Aycliffe Secure Services

Inspection report for secure children’s home: SC035648 1 SC035648 Registered provider: Durham County Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This secure home is operated by a local authority, and is approved to restrict children’s liberty by the Department for Education.

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home accommodates up to 38 children aged between 10 and 17 years. It provides care for up to eight children placed by the Youth Custody Service, and 30 children who are placed by local authorities and are accommodated under section 25 of the Children Act 1989.

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Information about this children’s home

Any child who is admitted under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 and is under 13 years of age requires the approval of the Secretary of State.

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Information about this children’s home

The commissioning of health services in this home is the statutory responsibility of NHS England under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Education is provided on site in dedicated facilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 2015. He holds suitable higher-level qualifications for this role.

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Inspection date: 3 November 2021

Judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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Inspection date: 3 November 2021

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for secure children’s home: SC035648 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged outstanding at the last full inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, in April 2021, Ofsted made five recommendations. One recommendation related to a shortfall in health, and two recommendations were made with regard to education. Ofsted will consider the progress made in addressing these recommendations at the next full inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children continue to enjoy warm and supportive relationships with staff. These relationships help them to develop trust in the people who care for them. Consequently, the children are able to reflect on their life experiences and establish positive strategies to deal with challenges. This helps children to move forward with hope and confidence.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Partnership working between managers, staff and other professionals who support the children is extremely effective. This helps staff to collaborate closely and to implement care plans which promote and protect each child’s welfare. It is very clear that members of staff know the children well, and know how each child prefers to be supported and nurtured. As a result, children continue to make good progress because they live in this home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children who are preparing to move to other homes benefit from well-thought- through plans which increase their chances of success. Managers and staff advocate strongly on behalf of children if they feel that placing authorities are not acting effectively.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The use of physical restraint is appropriate. Incidents are scrutinised by managers and external professionals. This ensures that the measures used are proportionate and safe. Recordings and closed-circuit television footage confirm that the use of de- escalation and negotiation by staff is consistent. Physical restraint is used a last resort, and is only used to protect the children from themselves and to safeguard others.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are still very few incidents of enforced single separation and children being ‘managed away’ from their peers. Staff use their skills and manage to engage children and defuse situations that could escalate. However, some written reports lack detail and do not provide the necessary context or rationale for the decision to manage children away from their peers or enforce separation. Some staff had recorded incidents as single separation when there had been no need to do so. Managers have identified this shortfall and have provided training for staff to ensure Inspection report for secure children’s home: SC035648 3 that they fully understand the difference between single separation and being managed away.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are confident about using the complaints process and procedure. On the whole, responses are swift and the complaints are responded to at a low level. In some instances, recording is inconsistent and does not show how the complaint has been resolved.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, a recommendation was made in relation to encouraging children to eat together as a group more often. This has been addressed. Children mix with their peers at mealtimes. Some children do prefer to eat on their own, and staff know and understand the feelings and anxieties that cause them to make this choice. Guidance and reassurance are given to these children so that they can become confident about using mealtimes as a social opportunity to mix with peers and staff. This is sensitively balanced with their preference to eat on their own.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Management monitoring is effective and practice issues are identified and addressed. On occasions, it has been necessary for members of staff to receive additional supervision so that they can explore and reflect on specific incidents. While these sessions have occurred in a timely manner, the records of the supervisions have not always been completed promptly and shared with the staff concerned. Although this has not had an impact on the children’s welfare, it does mean that sometimes there have been delays in members of staff receiving written records of their own supervision sessions.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Safeguarding professionals reported positively on the quality and promptness of communication. They reported that there are swift responses to any issues, and commended the staff’s transparency of approach and willingness to reflect on and learn from any incidents.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers have responded to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in a thoughtful and diligent manner. They have implemented plans which have ensured that any issues arising as a result of the pandemic have been dealt with effectively. Consequently, the pandemic has not compromised the consistency of care or the children’s well-being and safety. Inspection report for secure children’s home: SC035648 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/04/2021 Full Outstanding 04/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/09/2019 Full Outstanding 19/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for secure children’s home: SC035648 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. In particular, ensure that records of complaints consistently show how the complaint has been resolved to the child’s satisfaction. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)  The registered person should ensure that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. In particular, the registered person should ensure that there is full oversight of the health governance arrangements needed to ensure and effective and safe service is delivered. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20)  The registered person should ensure that leaders, managers and teachers use the

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Recommendations

analysis of children’s starting points to demonstrate individually how children know more, remember more, and can do more than they could when they entered the home. This should include how they develop wider skills, behaviours, and attitudes such as confidence, resilience, self-esteem and independence. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 26, paragraph 5.2)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that measurements of children’s educational progress include how well the child is being prepared for their next stage of education, training or employment, and quantitative data where available. Other metrics can also be taken into account, such as rewards and recognition of achievements, improvements in attendance and, where appropriate, reduction in behavioural incidents, including exclusion. Managers and teachers must provide helpful written feedback on children’s work to help children to develop and improve their individual knowledge, skills and behaviours. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 26, paragraph 5.2)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that a note of the content and/or outcomes of supervision sessions is kept, and that both the person giving the supervision and the staff member have a copy of the record. In particular, ensure that staff have prompt access to records of supervision, especially if they relate to disciplinary, conduct or practice-related matters. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s records on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear record-keeping. In particular, ensure that records of being ‘managed away’ and single separation are consistently clear regarding the rationale behind Inspection report for secure children’s home: SC035648 6 the process and the decisions made. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations

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Recommendations

including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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 for secure children’s home: SC035648 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Durham County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Durham, DH1 5UJ

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Inspectors

Paul Taylor, Social Care Inspector (lead) Cath Sikakana, Social Care Inspector Debbie Holder, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for secure children’s home: SC035648 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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