Children's home run by Newcastle City Council

Inspection report for children’s home: SC033645 1 SC033645 Registered provider: Newcastle City 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.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to six children with physical and 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

There are 63 children using the service.

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Information about this children’s home

The newly appointed manager has not yet registered with Ofsted.

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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

Date of last inspection: 26 September 2022

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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: SC033645 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/09/2022 Full Good 13/06/2022 Full Inadequate 01/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/10/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC033645 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive a well-planned introduction to the home before their short-break stay. Staff work well with families and professionals to understand children’s individual needs. This ensures that children receive tailored care and that staff have the right skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prepare each child’s chosen bedroom before their stay in the home. This includes personalising the rooms with photos, pictures and any resources they may need. This supports children to have familiar, personalised items during their short break.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children were arriving for their first overnight stay at the time of the inspection. The children were being supported to settle into the home and observed to be happy. Children are supported to build positive and trusting relationships with staff. Children were seen and heard to arrive for their stay; they sounded happy and keen to engage in activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Families value the service and support they receive from staff. One parent said communication with staff is ‘really good.’ Staff contact the children’s families for an update in advance of their stay so they can make any necessary adjustments to children’s care. During and after children’s stays, families can speak with staff to discuss their child’s time in the home. The relationships staff have built help families to feel assured about leaving their children in the care of staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to attend their education settings. Staff attend meetings with schools and communicate regularly to share relevant information about children’s progress and time spent in the home. Staff set targets for children to help them make progress, and they share this information with families and professionals. This contributes to a consistent approach to supporting children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff consult with health professionals to understand children’s complex health needs. Training is provided to ensure that staff have the skills to administer medication, and this is safely managed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide range of activities. The staff support children to access activities in the community, and they capture these experiences in photos that parents can access through a secure social media group. This helps families see their children’s experiences in addition to the feedback they receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s progress is important to staff. The children and their families are invited to an annual awards evening to celebrate the children’s achievements. This helps bring children and families together with staff and emphasises the positive steps taken to support children’s inclusion. Inspection report for children’s home: SC033645 4 The property is well furnished and is undergoing planned improvements. Children have access to large communal areas, a sensory room, a large garden and a play area. This enables children to access areas that support them to have an enjoyable stay at the home.

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

Children’s care plans and risk assessments are detailed and up to date. Staff understand how to provide care for each child and manage any known risks. This ensures that children receive consistent responses from those who care for them.

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

Children are helped to stay safe in the home. Staff ensure the environment is well maintained and free from hazards. Staff supervise children at all times to ensure children can explore their environment safely.

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

Staff understand children’s behaviours and use their skills to de-escalate situations and support children when they may feel frustrated, angry or sad. This understanding and experience mean there are few incidents in the home when children need to be held. When this does happen, staff record incidents well, and the manager has effective oversight.

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

The manager and his deputy have oversight of the children’s care and assure themselves of safe practice. Safer recruitment procedures are followed for all staff who come to work in the home. This ensures that only suitable adults work in the home and care for children.

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

The home uses audio monitoring systems in children’s bedrooms. Although parental consent is gained for the use of this, the arrangements are not subject to review or evidenced as being necessary in children’s care plans. The home does not have a policy for their use. This means that children’s privacy may be impacted unnecessarily.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has been without a registered manager since August 2023. A new manager has been appointed but has yet to submit an application for registration. The manager and deputy manager share managerial tasks and oversight of staff practice. Monitoring systems in place are effective, and this is reflected in the improvements seen in children’s records.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the children well, and there is management oversight of all children’s plans and risk assessments. This helps the manager to monitor the progress children make and identify areas for improvement. This helps to ensure the ongoing development of the service and support it offers to children and their families. Inspection report for children’s home: SC033645 5 Training is provided to staff to enable them to develop their skills and knowledge. One member of staff has not yet achieved the required qualification within the given timescale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has not ensured that the statement of purpose is kept up to date and accurate. Staff qualifications and experience are not contained within the statement. In addition, there are areas of practice that are no longer in place such as an alarm system within the home. This does not provide families and professionals with the information that may assist them to make decision for children to stay at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Not all staff receive regular supervision. Casual members of staff have inconsistent arrangements for group supervision that has not taken place for six months. This does not provide all staff with the opportunity to reflect on children’s experiences or discuss their professional development needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC033645 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person must take to meet The Care Standards Act 2000, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 29 December

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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 3Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (2)(a) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)) 29 December Inspection report for children’s home: SC033645 7 The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 29 December

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any monitoring equipment has a written policy describing how it will support the safeguarding and well-being of those living and working in the home in accordance with regulation 24. The use of audio equipment should be assessed as necessary and subject to review. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, page 16, paragraph 3.16)

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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: SC033645 8

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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, Tyne and Wear NE1 8QH

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Inspector

Joanne Wallis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC033645 9 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 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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