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 operated by an independent provider. It provides care for up to five children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Four children were 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 January 2023.

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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

03/10/2022 Full Good 11/05/2021 Full Good 02/07/2019 Full Good 21/08/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC465475 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides short-term support to children to help them understand their feelings and emotions and to develop resilience. The staff support children to return to their families or move into foster homes once they are ready to do so.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are cared for by a nurturing team of staff who understand their needs well. Staff have a depth of knowledge about how children’s previous experiences impact on their well-being. Staff use this understanding to ensure that children receive the support they require in line with their individual support plans. This helps children to have positive experiences of living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress in their education. Staff work closely with education colleagues and support children to extend their learning opportunities into activities in the home and the local community. Such opportunities are closely linked with the children’s education targets.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s physical and emotional health is a key focus in their development. Children are taught how to take care of their physical health. For example, they learn self-care skills, such as brushing their teeth. Staff work closely with the home’s clinical psychologist, who helps children to understand their feelings and past experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff regularly seek children’s views. Depending on the age and interests of the child, staff use a range of imaginative play activities to gather the children’s views. When children’s wishes cannot be acted on, this is explained to them in a meaningful and age-appropriate way that they can understand.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who move in and out of the home do so in line with plans tailored to their individual needs and circumstances. Some children return to their families, whereas others move on to a foster home or a more suitable children’s home. Children are supported by the home’s psychologist, who plays a pivotal role in helping the children, staff team and their family or future carers to understand the children’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is clean and tidy. Children’s bedrooms are personalised with their preferred choice of interest, such as unicorns. However, some communal areas, such as the bathrooms, snug and sensory room, would benefit from being updated. This would provide children with a homely environment to live in.

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

Children benefit from one-to-one support provided by staff who understand their individual vulnerabilities. As a result, risks to children are reduced. Staff teach children about online safety and risks such as stranger danger. When concerns Inspection report for children’s home: SC465475 4 occur, they are well managed by staff who consider the child’s age alongside assessed strategies to support children. This helps children to make safer choices.

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

Children are taught about values such as kindness and respect. Staff model these values, which helps children to learn how to interact with each other positively. Opportunities for group activities support children to practise these skills in a safe environment. This helps children to develop appropriate relationships with their peers and others outside of the home.

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

When children become upset and at risk of harm, staff hold the children to ensure that they are safe. The frequency and duration of holds decreases as children develop trusting relationships with staff and begin to feel more secure. However, recording of incidents does not include all necessary information, such as a clear description or how long the hold lasted.

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

Children’s individual behaviour plans are developed in partnership between the staff and a psychologist. This provides children with a trauma-informed response to their actions, feelings and thoughts. Staff take a therapeutic approach to supporting children. They reflect on this in weekly therapy consultations for staff and children.

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

When safeguarding incidents occur, staff and the manager use their knowledge and experience to manage these effectively. They work openly and transparently with other agencies to ensure that safeguarding incidents are reported and investigated in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a strong advocate for the children. She has high aspirations for their futures and will confidently challenge other professionals to ensure that their needs are met and their long-term goals are achieved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has positive working relationships with education professionals, social workers and the children’s loved ones. Equally, the staff value her support and report that the manager and deputy manager have an open-door policy. This creates a collaborative environment where children’s needs are at the centre.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular supervision provides staff with an opportunity to reflect on their performance. The manager and deputy provide constructive feedback and use the opportunity to explore training and future learning needs. This helps staff to develop their own reflective- and critical-thinking skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are well attended. The manager encourages staff to express their feelings and share ideas about the running of the home and the care that the children receive. This platform has been well received by the staff and has resulted in minor issues being resolved quickly. As a result, staff morale in the home is good.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s monitoring systems support her to track the progress of the children. She reviews children’s plans and develops new strategies to ensure that progress Inspection report for children’s home: SC465475 5 continues to be achieved at a level and pace that is relevant to each child’s individual circumstance. It is effective in identifying shortfalls in the care and support that children receive before they impacts on their well-being. This means that children receive consistently good support that meets their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides a range of mandatory training which meets the needs of the children. Supervision sessions and close monitoring ensure that staff receive regular refresher training in line with the home’s policy. However, the manager has not assured herself that all staff have a relevant qualification for their role. As a result, not all staff have the opportunity to develop their understanding of the core principles of child development. 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

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

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)(vi)) 14 November

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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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

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager assuring herself that equivalent level 3 diploma qualifications are relevant to staff members’ roles. 14 November Inspection report for children’s home: SC465475 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is maintained to a good standard. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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 8

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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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Inspector

Beth Forster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC465475 9 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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