Children's Home run by Spark of Genius North East LLP in Stockton-on-Tees

Inspection report for children's home: SC477031 1 SC477031 Registered provider: Spark of Genius North East LLP Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned and managed children’s home provides care for up to five children who experience a range of difficulties, which may include social and/or emotional difficulties. There is an acting manager in post who is not yet registered.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were four children living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC477031 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/11/2019 Full Outstanding 20/03/2019 Full Outstanding 02/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC477031 3

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improvement to be good

The new manager has been in post since the beginning of May 2022, and she is making improvements to the running of the home. However, since the last inspection, children have continued to experience a period of instability that has affected their experiences of living in the home. A high turnover of staff and staff vacancies affect children’s ability to build strong relationships with staff and their sense of permanence and belonging. One child initially refused to refer to the manager by her name, as she has experienced several managers leaving the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff respond appropriately when the children are upset and unhappy. However, some members of staff have not completed training within mandatory timescales. This means that not all staff are trained to meet the needs of the children they care for. This inconsistency in practice affects children’s ability to build trust in the adults who care for them.

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improvement to be good

Not all children are making progress from their starting points in education, and some children do not have any access to education. Children say that they want to return to education and that staff could do more to support their learning. Some children, who are not receiving education, do not have clear plans to ensure they are always engaged in meaningful activities during the day. This lack of planning leads to drift in some children’s daily routines, and this affects their ability to regulate their behaviour. During the inspection, one child received notification that they could access a specialist service that supports children to re-engage with education.

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improvement to be good

The children who need support with their mental health needs access specialist services. The staff help them to attend appointments, where appropriate. The staff receive support from the company’s clinical psychologist, who provides advice and support to help them understand the children’s needs.

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improvement to be good

Systems for managing medication are not safe and effective. Medication is not stored safely in all cases, and recording of the administration of medication is inconsistent. This means that children’s health needs are not being met effectively. During the inspection the manager ensured that all medication was correct and followed up any queries with the child’s local doctor for clarity.

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improvement to be good

The home is undergoing refurbishment and redecoration. Children’s opinions are central to the changes. They have been consulted on the choices for décor and they are enjoying the new sensory room. The work within the home is ongoing. Inspection report for children's home: SC477031 4

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improvement to be good

Children’s experiences of being protected are mixed. The significant change in the staffing structure has affected the confidence of staff in managing the behaviour of children. Staff have varying amounts of experience in applying the therapeutic approach to behaviour management. The manager recognises this and is putting plans in place to further support and develop the staff team, including training in therapeutic parenting.

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improvement to be good

There has been a serious incident involving a physical intervention with a child when an unsafe hold was used. An internal investigation was conducted and found further shortfalls in relation to how the physical intervention was reviewed. Staff did not seek the views of the child following the incident. This means that the physical intervention was not subject to scrutiny to ensure that the use of restraint was appropriate and that the child was protected from harm. The new manager has introduced a system for recording and reviewing physical interventions and has ensured that training has been delivered to staff. However, the effectiveness of these changes cannot be evaluated at this visit as the changes have only recently been implemented.

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improvement to be good

Staff recruitment procedures do not ensure children’s safety. The provider has not ensured that references for new staff are verified. One member of staff did not have two references as required. This means that children are at potential risk of harm from the adults caring for them.

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improvement to be good

Some staff have not completed initial safeguarding or refresher training. The manager is aware of these shortfalls and is taking steps to ensure all mandatory training is completed. However, this means that staff are not trained to meet the needs of the children they care for and do not have specialist knowledge of safeguarding procedures. This leaves children at a potential risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments are updated and shared with the staff team when incidents occur.

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improvement to be good

If children go missing from home, staff make sure that they undertake a local search, and friends, and family are contacted for information. This helps children to feel valued and cared for.

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good

The manager is new to the role. Staff and children are positive about her, and staff morale has improved since she has been in post. The manager is committed to making changes to improve the service for the children and has plans in place to do this. She is leading the staff team by example and is making positive changes to the running of the home. However, the effectiveness of these changes cannot be evaluated yet as they are so recent. Inspection report for children's home: SC477031 5 The staff have not always felt supported in their role. There have been significant shortfalls in the way staff have been supported during this inspection period. Staff have not received supervision within the provider’s time frames. Supervision has been variable in quality, with a limited focus on children’s experiences and meeting their needs. Not all senior staff have been trained to deliver supervision, which has

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good

affected the manager’s ability to ensure all staff receive supervision. The new manager has introduced a supervision framework and has completed a short supervision session with each member of staff.

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good

Not all staff have received an effective and consistent induction. Staff do not receive regular appraisals. Some staff, who have been employed for several years, stated that they have not received an appraisal during the whole period of their employment. This means that staff are not supported in their development and, therefore, may not be meeting the specific needs of the children for whom they are responsible.

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good

The statement of purpose does not reflect the running of the service. It contains inaccurate information about opportunities for children to contact senior management within the organisation if they have a concern. However, this service is no longer available. This is confusing for children and does not help a placing authority understand what the home has to offer for the children.

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good

The manager recognises the strengths of the service and the areas she needs to develop. Due to the short time the manager has been in post, some changes are very new and some are still in the planning stage, so they cannot be evaluated. Inspection report for children's home: SC477031 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, the Childrens 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment.

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(iv)(v)(viii)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff ensuring that all children are supported to access education, training or employment. 4 August 2022

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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— 4 August 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC477031 7 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

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

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff completing mandatory training within timescale.

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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

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 4 August 2022

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 4 August 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC477031 8 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider should ensure that impact risk assessments identify how to mitigate all known risks before admission into the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 4 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 4 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to safe administration and record keeping of medicines. 4 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. 4 August 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC477031 9 The registered person may only—

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider verifying staff references.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (1)(a) (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This refers specifically to the need for all new staff to complete a comprehensive induction and receive regular supervision and appraisal. 4 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— 4 August 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC477031 10 receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 4 August 2022

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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 children's home: SC477031 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Spark of Genius North East LLP

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: King Edwin School, Mill Lane, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland TS20 1LG

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Inspectors

Lewis Roberts, Social Care Inspector Jamie Richardson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC477031 12 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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