Children's Home run by Compass Children’s Homes North East Limited in Gateshead

Inspection report children's home: 1232649 1 Registered provider: Artemis Support Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to five children who may have emotional and/or social difficulties. At the time of this inspection, five children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

A monitoring visit was conducted in February 2021. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 24 September 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 1232649 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/09/2019 Full Good 18/09/2018 Full Good 30/01/2018 Full Good 22/11/2016 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 1232649 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s day-to-day experiences are enhanced because of the quality of care that they receive. Children said that this is a good home to live in because the staff support them in all aspects of their lives. Children recognise that they are making good progress because of this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to access education, training and employment in line with their individual care plans. The staff liaise with a range of external agencies and services to support the children’s learning, development and economic well-being. This support enables the children to enjoy themselves and achieve their goals, which boosts their confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s health and overall well-being improve as a result of living in this home. Some children’s health has improved significantly. For example, there has been a reduction in the number of hospital attendances for some children. Children’s physical health and mental health are supported well. The staff liaise with other sections of the organisation and external services to access the support that the children require. This helps the children to make progress in other aspects of their lives, including their relationships with others.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from the wide range of planned activities that are on offer. Structured activities allow the children to spend time with each other, and to enjoy the time that they spend with the staff. Engaging in activities and outings helps the children to develop positive relationships with the staff as well as their peers. A child said: ‘The activities are the best. We have a laugh with the staff. I love everything that we do.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children feel valued because they are consulted about all aspects of their lives and encouraged to have a say in their care. Children said that there is nothing that they would change about the care that they receive, and that they trust the staff who help to support them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children maintain key relationships with the people who are important to them. Staff develop positive relationships with parents and carers, which helps to support the plans for the children to spend time with their families. A parent said:

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

I have no concerns about my child’s care. The staff are amazing. They have made spending time with my child such an enjoyable and special time. I can see just how much progress that my child is making, and I know he is very happy there.

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

Inspection report children's home: 1232649 4 Children’s risks are identified, understood and managed effectively. Individual safety plans focus on the areas in which the children require help and protection. Staff follow the guidance that is detailed in the children’s safety plans. Children are protected well because of this.

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

Bullying behaviour is managed well. There is a zero-tolerance approach to bullying behaviour. Issues around bullying and group living are discussed with the children in meetings and key-work sessions. Staff use restorative approaches with the children to address negative and bullying behaviours. This helps the children to reflect and learn from their behaviour, and live together safely.

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

When children go missing from the home, the staff take swift action to ensure their safe return home. Staff work closely with a range of agencies to help reduce the number of incidents of children going missing from home. The manager is described by professionals as being ‘innovative’ in her ideas on managing children’s risks, particularly around missing-from-home incidents. Consequently, incidents of children going missing from home have reduced in number.

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

Children receive calm and reassuring responses from the staff when they are in crisis. This helps the children to regulate their emotions and their behaviour more effectively. Physical interventions are rarely used. When the staff use physical interventions, these are necessary to help support the children. The manager ensures that the children and the staff involved in the use of physical interventions are debriefed following incidents. This helps to ensure that the staff’s practice remains safe and necessary.

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

Incidents that involve the children are managed effectively. The manager advocates well on behalf of the children to ensure that they receive the support they require. This avoids delays in the children’s planning and improves their safety and outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The highly effective leadership and management of the home ensure that the children receive consistently good standards of care and support. The manager is suitably qualified. She continues to maintain her own professional development via relevant training and further qualifications. She is supported in her role by an efficient deputy manager and a nurturing staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is highly aspirational and ambitious for the children in her care. She leads by example and ensures that she maintains positive relationships with the children by spending time with them and listening to them. Children said that they feel confident about raising any issues with the manager, as they know that their views will be listened to and acted on.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is very well respected by the children, staff and other professionals. A professional said: Inspection report children's home: 1232649 5 The manager is exceptional. The staff are friendly and make you feel welcome. The initiatives that the manager puts in place are the best that I have seen across this region. In fact, the innovation of this manager is being used as ‘best practice’ suggestions. She has really lifted the lid on something here.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The effective monitoring systems that the manager has in place support the children’s progress, helping them to flourish. The manager and her deputy work well together to improve the service and the children’s outcomes. The manager utilises the findings from her own internal audits and those of her independent visitor. This means that any shortfalls identified are responded to quickly, which avoids any adverse impact on the quality of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager provides a supportive environment for her staff team via suitable training, regular team meetings and reflective supervision. Staff said that they feel well supported by the management team. Consequently, staff turnover is minimal. Staff who leave the home generally move on to other sections of the organisation. Children said that changes in staffing have caused minimal disruption. Inspection report children's home: 1232649 6

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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: 1232649 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Artemis Support Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 17 Queens Lane, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland NE1 1RN

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Inspector

Jacqueline Tate, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 1232649 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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