Children's home run by North Tyneside Council in North Tyneside

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068243 1 SC068243

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North Tyneside Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated and managed by a local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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This monitoring visit

Due to the restrictions in place due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), this monitoring visit was carried out off site. The visit was to investigate potential breaches of regulations, following information being shared with Ofsted in notifications that indicated a potential risk of harm to children. The visit included review of documents, a virtual tour of the building and discussions with children, staff, families and relevant professionals.

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This monitoring visit

This last visit to the home was on 21 to 22 May 2019, when a full inspection was carried out.

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This monitoring visit

Serious incidents have occurred in which children have been at risk of harm and, in some cases, have suffered actual harm. Staff do not always recognise the risks involved in these incidents and do not include them in children’s risk assessments to prevent future harm. Some information recorded in the assessments is contradictory. This means that staff do not have clear guidance to follow to help them understand how to keep children safe. This leaves children exposed to a potential risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

At the last inspection, a requirement to let Ofsted know about any serious incidents that occur was issued. However, a review of documents shows that this practice has continued. Further serious incidents have occurred and have not been notified to Ofsted as required. This failure means that Ofsted is unable to scrutinise information to ensure that children are safe. This leaves children vulnerable to the risk of harm. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068243 2 A review of documents shows multiple references to complaints. These have not been recognised as complaints and not actioned or recorded as such. This failure to follow the complaints procedure means that there is a lack of scrutiny of complaints, which exposes children to a risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has failed to ensure that there are effective monitoring systems in place. The manager has failed to identify shortfalls in the quality of care provided or understand the impact that this has on children’s experience and progress. The manager has not implemented a suitable action plan to address these shortfalls.

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This monitoring visit

Areas of the home, including some children’s bedrooms, are damaged and require repair. Some improvement work has been undertaken. However, the home needs further attention to raise the standard of the living conditions for children.

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This monitoring visit

Each night, staff lock an internal door that leads to the kitchen and adjoining lounge, which denies children access to these areas of their home. This practice creates an institutional environment for children and leaves them feeling undervalued. One child described the home as just being ‘a roof over their head’.

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This monitoring visit

Staff support children to access health services and use key-work sessions to promote good health. Staff respond swiftly when children present with new health needs, for example by promptly arranging for children to receive specialist advice so that their health needs can be met.

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This monitoring visit

Staff seek children’s views and respond to them where appropriate. This gives children a sense of choice in their day-to-day living. Children meet with an advocate, which provides them with the opportunity to share their views with someone independent of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Following this visit, three compliance notices are issued under regulations 12, 13 and 40 to address serious concerns relating to the protection of children, and widespread failings with the leadership and management of the home. A further three requirements are issued to address other shortfalls.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/05/2019 Full Good 03/07/2018 Full Good 31/01/2018 Full Good 20/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068243 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, repair damage and attend to decoration needs throughout the home, including in children’s bedrooms. 21 March 2021

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Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; 21 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068243 4 manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child. effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iv)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(iii)) 21 March 2021

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

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

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and 21 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068243 5 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)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises;

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 21 March 2021

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the procedure must provide that no person who is the subject of a complaint takes any part in its consideration or investigation, except at the informal resolution stage if the registered person considers it appropriate.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that no child is subject to any reprisal for making a complaint or representation. (Regulation 39 (1) (2) (3) (4)) 21 March 2021

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; 21 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068243 6 an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

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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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068243 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North Tyneside Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 16 The Silverlink North, Newcastle upon Tyne NE27 0BY

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Inspectors

Paula Kelly, Social Care Inspector Paula Shepherd, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068243 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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