Children's Home run by Resilience North East Limited in Durham

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1248773 1 Registered provider: Resilience North East Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider owns and manages this home. The home provides care for up to three children with emotional and social difficulties, and learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living in the home. The inspectors spoke to both children.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1248773 2

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Outcome from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children during this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

A complaint was sent to Ofsted and the provider was asked to provide information in respect of this. The response received indicated that there may be breaches of regulation relating to the care and protection of children living at the home. This information prompted an additional inspection of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the previous inspection in August 2023, one child has moved out of the home. One child is due to move out of the home but there is no clear plan when this will happen. This does not allow children time to emotionally and physically prepare for their move to live in a new adult home.

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Findings from the inspection

The children say that they are happy, and the relationships between the staff and the children were seen to be warm and nurturing. One child has started to develop relationships with staff, and another could name the staff who he would speak to about his worries.

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Findings from the inspection

The children have developed a positive relationship with each other and have similar interests. One child spoke about baking in the kitchen with staff and demonstrated his favourite activity in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The children say that they feel safe in the home. They know how to make a complaint and staff support children until their grievance is resolved. This makes children feel confident and listened to when raising concerns about their care.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff respond to children with care and urgency, including emergency healthcare. However, one child is not receiving consistent physical care and does not have the physical aides to assist him. There is no care plan to inform staff about the child’s needs. Additionally, staff have not received training or clear guidance to ensure that the child’s physical needs are being properly met. This means that the child and the staff are at risk of injury without specific moving and handling techniques being agreed and adhered to.

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Findings from the inspection

Furthermore, staff do not always follow the storage and administration of medication procedures. Staff spoken to were unclear about the medication used by children and the storage requirements. The drug storage cupboard is being routinely left unlocked for ease of access by staff. The names of former children who lived at the home are still listed in the medication cupboard. Furthermore, the recording and auditing of medication is poor, and there was an incorrect stock count on the day of inspection. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1248773 3 Some risk assessments are out of date. The information shared by the staff was not reflected in the risk assessments. Staff do not accurately record the progress made by children. This means that, for one child, their development exceeds the information within their plans, and staff are not working to an agreed plan of care.

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Findings from the inspection

The staff feel supported by the registered manager. Concerns are listened to and acted on, which has led to an improved working environment. Induction training takes place and peer-to-peer training promotes an accelerated improvement in practice and recording. This means that new staff feel supported.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager has good oversight of incidents in the home. There is clear analysis of the events, which is visible for the staff team to learn from. The manager gives clear actions for staff to work to and reaffirms these with emails to the team. This results in clarity for the staff team and consistency for the children.

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Findings from the inspection

However, the registered manager’s review of the quality of care for children is poor. The review does not address the shortfalls identified during the last inspection. There is no feedback or analysis of the views of children, parents, or professionals. It is not clear from the records what difference the home is making to the progress of the children living in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Furthermore, the manager has failed to always notify Ofsted when there has been a serious incident at the home. This includes not having a system that highlights if a notification has been sent to the regulator. This reduces the ability of Ofsted to have oversight of the home and act on any concerns.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/04/2023 Full Inadequate 07/06/2022 Full Good 21/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1248773 4

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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 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)) 19 December

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that— a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(c)) 19 December

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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

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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background; 19 December Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1248773 5 help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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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

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(b) (2)(b)(iv)(vi)(vii)(c)(i)(ii)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 19 December

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality-of-care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality-of-care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality-of- care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (5)) 31 May 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1248773 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Resilience North East Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Fellingate Care Centre, Fox Street, Felling, Gateshead NE10 0BD

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Inspectors

Lee Riley, Social Care Inspector Claire Webster, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1248773 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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