Children's Home run by Enhanced Young Persons Care Limited in Durham

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2715200 1 Registered provider: Enhanced Young Person’s Care Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private provider. The home provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties, and who may have mental health difficulties, learning disabilities and alcohol or drug dependence.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager at the home since June 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Inspection date: 27 February 2024

Date of last inspection: 31 October and 1 November 2023

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Inspection date: 27 February 2024

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 27 February 2024

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.

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Information about this inspection

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: 2715200 2

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Findings from the inspection

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

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Findings from the inspection

The deputy manager has been successful in being recruited as the manager. She still needs to make her application to register with Ofsted.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff encourage children to attend their identified education provision. Staff actively try to wake children in the morning and encourage a routine. Staff have discussions with children to seek an understanding of their attendance barriers. There is now an activity plan for when children do not attend school or college. This focuses on staff promoting educational activities; however, this is not always effective.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager advocates on behalf of the children to challenge decisions made about their education. However, there is a lack of consistent escalation to obtain education documents such as children’s personal education plans. This means that staff do not always have the most recent information to inform their planning.

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Findings from the inspection

Risk assessments now reflect what action staff need to take when a child goes missing. However, risk assessments are still brief and lack in-depth instructions for staff. Instructions are outlined in the home’s missing-from-care policy, but they do not provide separate strategies for each child. This inconsistency in the recording could lead to confusion. However, staff can articulate what action they need to take if children go missing from the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have ‘My Plans’ and risk assessments from the time that they move into the home. Staff use these as working documents and add to them throughout the month. The manager has oversight of all documents; however, they remain brief and vary in the quality of detail.

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Findings from the inspection

Children regularly take part in meetings and have discussions with staff. This ensures that children can have their voices heard.

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Findings from the inspection

When children make allegations, the manager acts quickly. She notifies relevant professionals and acts on advice. The manager monitors staff’s practice to inform her whether there are any shortfalls. Additionally, the manager has oversight of significant incidents. She addresses practice shortfalls with staff and identifies any necessary action and additional learning.

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Findings from the inspection

There is a stable staff team caring for the children. Most staff are still new to the role but all are now enrolled on the relevant training course to obtain the required qualification in residential childcare. Staff access mandatory training and utilise the in-house psychologist for advice. However, the manager does not consider the needs of a child before they move into the home to ensure that staff have the necessary skills and training to meet those needs. Currently, training takes place Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2715200 3 after there has been a significant incident, because staff do not always have the skills and knowledge to support a child when they are in crisis.

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Findings from the inspection

Some progress has been made to meet the requirements raised at the last inspection. However, these are not yet fully effective or embedded in practice; therefore, the requirements are restated. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2715200 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/10/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2715200 5

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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(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; and

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e)) 1 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2715200 6 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;

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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)(a)(c)(h)) 1 April 2024

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; and

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager and staff must ensure that children are supported to meet their educational targets as recorded in their plans. Where these targets are not being met, children must be supported to attend informal education in the interim. 1 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2715200 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Enhanced Young Person’s Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Fox Street, Sunderland Road, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear NE10 OBD

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Inspectors

Jess Elliott, Social Care Inspector Lisa Gordon, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2715200 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 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

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