Children's home run by Right-Trak Limited in Newcastle upon Tyne

Inspection report for children’s home: SC465475 1 SC465475 Registered provider: Right-Trak 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 an independent provider. The home provides care for up to six children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were four children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2021.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC465475 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/05/2021 Full Good 02/07/2019 Full Good 21/08/2018 Full Outstanding 12/07/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC465475 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy the nurturing and supportive environment provided by the staff who are skilled in the provider’s preferred therapeutic model of care, which is embedded in practice. This enables the children to feel valued and safe in the presence of the staff. As a result, the children have good relationships with trusted adults and are developing friendships with each other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s care plans provide a full picture of their unique individuality. Staff review, update and evaluate all of the children’s plans on a regular basis. The knowledge gained through the weekly consultations with the provider’s own clinical psychologist helps to develop, review and put in place strategies to support the children. The staff’s learning and their ability to reflect on their practice help the children to make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s records are full of photos of them having fun and taking part in a range of activities. These are also evident in monthly measurable outcome reports and in child-friendly monthly reports, which show the children having positive experiences on a day-to-day basis. This helps the children to develop their confidence and self- esteem, in addition to developing new skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to attend their educational provision. The staff enable the children to learn as they share information and maintain effective communication links with educational professionals. The staff are warm and welcoming when the children return home from school, enabling the children to engage in activities. The children are very aware of their routines, which include completing their homework with the support of the staff. This supportive environment helps the children to engage and make progress in a well-planned environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views, wishes and feelings are taken into consideration in a variety of ways, for example through the ‘chatterbox’, which is a system where the children’s views are gathered on a weekly basis. In addition, children are listened to in conversations that take place through therapeutic interactions with staff. These are often about emotional well-being and help the children to understand their emotions and responses.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The layout of the home allows the children and the staff to move freely from one side of the home to the other via two staircases. However, doors enabling access downstairs and the front door are routinely locked with a key at bedtime. This restrictive practice prevents the children from accessing all areas of their home freely. Additionally, the children’s bedrooms have door alarms fitted. There are no risk assessments in place or consent from the children’s placing authorities for this practice. The registered manager acknowledged that this practice required immediate action and review. Inspection report for children’s home: SC465475 4

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

The staff understand the children’s behaviours. Children’s individual risks and associated behaviours are detailed in their well-written care plans. The staff work well as a team to reflect on their practice. They evaluate and review the strategies that are in place to protect the children from harming themselves and others. This promotes the children’s well-being.

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

Incidents that require the children to be physically held are high, but they have reduced significantly over several months. The children have individual records created by the manager to monitor any identifiable trends and patterns of behaviour. This information is cross-referenced in the children’s care plans and in the children’s measurable outcomes reports. Consequently, the need for staff to physically intervene has been reduced. This is because the staff use a range of well-thought- out strategies to help the children to regulate their own emotions better in a safe environment.

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

The manager ensures that any allegations that are made against the staff are reported to the appropriate agencies and investigated thoroughly. The manager maintains open communication with external professionals when significant incidents occur. This supports safe care planning for the children.

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

All the children were observed to be happy and content in the care of their trusted adults. Children are able to play and take part in activities safely as there are sufficient staff who supervise the children appropriately.

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

Staff recruitment is carried out in accordance with safer recruitment procedures. This prevents unsuitable people being employed and caring for the children.

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

Staff do not consistently ensure that all of the visitors to the home sign the visitors’ book and that they record the reason for their visit. This oversight prevents the manager from being assured that only those individuals who have a legitimate reason to be in the home have been given access to it.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is a qualified social worker who is experienced and knowledgeable about the children. She is supported by a deputy manager and a senior leadership team. Together they share a commitment and a passion to implement the provider’s therapeutic model of care. This means that the children receive consistent care from a skilled and supported staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has maintained a consistent level of good care in the home since the last full inspection. This is despite the high turnover of staff. The manager has explored this with the current staff team through open discussions. This has been supported through the reading of a research paper in reference to working with children in a therapeutic children’s home. The monitoring of staff recruitment and Inspection report for children’s home: SC465475 5 retention is recognised as an area for improvement. This is to maintain continuity of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager understands the homes strengths and areas for improvement as she has effective audit and monitoring tools in place. The manager has an action plan in place to improve the quality of care that the children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s records are well recorded, and the staff use positive language in them. This enables children to gain an insight into their experiences of living in the home, if and when they choose to read their records.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular supervision, which supports them to reflect on their practice and their individual professional development. Team meetings take place monthly, which consistently explore the staff practice and outcomes for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff and external professionals spoke positively about the manager and the positive communication and support she provides to the staff and the children. Professionals have confidence in the manager and the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The quality of decoration in the home and its appearance have been raised at the previous inspections. Despite this, there are several areas in the home that look tired in appearance and require maintenance. This can be seen in the corridors, bathrooms and communal areas and, to a lesser extent, in the children’s bedrooms. This does not help the children to have high aspirations and to take pride in their home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC465475 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, 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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they promptly address any maintenance issues in the home and make improvements regarding its overall presentation. 30 November

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises;

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, reviewed; and 30 November Inspection report for children’s home: SC465475 7 allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there is a risk assessment in place if any internal doors need to be locked for safeguarding reasons. Additionally, the registered person must ensure that they receive consent from the children’s placing local authority for this practice.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 30 November

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there is a record of all visitors to the home and to children, including the names of visitors and the reasons for their visit. 30 November

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they monitor and review the patterns and trends of turnover of staff, and they should be able to understand and, where possible, address any negative trends. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 54, paragraph 10.19) Inspection report for children’s home: SC465475 8

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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: SC465475 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Winovation, Houghtons Yard, Shields Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 2YP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Melanie Spriddell

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Inspectors

Michael Dack, Social Care Inspector Claire Webster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC465475 10 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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