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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC477031 1 SC477031

p.1

Registered provider: Spark of Genius North East LLP

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

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 emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has applied to cancel her registration and is currently not working in the home. An acting manager is in day-to-day charge of the home but has not yet applied to register with Ofsted.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Ofsted carried out a full inspection of this home on 7 and 8 June 2022. At that time, the home was judged as requires improvement to be good.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit on 14 February 2023 in response to a number of safeguarding notifications. At that time, the inspector found serious failures with regard to the help and protection of children and issued a compliance notice under regulation 12, and two further requirements under regulations 13 and 35.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the progress made to meet the steps in the compliance notice and the two further requirements. During the monitoring visit, the inspector spoke with three of the four children who live in the home, spoke with managers and staff and reviewed case records and documents. The inspector found no significant breaches in the regulations and concluded that the compliance notice and additional requirements have been met. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC477031 2 Children said that they feel safe in the home and understand that boundaries are in place to help and support them. They enjoy taking part in activities and feel well cared for. Staff spoke positively about their roles and about the children.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Children’s risk assessments and behaviour management plans are now updated in line with the organisation’s internal processes. Updates to the assessments are shared with the staff through team meetings and handovers. They reflect all of the known risks to children’s safety, and the strategies that staff should implement to manage and reduce these risks. Staff know and understand these well. This helps the staff to keep the children safe.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Behaviour management records now include the required information. The acting manager reviews and evaluates the effectiveness of each behaviour management strategy that staff use with the children, and adjustments are made if they are needed. For example, the acting manager supported the staff’s view that it was no longer necessary to search one child’s bedroom, as the risks for that child have reduced. Children are also helped to understand the reasons why bedroom searches are undertaken. This helps to ensure that interventions are proportionate and helpful to the child.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The acting manager has implemented a revised process to evaluate how he and the staff team can meet and manage all of a child’s known needs and risks safely and effectively before they move into the home. This also considers consultation with education and other professionals. This helps the acting manager to identify appropriate safeguarding strategies to inform the staff about how they can help to keep the children safe.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Children’s allegations against staff are investigated quickly. A manager external to the home conducts the investigation to support impartiality. Children are informed of the outcome of the investigation and are supported to understand the rationale for this. This helps the children to feel listened to and understood.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Staff help children to understand and manage their relationships with each other and with staff. Staff provide the children with valuable emotional and practical support. This helps the children to feel well cared for.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The acting manager has a good understanding of the learning style of the staff. He has implemented a system using aide-memoires to support staff to complete processes correctly. This has helped the staff to feel more confident in completing documents and has contributed towards consistency in record-keeping.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The manager is creating an inclusive culture within the staff team. This has resulted in staff assuming new responsibilities, which they said has had a positive impact on their confidence, developed their learning and improved their practice. This has contributed towards improved staff cohesion and a greater level of consistency in routines and boundaries for the children. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC477031 3 There is a revised review and monitoring system in place. This supports the acting manager to ensure that staff perform the duties expected of them and to address any shortfalls in practice or in children’s case files.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Staff now receive regular formal supervision. Records of these sessions reflect the supervisor’s responses to the staff member being supervised and the support that the supervisor offers the staff member with the issues that they raise. However, action points identified from safeguarding investigations are not included in the records of supervision sessions. This prevents the manager from monitoring action plans effectively.

p.3

This monitoring visit

The home has a stable and consistent staff team. This helps children to receive continuity of care. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC477031 4

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/11/2019 Full Outstanding 20/03/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC477031 5

p.4

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that a record of the content and outcomes of supervision sessions is kept and that both the person giving the supervision and the staff member have a copy of the record. In particular, the registered person should ensure that identified action points from safeguarding investigation are reflected in supervision to ensure that they can be tracked and completed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4)

p.5

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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC477031 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Spark Of Genius North East LLP

p.6

Children’s home details

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

p.6

Inspector

Julia Hagan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC477031 7 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7