Children's home run by Newcastle City Council

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC033645 1 SC033645

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated and managed by a local authority.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to six children with physical disabilities and/or learning disabilities. One child may reside in the home and five children may stay under short break arrangements.

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Information about this children’s home

The full inspection of this home was carried out on 13 and 14 May 2022. During this inspection, serious failings in how well children were helped and protected were identified. As a result, three compliance notices were issued to improve the quality of the protection of children, the leadership and management arrangements and the children’s care planning.

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Information about this children’s home

This visit was to monitor the provider’s response to the compliance notices.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspectors spent time with the children and observed their interactions with staff. One child provided the inspectors with a tour of the home and told inspectors about their experiences.

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This monitoring visit

The dedicated staff and management team has met the steps in the compliance notices. A significant amount of improvement work has been carried out in the context of staffing pressures and school holidays. In addition, senior leaders in the organisation have visited the home to monitor how shortfalls have been addressed.

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This monitoring visit

A large-scale review of all of the children’s files, including individual risk assessments and care plans, has been carried out. Children’s plans are easier for staff to follow and have been created with a greater emphasis placed on the children’s targets and how these will be monitored. A parent said, ‘Reading through [child’s name] plan summarises his needs and requirements 100%. Just the way we Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC033645 2 would do it at home.’ This helps children to experience consistent and individualised care.

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This monitoring visit

The staff understand the children’s needs, and the action that they should take if there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. The staff have received additional advice and guidance during team meetings and regular practice-related supervision, to ensure that they understand their roles and responsibilities for the protection of children.

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This monitoring visit

The body map procedure has been reviewed, and all of the staff are aware of the new process. In one example where a child had an unexplained bruise, the member of staff took effective action, which included informing the child’s parent. However, the record-keeping for this incident was not thorough and had not been identified by the manager. This was brought to the provider’s attention during the inspection and appropriate action was taken.

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This monitoring visit

The quality of daily records has improved. However, this is an area which requires further work. For example, staff record events differently and some information is missing. The members of the management team are aware of the shortfalls in record-keeping and they are supporting the staff, with the aid of new laptops, to make the necessary improvements.

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This monitoring visit

Gaps identified in the previous staff recruitment files have been appropriately addressed. Some new staff have been appointed and their recruitment files are complete, as they now include valid identification and qualifications as required. The manager verifies references. However, in one example, a record of the verification was not on the staff’s file. The manager acknowledged this shortfall and took immediate action.

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This monitoring visit

Staff receive training relevant to the children’s needs, particularly when the children are accessing the service for the first time. Staff training on autism spectrum disorder, and other specialist subjects, has been arranged. However, the staff training matrix is not up to date, and this does not include all of the training that the staff have completed. This oversight prevents the manager from being clear on which staff have completed the percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) training to support the children who require PEG feeding.

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This monitoring visit

The home conditions have improved. Bedroom refurbishments have started and these rooms have been designed to meet the children’s individual needs. Soft furnishings have been added, where appropriate, to make the rooms more homely. The members of the management team have a clear vision of how the home should look, and the action required to make further improvements.

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This monitoring visit

Children enjoy spending time in the well-equipped garden. Wild-flowers, garden ornaments and a large tent provide the children with a place to explore and Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC033645 3 develop. Inspectors observed the children happily riding go-karts, playing football, and laughing with the staff.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has reviewed the home’s statement of purpose to ensure that it is accurate. He has also reviewed the location risk assessment. This addresses some of the requirements raised in the last inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has an action plan to continue the improvement work in this home.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements previously issued under regulations 11 and 36, and the recommendation regarding children’s advocacy have not been fully reviewed at this visit. Therefore, they have been reissued. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC033645 4

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

13/06/2022 Full Inadequate 01/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/10/2019 Full Outstanding 04/10/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC033645 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(c) (2)(a)(i)) 4 November 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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c) 4 November 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; 4 November 2022 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC033645 6 are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the child’s plans form the basis of their care. In particular, the registered person should improve the monitoring systems to provide assurances that staff are following children’s care plans. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.1)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all of the children have access to appropriate advocacy support, and where possible, that this is provided by a person who the child chooses. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.16)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC033645 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Newcastle City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Newcastle Civic Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8QH

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Inspectors

Catherine Heron, social care inspector Jan Edwards, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC033645 8 regulates and inspects 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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