Children's Home run by St Cuthbert’s Care in Newcastle upon Tyne

Inspection report for children’s home: SC033467 1 SC033467 Registered provider: St Cuthbert’s Care

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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 charity and provides care for up to six children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted on 20 September 2019.

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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: SC033467 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/04/2023 Full Good 28/06/2022 Full Good 25/01/2022 Full Good 29/01/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC033467 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and staff have warm relationships in which staff demonstrate their unconditional positive regard for children. This helps some children to form trusting relationships with the staff who are caring for them. Staff are aware of children’s experiences and why some children find it more difficult to trust and form relationships. Staff employ a consistent approach to their efforts to engage with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy spending time with their families. These are important relationships to children, and it is important for them to know that their loved ones are still part of their lives. Family members speak positively of the home’s communication with them and the support they provide to their children. One family member commented on the increase in their child’s confidence as a result of the support that staff have provided.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to attend education, and some are making good progress. One professional attributed the progress of one child to the support they receive from the staff. One child is not currently attending any education. Staff encourage the child to engage with their learning and advocate on their behalf to try and secure an appropriate provision. The manager has escalated her concerns about the impact this is having on their day-to-day life. This shows children that staff prioritise their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are registered with general health services and attend their routine appointments. When children need specialist help and support, the manager and staff ensure that referrals are made to the relevant services. Where necessary, children are supported with their medication and attend scheduled reviews. This helps to ensure that children get the support that they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to understand their individual identities. This is reflected in the children’s records, which are written in an accessible way for the children to read. This encourages children to view themselves in a positive way and helps them to flourish.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some parts of the home are in need of updating and there is damage that requires attention. Some of this has been reported but there has been no action taken to address the repairs. This detracts from the homely feel of other areas of the home.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the risks that children face. Risk assessments and care plans are detailed and specific to their individual needs. This helps to ensure that staff have the information they need to keep children as safe as possible.

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

When children go missing from home, there is an appropriate response from staff. Where possible, staff will search for children and contact individuals who may have Inspection report for children’s home: SC033467 4 information about their whereabouts. Staff liaise with the police and other agencies to share information. This helps to reduce the risk for children.

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

Staff help children appropriately when they make an allegation or, disclose a safeguarding incident. Staff prioritise the safety and welfare of children and inform the relevant agencies. The manager ensures that an investigation takes place and children are kept updated as to the outcome. Staff complete direct work with the children to repair the relationships at the end of the investigation where needed. This helps the child to know that their concerns are taken seriously, and they will not be treated differently.

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

Staff provide a warm and nurturing environment which helps children to express their feelings. Staff know the children well and are often aware when a child may be angry or upset. Staff use effective de-escalation techniques to support children to manage their emotions appropriately. Consequently, the use of physical intervention is rare.

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

Rewards and consequences are used to help teach children acceptable behaviour. This is to ensure children receive incentives to encourage good behaviour but are also supported to understand the impact of their actions when things are damaged or broken.

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

The manager ensures that all new staff are suitably checked and vetted prior to coming to work in the home. Safer recruitment checks are completed. Where there are concerns about a staff member’s suitability, this is investigated by the manager and the most appropriate action taken to safeguard children. This helps to ensure that the adults working in the home are suitable to do so, thus keeping the children safer.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager of the home is suitably qualified and experienced. She is enthusiastic about providing the best care to children and speaks positively about each of them. The manager knows the children well and can identify their individual needs. The manager has high aspirations for the children and staff in the home. A trauma-informed approach continues to be promoted by the manager, who seeks out further development opportunities for staff. This demonstrates the manager is committed to achieving good outcomes for all children in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home benefits from a full staff team, some of whom have worked at the home for over 20 years. This provides consistency and stability for the children. When new members are recruited, they work through an induction programme. This enables them to develop their skills and gain the experience they need to meet the children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers provide staff with regular supervision. This enables oversight of the staff’s needs and development. Supervision is reflective and staff speak positively about the support they receive from the management team. Ongoing development continues through regular team meetings. These provide opportunities for staff to share Inspection report for children’s home: SC033467 5 their experiences and for group reflection. The ongoing support for staff helps them to reflect on their practice and the impact they have on the children’s experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses effective systems to monitor the children’s progress. This provides the manager with accurate data so that she can maintain oversight of incidents and identify any patterns or trends. The manager can then focus on what staff need to do to improve the experiences and progress of the children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC033467 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is maintained to a good standard, in particular that the home is clean and well maintained. Unused and broken items should be disposed of and any items which are tired and worn should be replaced. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: SC033467 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: St Cuthbert’s House, West Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 7PY

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Inspectors

Kerry Chater, Social Care Inspector Deb Duffy, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home: SC033467 8 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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Inspectors

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