Children's Home run by Right-Trak Limited in Northumberland

Inspection report for children’s home: 2530253 1 Registered provider: Right-Trak Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by an independent provider. It provides care for up to five children who may have social and emotional difficulties and learning disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered in November 2022.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

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

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2530253 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/07/2023 Full Good 15/11/2022 Full Good 16/06/2021 Full Good 12/11/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2530253 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop positive relationships with the staff in the home. Children can name those who they would turn to in times of need, and they speak highly of all staff. One child said that they could tell the staff loved them; they said, ‘I can just feel it.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress in their education. The manager strongly advocates on behalf of the children to make sure that they can access education that meets their needs. Children attend school routinely and enjoy their education.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to lead healthier lives. The children are registered with local services and are supported in attending all routine health appointments. Staff seek more specialist help when this is needed. Staff are creative in helping children to be active and make healthy choices.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff show an interest in the children’s views and opinions, which are gathered naturally in conversation. Children are given feedback in a child-friendly format to show them how staff have responded to their views. This helps children to feel that their voice matters and that they have some control over their lives.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide range of activities, including horse-riding, attending a dog café and going for walks. Memories are captured in photos and kept in monthly booklets. This provides children with a permanent record of their experiences while living in the home .

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the children to learn the skills they will need to care for themselves as they get older. This is done in a natural and family-orientated way. Children help with tasks around the house which are appropriate to their age and stage of development.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time with their friends and family according to their individual plans. The support of staff makes their time with family relaxed and natural, which helps children stay connected to significant people in their lives.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have their own bedrooms, and the decor is chosen by them to create their own personalised space. The home is big enough to give children the space to spend time in quieter areas of the home. The outside play area is well kept with football goals, play equipment and a trampoline. However, some areas of the home are locked. This prevents children from having access to all areas of their home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2530253 4

p.3

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

Staff know the children and their plans well. Risk assessments are up to date, and staff consistently follow these to reduce risk. Children say they feel safe.

p.4

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

Staff role model good behaviour to the children and have regular discussions with them. This supports children to learn about their feelings and to understand their emotions. Children’s behaviour is positively reinforced, and staff focus on the things that children do well. This consistent approach helps them to follow the rules and boundaries set by staff.

p.4

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

Children are sometimes held when they are angry or upset. This action is only taken as a last resort to safeguard children and others. The manager maintains good oversight of all incidents to ensure that practice is safe and that any learning is used to develop future interventions. As a result, there is a significant reduction in the number of times that children have needed to be restrained.

p.4

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

Complaints and allegations made by children are taken seriously, and staff keep all relevant people informed. The manager investigates all issues raised and ensures that the necessary action is taken. Children are given timely feedback in response to the issues they raise. Discussions and direct work are completed with children to repair and rebuild the relationships they have with staff.

p.4

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

There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home. The children are supervised at all times due to their young age and vulnerability. However, staff know the procedures that they must follow in the event that a child is missing from home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a dedicated manager, who has the care, progress and experiences of children at the heart of practice. The home operates with a permanent staff team. They work together effectively to ensure that each child is making progress.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager makes decisions about who comes to live in the home using a thorough and child-focused process. There is careful consideration of the staff’s ability to meet the needs of children moving in and the competing needs of children already living in the home. Individual planning means that moving in is well managed so that each child has the opportunity for a positive start in their new home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff complete a detailed induction programme followed by a probationary period. The manager maintains oversight of the staff’s training needs and identifies any gaps in their knowledge. Annual appraisals set out a plan for each staff member, ensuring that they continue to progress their learning and have the necessary skills to meet the needs of children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2530253 5 Staff receive regular reflective supervision sessions to add to their learning and development. Staff discuss each of the children and how practice can be improved. Supervision provides opportunities for staff to reflect on how they contribute to the care and safeguarding of children. This drives up the quality of practice and the standards of care given to the children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are well attended and follow a set agenda, which facilitates group reflection. The team considers how children’s needs can best be met, what is working and what it may need to change. It also uses this as a forum to discuss feedback from the independent visitor’s report. This helps to ensure a proactive response to the needs of children and areas for development.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have established processes in place to ensure that they have a good understanding of what happens in the home. Daily reviews, monthly audits and reliable independent monitoring reports ensure the manager is confident that staff continue to provide good-quality care . Inspection report for children’s home: 2530253 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

p.6

Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)) 19 July 2024

p.6

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: 2530253 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Winovation, Houghtons Yard, Shields Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE6 2YP

p.7

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Melanie Spriddell

p.7

Inspector

Lisa Gordon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2530253 8 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8