Children's home run by Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council

Inspection report for children’s home: 2596897 1 Registered provider: Gateshead Council 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 local authority. It provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living in the home. The inspector briefly spoke to all the children.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 12 December 2023

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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: 2596897 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/12/2023 Full Good 28/07/2022 Full Good 17/08/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2596897 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to make progress during their time living in the home. They understand children’s experiences and starting points. This informs the support that staff offer to children. Partner agencies, staff and family members highlight the progress that children make. For example, children develop safer ways to manage their feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a focus on education and supporting children to overcome barriers in this area. Staff provide a morning routine and use incentives to encourage attendance. Staff celebrate children’s achievements, such as completing their exams. This has led to an increase in attendance and engagement for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager carefully considers the needs of new children coming to live in the home, alongside the needs of the children already living in the home. The registered manager attends information-sharing discussions and utilises advice from partner agencies. This ensures that each child’s transition into the home is well planned.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager advocates on behalf of children leaving the home. When children become young adults, staff provide them with the support they need to move into their new home. This includes helping to decorate. The staff remain in close communication with those who have left the home, which allows the young adults to have a continued sense of belonging and enables a supportive network around them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff engage children in discussions about their life. This includes sensitive topics, worries and plans. When children have hurt themselves, they will seek out support from staff. One child who has left the home said, ‘There was always someone there, if you’re having a bad day. You feel able to speak to someone.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is maintained to a good standard. Each child has a personalised bedroom. Staff encourage children to develop their independence skills in line with their age. Staff act as role models to show how tasks should be carried out, such as maintaining a clean bedroom.

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

The staff have a good understanding of each child’s worries. The registered manager utilises the support from partner professionals to offer advice and guidance to the staff team. These professionals attend the home to facilitate reflective and informative discussions around children’s new needs or risks that arise. While the risks for some children remain, professionals who know the children well highlight that there continues to be a reduction in the frequency and severity of risks that occur. One professional said, ‘[Name of manager] will seek us out when she thinks they need advice. But staff also do this.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2596897 4 When a child goes missing, staff proactively look for them. This includes searching known locations and liaising with the police and family members. This helps to ensure that the child is located quickly and returned to the home.

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

Staff do not need to hold children to ensure their safety. The staff use discussion and distraction as forms of de-escalation, which is largely effective.

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

There is no formal plan regarding one child’s mobile phone and social media use during the evening and overnight. Staff offer limited challenge or advice to promote a healthy sleep routine. It is not always known who the child is communicating with and any associated risks. A meeting is arranged to ensure that there is multi-agency oversight.

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

All children have a risk assessment, behaviour support plan and safety plan. These three documents detail the children’s risks and observed behaviours and include strategies for staff to use. However, these also include risks that are not relevant or are no longer a concern. These multiple documents contain varying information, which makes it difficult to understand what the current and most relevant risks are for each child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager should be supported by two deputy managers. One of these posts has been vacant for a substantial length of time. Furthermore, the registered manager is providing support to the other deputy manager. This means that the registered manager carries out additional work, which impacts on some of her managerial tasks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There are continued shortfalls in respect of the management team’s auditing and monitoring. The registered manager was not able to provide evidence to demonstrate that she has oversight of staff’s practice and that the children’s files and other paperwork are up to date and accurate. This shortfall was raised at the last inspection and has not been fully addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There are significant gaps in staff recording, particularly the daily records. This makes it difficult to understand what a child’s daily life is like. This means that if the registered manager needs to carry out a review or investigation retrospectively, the records would not give her the information needed. Children would also not have an accurate record of their time living in the home if they asked to see their files later in life.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff receive regular supervision sessions; however, the quality of these sessions varies significantly and is dependant on who provides the supervision. This means that staff do not all receive consistently good-quality and reflective supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff speak warmly about the support they receive from the registered manager. They highlight that they are valued members of the team. Furthermore, staff say that the registered manager strongly advocates on behalf of the children. One staff member said, ‘[Name of manager] has always gone above and beyond for the staff and children in order to ensure that they feel listened to and valued.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2596897 5 The registered manager addresses shortfalls in staff conduct. She notifies relevant partner agencies, which results in an investigation commencing. The registered manager has a good understanding of the impact these incidents can have on the children, and she offers them reassurance. She liaises with senior leaders regarding staff practice issues. Discussions are held with staff, but these are not always helpful in assisting staff to fully reflect on practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager ensures that staff receive training to support them to meet the children’s needs. Additionally, partner agencies provide coaching sessions to support staff development. This helps to ensure that children are cared for by experienced and skilled staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2596897 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 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))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 1 August 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children understand, and where necessary work to change, negative behaviours in key areas of health and well-being. This includes, but is not limited to, internet use and the importance of healthy sleep routines. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)  The registered person should ensure that staff take reasonable precautions and make informed professional judgements based on children’s individual needs and developmental stage about when to allow them to take a particular risk or follow a particular course of action. Staff should discuss the decision with the child’s placing authority where appropriate. If a child makes a choice that would place them or another person at significant risk of harm, staff should assist them to understand the

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Recommendations

risks and manage their risk-taking behaviour to keep themselves and others safe. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.7)  The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and Inspection report for children’s home: 2596897 7 experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: 2596897 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council, Civic Centre, Regent Street, Gateshead NE8 1HH

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Inspector

Jess Elliott, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2596897 9 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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