Children's home run by North Tyneside Council

Inspection report for children’s home: 2668710 1 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 is operated and managed by a local authority to provide care for up to five children who may have learning disabilities, mental disorders and/or physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector spoke to all five children during this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager and the home were registered with Ofsted in March 2022.

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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 good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2668710 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2668710 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a broad range of exciting trips and activities in the community. Staff carefully balance this with time for the children to play and relax at home. The staff incorporate the children’s views and wishes when they arrange activities. This shows the children that their input is valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children have good attendance at school and make continued progress. The manager has promptly implemented support for a child who faces challenges with attending school. This includes arranging for an educational professional to visit the child, to help identify how to overcome their barriers to learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote healthy lifestyles that include regular exercise. The support that the children receive helps them to develop healthy habits, that lead to improved health and fitness.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to plant fruit, vegetables and flowers, which add vibrancy to the spacious enclosed garden. The home is well maintained and stocked with toys and games that appeal to the children’s interests. However, the kitchen is routinely locked at night. This means that the children must request access during this time. This practice detracts from the otherwise welcoming and nurturing atmosphere in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The competing needs of children are not always fully considered by the manager before children move into the home. This has not negatively affected children, but has the potential to do so.

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

Children either say or demonstrate that they identify staff as trusted adults, who they turn to for guidance and support. The staff are in tune with the children and responsive to their needs. One parent said: ‘The staff notice the small details in my child’s behaviour and go out of their way to make my child happy.’

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

Children are supported by staff to develop skills that enable their independence to increase. For those children for whom it is appropriate, this includes a gradual introduction to experiencing independence in the community. This helps the children to enjoy freedom, which boosts their confidence and self-esteem.

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

The manager produces the children’s guide in different formats to suit the children’s individual communication needs. This helps to ensure that each child has the resources that they need to understand how to access support, and how to make a complaint. Inspection report for children’s home: 2668710 4 Children are held by suitably trained staff, when necessary, to help keep the children safe. However, the records of this practice do not always include whether medical attention was needed or offered. This means that, following the times that children have been held, there is insufficient information recorded to determine whether the children’s needs are assessed and met.

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

Staff demonstrate a lack of curiosity regarding risks that the internet may pose for one child. Staff rely on there being no known history of risk in this area as a safety measure, which is not appropriate. Consequently, the child may spend up to four hours using the internet, without any checks being in place to help to ensure that the child is safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager, who is suitably qualified and experienced, is supported by a knowledgeable deputy. They both have a strong presence in the home, which includes regularly working directly with the children. There are very few changes to the staff team, which helps the children to experience stability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular team meetings are used to thoroughly discuss each child and their individual needs. The manager and her team welcome feedback from children, their families and relevant professionals. They use feedback gained to consider how to raise the standard of care that the children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has monitoring and reviewing systems in place, and effectively addresses any shortfalls that she finds. Support is given to staff to address any practice issues raised. The manager and her staff invite internal and external scrutiny. This demonstrates a transparent approach to driving improvement forward.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The quality of children’s case records varies, as they are not always current. Records often do not include details of when they have been updated, or who has made the amendment. In addition, there are insufficient records to capture the discussions that the staff hold with the children. This is a missed opportunity to create meaningful records that may be a useful resource for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2668710 5

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that a record is made of children’s key-work sessions.

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Requirement Due date

This also specifically relates to ensuring that care planning documents are consistent with the child’s needs. 3 September 2022

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)) 3 September 2022

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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— 3 September 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2668710 6 a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(viii))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that, just as in a family home, children can access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. Limits on privacy and access may only be put in place to safeguard each child in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)  The registered person should ensure that they only accept placements for children where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should ensure that all the children’s case records are kept up to date and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62,

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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: 2668710 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: Quadrant, Cobalt Business Park, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear NE27 0BY

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Inspector

Paula Kelly, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2668710 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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