Children's home run by Newcastle City Council

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1233307 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 up to six children with emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At an inspection on 27 January 2021, the inspector found widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children. In particular:

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Information about this children’s home

◼ home conditions ◼ care planning for children ◼ the response to children’s behaviour ◼ staff levels and the supervision of staff.

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Information about this children’s home

In response, Ofsted issued a compliance notice to the provider. The compliance notice required the provider to address the issues identified by no later than 14 March 2021.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to monitor the action taken by the provider in response to the compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

Due to the restrictions in place relating to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, this visit was carried out off site. The visit included a review of documents, a virtual tour of the building and discussions with children, families and staff.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found that the provider had completed all the steps in the compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

The management oversight of the home has increased. New staff have joined the team, including a temporary manager and a deputy manager. They are both suitably Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1233307 2 qualified and experienced in working with children in care. Together, they have a clear vision for improvement and share good practice with the staff. One staff member said that tasks are ‘delegated, and this has increased staff confidence’. Another staff member said the new staff have brought ‘energy’ .

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This monitoring visit

Staff supervision is now up to date and planned on a monthly basis. It is structured and provides staff with time to reflect on their experiences of caring for the children. Staff are encouraged to think about their own well-being and any additional training that they need. Staff understand what is expected of them and are motivated to improve the quality of care for children living in the home. This means that the staff have a shared understanding of where improvements need to be made.

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This monitoring visit

The temporary manager has improved the systems used to monitor the quality of care that children receive. For example, they track the progress of key-work sessions and use this information to evaluate children’s experiences. If the manager finds shortfalls in the quality of care, he takes effective action. This means that the children’s experiences of living in the home have improved.

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This monitoring visit

Incidents involving children are thoroughly recorded. The manager ensures that staff follow procedures, which include notifying Ofsted of significant incidents. The manager reviews incidents and the action taken by staff. This means that incidents are scrutinised so that themes and practice issues can be identified. This helps to keep children increasingly safe.

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This monitoring visit

The home conditions have improved. Hazards found in a previous visit have been rectified. Rooms have been decorated and new pictures are displayed on the walls. There are shared spaces for the children and staff to spend time together, for example, playing pool or watching television. A staff member said, ‘The home was grey and boring but now it’s revitalised.’ This means that the children have a comfortable home environment to enjoy.

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This monitoring visit

Children say that they have positive relationships with staff. One child said that the staff ‘always helped’ them. Children know how to share their views and who they can talk to if they need support. Children receive encouragement from staff to try new activities, such as cookery, horse riding and nail art. This raises children’s self- esteem. One child said that the home is now more ‘chilled’ and this is an improvement.

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This monitoring visit

Staff recognise the value of supporting children to have family time and promoting those relationships. However, when the children experience relationship difficulties with each other, the staff do not manage the conflict effectively. Children do not receive the help they need to get along with each other; this means that children experience distress and disruption. This continues to be an area of development and the temporary manager has a plan to address this shortfall. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1233307 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/02/2020 Full Good 04/02/2019 Full Outstanding 30/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/05/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1233307 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 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 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 expectations in accordance with the child’s age and 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; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)) 15 September

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 15 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1233307 5 that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(a)).

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Requirement Due date

Requirement not considered as part of this inspection.

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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: Newcastle 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: 1233307 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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