Children's home run by Compass Children’s Homes Northeast Limited in North Tyneside

Inspection report for children’s home: SC403472 1 SC403472 Registered provider: Artemis Support 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 a private provider. It provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties and who may have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 11 July 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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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit was carried out on 29 November 2022 after Ofsted received a number of safeguarding notifications and complaints. During this visit, widespread shortfalls were identified, and significant failings were found under the staffing and medication arrangements. Two compliance notices were issued under regulations 13 and 23. Requirements were raised under regulations 12, 33 and 35.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

On 24 January 2023 an assurance inspection was carried out to review the provider’s progress in meeting the compliance notices. All of the compliance notices and requirements were met. Inspection report for children’s home: SC403472 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/08/2022 Full Good 01/12/2021 Full Good 11/02/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 30/04/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC403472 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in all aspects of their lives because of the care they receive. Social workers say that staff understand the needs of the children well. One social worker said, ‘[Name of child] has blossomed since coming here.’ Family members speak equally positively about the care that the staff provide to children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The environment is homely and filled with photos of the children. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and decorated with family photos and certificates of their achievements. This helps children to take pride in their home. Children have chosen a pet rabbit that they can care for. This gives children a sense of responsibility which helps them to develop empathy and caring skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff encourage the children to try new activities. This helps the children to learn new skills and to develop their sense of identity. One child has joined the army cadets after attending a Remembrance Day parade. The staff help children to research various charities and they have raised funds for these through events such as running the Junior North Run. The staff capture photos of these important events to include in life-story books for the children. This provides the children with a record of their memories and time spent in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend full-time education. There is good communication between the staff and education professionals. The manager liaises with the school to ensure that one child's behaviour is responded to consistently across the home and the classroom. This provides continuity of care to the child and helps them to manage their feelings better.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to make sense of their lives through using social stories. Children also have access to an independent advocate who visits the home regularly. The advocate spends time with each of the children, getting to know them well. This helps the children to feel confident and enables them to share their views and discuss any concerns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff support children when they are moving into and out of the home. Staff have advocated particularly well for one young person to remain in the home after turning 18 years of age. This was to allow the staff to support a planned move for the young person.

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

The manager and staff understand the risks that children face. Staff create safety plans to help staff to manage children’s risks. However, these are not regularly reviewed to consider if all risks and strategies remain relevant. This means children are subject to unnecessary interventions, such as having bedroom door alarms. Inspection report for children’s home: SC403472 4 The staff rarely use physical holds but do sometimes guide children to help to keep themselves and others safe. The staff communicate with children well after an incident in the home. This helps the children to feel well supported.

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

The staff appropriately challenged the use of restrictions detailed in a deprivation of liberty order for one child. This helps the staff to better support the child’s independence, while helping to keep the child safe.

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

When a child or parent makes a complaint or raises an allegation, the manager is quick to ensure that this is addressed. The manager follows the organisation’s policy and completes timely investigations. This helps to ensure that any risks to the children are identified and any shortfalls in practice are addressed. As a result, children feel heard and trust that staff will act to keep them safe.

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

An in-house therapy team supports the staff and managers to understand what children are communicating through their behaviours. The therapy team meets regularly with the staff to discuss each child and contribute to the development of the behaviour management plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is ambitious and has a vision for the service to make continued improvements. A deputy manager supports her. Staff speak highly of the management team and they value the high level of support that they receive. The staff are equally committed to the children, with one staff member supporting a child on their day off.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has significantly reduced the number of agency staff used. When agency staff are needed, the manager uses the same staff to provide continuity of care to the children. One agency staff member has successfully applied to work at the home as a permanent employee. This is because of the support provided by the management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions are held regularly and give staff a space to reflect on their practice. Where a member of staff’s practice falls below the expected standard, the manager holds additional mentoring supervision sessions to address those shortfalls. There are clear plans to support the staff member to make the necessary improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff have completed the training required by the organisation. The manager supports staff development and responds to ensure that staff are trained in newly identified risks, such as self-harming behaviours. This helps to make sure that staff are equipped to meet the evolving needs of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s monitoring and review processes are not consistently effective. Some documents do not have management oversight and the manager was unaware of some of the shortfalls identified during the inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC403472 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, The 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 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 5 January 2024

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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 monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(d)) 05/01/2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC403472 6

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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: SC403472 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Artemis Support Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 17 Queens Lane, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1RN

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Inspectors

Julia Hagan, Social Care Inspector Jess Elliott, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC403472 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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