Children's Home run by Redcar and Cleveland Council in Redcar and Cleveland

Inspection report for children’s home: 2699377 1 Registered provider: Redcar and Cleveland Council

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Full inspection 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 local authority. It provides care for up to six children who may have social, emotional or mental health difficulties. Children might live in the home for short or longer periods of time.

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Information about this children’s home

The home also offers outreach services to children who live with their families or in other placements.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2023, when the home was also registered.

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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 spoke to two of 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 good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good. Date of last inspection: 16 May 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2699377 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2699377 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are contextual safeguarding risks that are affecting the health and increasing the risks for some children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to build trusting relationships. The children feel listened to and have their views taken on board when decisions are made about their care. Children feel valued, and they are open with staff about their wishes and feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite these relationships, the risks in the community make it extremely difficult for staff to manage some children's risks. For one child, who was released from a custodial setting as part of a court order, his initial engagement with the staff at the home was positive, but more recently it has declined. The negative behaviours for some children have escalated, and there are concerns about their health and wellbeing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to make informed decisions about their health needs. Staff educate the children regularly to help them understand the risks of smoking and substance misuse. However, some children continue to smoke in the home and do not always attend their health appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend time with those who are important to them. Staff know the children’s family and friends well, and they are welcome in the home. Staff help children with difficult family relationships to manage these relationships carefully and sensitively. A parent said, ‘The staff go above and beyond; if it were not for them, my family would have broken down.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education is promoted in the home. A child who was not in education when they moved to the home recently completed his exams in school. Managers work with external professionals to ensure that children get the support they need to stay in education. When children cannot attend school, managers work with education providers to ensure that alternative education arrangements are available for the children. Staff help children with their homework and support them to complete age-appropriate tasks to promote independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to voice their opinions, both in key-work sessions and children’s meetings. This extends also to complaints. Children are aware of how to make a complaint, and this is documented in the children's guide.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to a large garden. This promotes children’s physical health and emotional well-being. Children have individualised bedrooms that reflect their preferences and tastes. This helps the children develop a sense of belonging while living in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2699377 4

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

The regulator was informed of a safeguarding concern when a child brought substances into the home. Following this incident, a bespoke plan was agreed between the staff at the home and substance misuse specialists and health partners. Risk assessments have been updated and implemented into the care plans. However, some children are still smoking and misusing substance in the home. The manager and staff have received training in substance misuse awareness.

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

The manager is aware of the children’s risks but also recognises the need to promote independence. Staff at the home extend their support via outreach services and will frequent the area 'hotspots' to be able to monitor concerns. This is preferable to restricting the movement of the children. Key-work sessions are used by staff to help children talk about important topics and learn about behaviours and risks, such as drugs, alcohol and exploitation.

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

Staff use rewards and consequences to promote socially acceptable behaviours. However, the use of consequences is not yet consistently effective. At times, children have not been offered opportunities to complete reparation work. This is a missed opportunity to help children understand the impact of their actions.

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

Staff spend a lot of time with the children. They work closely with children and their families to educate them on how to keep themselves safe in the community. Some children are at risk of criminal exploitation, and staff work closely with key professionals, for example, the youth justice team and police, to develop a collective approach to promote the safety of the children.

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

Missing-from-home incidents have reduced for some children. Staff follow the agreed safety plans when children go missing from home and look for the children in the local area and the places they may go to. Staff try to contact the children and their families and friends and report the incident to the police at the earliest opportunity. When children return home, staff ensure the children are given supportive and appropriate debriefs, and any triggers for going missing are considered and tracked to avoid repeat incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager can identify the shortfalls in practice and has plans in place to implement them, but these are not yet embedded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safer recruitment processes have not been followed. The manager did not explore the gaps in employment for two staff members. This has increased the risk of children being cared for by inappropriate adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff are aware of the risks for some of the children around child criminal exploitation. However, only half of the current staff team have received Inspection report for children’s home: 2699377 5 training in this subject. When there is concern that children may be in possession of items that can cause serious harm, staff carry out an investigation promptly and sensitively, and the child is involved in decisions to keep everyone safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is child-focused and speaks about the children with warmth and enthusiasm. She has a good understanding of the children individually, including their progress, achievements, vulnerabilities and behaviours. She is supported by two deputy managers and the responsible individual. The manager and the staff communicate effectively with families and professionals to keep children safe. They arrange and attend regular multi-agency meetings, providing professionals with information that can help safeguard the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular reflective supervision that they use to discuss the children’s current needs. The monthly team meeting is well attended. Staff are provided with opportunities to explore any challenges that arise, and they discuss possible solutions as a team to mitigate the risks associated with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External professionals speak positively about the care that children receive at home. Professionals praise the manager and the staff for their commitment and compassion towards the children. One professional said, ‘The staff are working with very risky children, and they do the absolute best they can.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2699377 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d)) 29 July 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any consequences used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature. Children should be offered the opportunity to carry out reparation work, and the staff in the home should be skilled to support the child to understand this and carry it out. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)  The registered provider should ensure that all staff receive training in respect of child criminal exploitation so they can identify signs that children may be at risk, and support children in strategies to manage and reduce risks. (‘ Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.10).

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report for children’s home: 2699377 7 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: 2699377 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Redcar and Cleveland Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Seafield House, Kirkleatham Street, Redcar TS10 1SP

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Inspector

Cherie Chen, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2699377 9 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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