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

Inspection report children’s home: SC038557 1 SC038557 Registered provider: North Tyneside Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides short breaks for up to four children, and extended breaks for one named child, who have sensory impairment, special educational needs and/or disabilities. The home is operated and managed by a local authority.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered in June 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 26 November 2019

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC038557 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/11/2019 Full Good 11/12/2018 Full Good 06/03/2018 Full Outstanding 02/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC038557 3

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outstanding

Children are supported by their caring adults to make exceptional progress. For some children it is the development of self-care or other independent skills which demonstrates excellent progress. When describing their experience of this home one child said, ‘Everything is great here,’ and another said, ‘I love it here.’

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outstanding

Children’s achievements are immediately recognised, praised, and rewarded by the staff. The manager has introduced inventive ways to celebrate children’s success. This helps children to recognise the progress they make.

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outstanding

The manager arranges bespoke introductory visits for children, with themed activities that appeal to children’s individual interests. This brings an element of familiarity to help children feel relaxed and welcome.

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outstanding

One of the enclosed private gardens has been transformed for the children into a vibrant play area, with a variety of equipment for sensory enjoyment. Children contribute to their home by helping to maintain the garden. This promotes a sense of ownership.

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outstanding

Staff support children to access activities in the community, some of which incorporate services that specialise in alternative communication. The exposure to new experiences enables children to develop hobbies and interests, such as riding a bicycle, swimming and trampolining. One parent commented on the care that their child receives, ‘It’s absolutely out of this world. [Name] is doing things they have never been able to experience before.’

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outstanding

Children are supported to make continued educational progress. Staff are creative and adapt activities when government restrictions mean that education is required to be delivered at the home. They make personalised illustrated storybooks for children, innovatively supporting them to understand changes such as when they move on to a new school. This provides children with a visual guide to help them adjust to their new routines.

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outstanding

Staff persistently promote good health and use creative experiences to encourage children to eat healthily, such as by holding their own food festival. Children get involved in cooking and try new foods while learning the benefits of healthy eating. Staff have supported some children to make changes to their diet and achieve a healthy weight. This demonstrates that children become significantly healthier. Inspection report children’s home: SC038557 4

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

Risk assessments contain children’s individual known risks and vulnerabilities. The manager consults with professionals and includes their advice in children’s risk assessments. This supports a holistic approach to keeping children safe. Staff demonstrate that they are familiar with and follow the measures that are in place to keep children safe.

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

Staff support children to understand how to raise a concern should the need arise. The manager takes complaints seriously and follows the complaints procedure. She values feedback from children, their families and professionals and uses this input to drive improvements forward.

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

The manager acts promptly when safeguarding concerns occur. She shares information swiftly with appropriate agencies and puts safeguarding measures in place. This helps to protect children from harm.

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

On the rare occasion that physical intervention is used, staff who are suitably trained hold children to help to keep children safe. The manager scrutinises each incident. She adapts the strategies that staff should use and updates staff about any changes. This reduces repeat incidents, demonstrating that children become safer.

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

The manager ensures that health and safety checks in the home take place and arranges for servicing of specialist equipment. This helps to maintain a safe home for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced for the position held. She is supported by two deputies and a small stable staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safer recruitment processes are followed when staff are appointed. This provides assurances that adults are suitably vetted prior to looking after the children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are provided with individual and group supervision sessions. These provide opportunities for staff to reflect on their practice and to discuss children’s needs. During their supervision sessions, staff are set targets to help them focus on and develop specific areas of children’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager invites external scrutiny of the service, including medicine competency assessments. She uses any findings to help her to implement improvements. The manager helps staff to view external scrutiny as a safety measure. This demonstrates a transparent approach to raising the standards of children’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are cared for by staff who have completed mandatory training. Most staff have completed training to help them meet children’s individual needs. However, Inspection report children’s home: SC038557 5 some have not. Some staff who have completed such training have not refreshed this for several years. This means that the manager cannot be assured that the staff are using the most up-to-date methods and techniques in their care of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good auditing processes which she uses to monitor the care that children receive. She completes a quality-of-review report to help her to scrutinise the service. However, she does not always consider whether previously identified actions are complete. This limits the possible use of this process to track progression’ Inspection report children’s home: SC038557 6

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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, 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— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)) 4 September 2021

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Recommendation

 The registered manager should ensure that the quality-of-care review clearly identifies any actions required for the next 6 months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC038557 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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Inspector

Paula Kelly, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC038557 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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