunities for the child to work though particular difficulties or challenges that they are experiencing. This impacts on the child’s progress.

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This monitoring visit

The manager and staff do not manage the child’s behaviour. Sometimes serious incidents occur that place the child and staff at increased risk. These result in the police being involved. In addition, some rooms in the house are locked as a way of managing the child’s behaviour. This means that the child is not receiving the support needed to develop good behaviour. This impacts on the child’s self-esteem and relationships with others.

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This monitoring visit

When serious incidents occur that involve the child, the manager does not consistently inform Ofsted. This prevents independent scrutiny of the actions taken by staff in the home to ensure that the child is increasingly safe.

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This monitoring visit

The manager and staff feel supported by the senior leadership team. They discuss pressures in the home and work together to find solutions. The manager receives regular supervision, which includes reflection and setting targets. If there are any concerns regarding the practice of the manager, these are taken seriously by senior management and investigated. This means that the manager and staff receive support to improve the quality of care provided to the child.

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This monitoring visit

There are significant staffing pressures. The manager understands the potential impact that this has on the care provided to the child. She has tried to fill vacancies and is focused on employing the right staff who are suitably skilled. However, recruitment has been difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shifts are therefore covered by staff from the other homes within the organisation. This impacts on the Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2537322 3 stability and consistency of care provided to the child. One member of staff described it as ‘unsettling’ for the child.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager does not monitor and review the care provided in the home effectively. Some records are not up to date. She does not critically evaluate the care. This prevents the manager from being able to identify emerging themes, take preventative action or recognise when risks to the child and staff are increasing.

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This monitoring visit

Staff said that the registered manager is available to provide them with help and advice. The manager spends time in the home and can be contacted by telephone outside the usual working hours. However, the manager does not ensure that the records of her attendance in the home are maintained.

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This monitoring visit

The manager and senior leadership team acknowledge the shortfalls in standards of care and are committed to making improvements.

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2537322 4

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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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(viii)) 15/02/2021

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those 15/02/2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2537322 5 expectations in accordance with the child’s age and

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Requirement Due date

understanding; help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)) 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— lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, delivers the outcomes, set out in the home's statement of purpose; 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;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(f)(h)) 15/02/2021

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. The registered person must— maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4 (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)) 15/02/2021

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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— 15/02/2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2537322 6 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))

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Newcastle City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE1 8QH

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Inspector

Catherine Heron, social care inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2537322 7 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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