Children's Home run by Newcastle City Council in Newcastle upon Tyne

Inspection report for children’s home: 2530086 1 Registered provider: Newcastle City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a local authority. It provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties and/or have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. The inspectors spoke with all the children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2021.

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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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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2530086 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/04/2023 Full Good 05/07/2022 Full Good 23/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 20/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2530086 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say that they are happy and feel comfortable in their home. They build relationships with staff who they trust. Staff know the children well, which helps children to flourish. This is because of the individual care and support that they receive. One child said that this is the best home they have lived in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff develop positive relationships with adults who are important to the children. This helps to improve children’s safety. Staff help to make the time that children spend with their families as positive as possible. This is achieved through practical support, such as food parcels, to ensure that the family has what the child needs during their visit. This helps the children to understand that staff care about their families as well as them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff organise celebrations to mark significant events in the children’s lives. Staff spend time with the children during their days off so that they can participate in these events. This means that the children feel important, cared for, and valued by the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff advocate for children. However, this does not always result in positive change for children. This is because the manager does not always escalate the children’s views when there is a delay in the initial response, such as when children express their wish to spend time with family members who they do not currently see. This causes a delay in making decisions about aspects of the children’s lives that are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is decorated and furnished to a good standard. Any damage caused is quickly repaired. The children’s bedrooms have door alarms to alert staff when children leave their rooms. However, this measure is not regularly reviewed to ensure that it is necessary.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff try to support children to attend and engage with school. However, this is not always effective. One child achieved lower than expected GCSE grades due to their poor attendance. However, one child who previously refused to attend an alternative education provision now does so. Staff are creative in their approach to encouraging children to access alternative provisions, identifying areas of interest to encourage children to attend. This provides children with the opportunity to learn new skills which may be useful to secure employment.

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

The staff and manager assess all risks that children face. The manager and staff ensure that all the children’s safety plans are current and that they reflect how best to support the children. The staff provide a consistent approach to helping children to manage their behaviour, particularly when they are experiencing extreme distress. This helps children Inspection report for children’s home: 2530086 4 to understand the staff’s care is unconditional and contributes to the positive relationships that they have.

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

The frequency of children going missing has reduced. This is because of the positive relationships the children have with the staff. Staff follow the home’s policy when children go missing. They are proactive in looking for children and contacting known associates. This helps to reduce the risks that children face.

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

Some children smoke cannabis and nicotine and use vapes. The manager and staff educate the children about the risks associated with these. Additionally, the manager identifies support available from external agencies, which is offered to the children. This has resulted in a reduction in the frequency that children use these substances.

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

Some children bring unsafe items into the home, such as drug paraphernalia. Staff will carry out a search of children’s rooms if this is required to ensure that such items are removed. Where possible, staff inform the children that this action will be taken and why it is necessary. This helps children to understand that staff will act to keep them safe, and it has been effective in reducing the risk of harm.

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

When children make allegations or complaints, the manager takes these seriously and carries out an investigation. However, the manager does not follow the organisation’s policy on recording the investigations. Consequently, there is no record of the outcome or decision-making relating to concerns that children have raised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is committed to making sure that staff provide the children with individualised care. The manager has a good understanding of the children’s progress. She is supported well by a dedicated staff team and deputy manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Communication between the staff and professionals is good. Professionals compliment the staff on their commitment to the children and their resilience. One professional described the staff’s commitment to the children as ‘remarkable’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager maintains good oversight of the development needs of staff. As the needs of children evolve or new needs emerge, the manager secures training for staff to inform their practice. This helps the staff to improve the level of care they give to children and supports them with their professional development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective monitoring and review systems. This helps to ensure that documents are up to date and contain the correct information. When the manager identifies inaccurate or out-of-date information, she takes immediate action to address this. This ensures that staff have the most current information available to them to help to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that all staff receive supervision that is reflective and focused on the children. This provides the staff with an opportunity to consider the impact that they Inspection report for children’s home: 2530086 5 have on the care provided to children. Staff discuss the improvements they can make to better meet children’s needs. When practice falls short of the expected standard, the manager addresses this through the appropriate route. Inspection report for children’s home: 2530086 6

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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 registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response;

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Requirement Due date

describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must follow the organisation’s allegations policy. 1 July 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)) 1 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2530086 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are in full-time education while they are of compulsory school age unless their personal education plan contained in the care plan or other relevant plan states otherwise. The home must aim to support full- time attendance at school unless the child’s relevant plan indicates this is not in their best interests. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14)  The registered person should seek to challenge the placing authority or other relevant person if children’s needs are not being met. Staff should act as champions for the children living in the home, expecting nothing less than a good parent would. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.8)

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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: 2530086 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Newcastle City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Newcastle Civic Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE1 8QH

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Inspectors

Julia Hagan, Social Care Inspector Kerry Chater, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2530086 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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