Children's Home run by North East Autism Society in Durham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC458754 1 SC458754 Registered provider: North East Autism Society 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 private provider. It offers care for up to eight children and young people with learning disabilities and/or autism.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 15 November 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, eight children were living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 19 December 2023

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC458754 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/12/2023 Full Outstanding 28/06/2022 Full Good 16/11/2021 Full Good 21/01/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC458754 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children who come to the home stay for many years until they are ready to move into their adult home. This provides a great deal of stability and allows them to develop deep, understanding relationships with the staff. Staff build these relationships based on trust and positivity, treating the children with love, respect and dignity, from which the children’s world can expand. As a result, children thrive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Care of the children is phenomenal, allowing them to grow, develop and make sustained progress. Children with the most complex needs are flourishing and living life to the full. Each child has a small team of dedicated staff around them, who know them exceptionally well. This includes their knowledge of the children’s likes, dislikes and behavioural nuances that they might show when anxious or unhappy. Knowing the children so well allows staff to respond quickly to any changes in behaviour, immediately supporting children to cope with their feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff always look to make a difference and enhance the children’s lives. For example, one child, who consistently wore a headguard before living at the home, now has times without it, and risk assessments are appropriately carried out to support this. During these times, staff are extra vigilant in case of seizures. Another child has made outstanding progress with their self-care. This is a huge step for them, giving them more independence. Staff celebrate all the children’s achievements. A wall in the home is used to display photos and positive comments, demonstrating to the children how proud staff are of them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Creativity is embedded in staff’s practice, including the high priority given to fulfilling the children’s sensory needs. For example, one child likes light pressure and was using a blanket to cover their head. Staff worked to find a beanie hat that provides the child with the same sensation. Another child likes a squidgy feeling, so a thick rug was bought for their living space along with a foam cushion so they can roll around. Children have great fun doing this while having their sensory needs met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Moves into and out of the home are very well planned. The manager carries out an assessment for those moving, tailoring it to the individual child. For example, the two children who most recently moved in had quite different needs in terms of the length of time needed to transition to the home. The process was adapted to meet each child’s needs and minimise the impact of change. Both children have settled well and are thriving. For one child, this has helped them build trust with the staff and overcome past traumas.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Innovative ideas are shared more widely to help the network of professionals outside of the provider. For example, one child has a rare syndrome that significantly affects their sleep. A tailor-made bed was bought for the child. The child chose some of the customised features, including a call button. This links to the night staff telephone, Inspection report for children’s home: SC458754 4 meaning if the child wakes in the night, they can tell the staff what they want without getting out of bed. This has considerably helped with the child’s nighttime routine, significantly reducing their anxiety and tiredness.

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

The children’s needs and risks are exceptionally well understood and therefore reduce significantly. For example, the manager researched a new child’s rare syndrome, fully learning about the impact it has on the child’s life. He cascaded this learning to staff to establish a shared understanding in the team, ensuring that staff know how to meet the child’s unique needs. The child’s plans hold the same information to guide staff. A child- friendly version, which the child can read, helps them understand how staff will meet their needs.

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

The manager has researched how to enhance each child’s communication relevant to their individual needs. New communication boards in communal areas give children more opportunities to voice their opinions. The manager has linked in with local speech and language professionals to allow staff to carry out their own initial language assessments, so a better picture can be gained about the children’s communication abilities. The speech and language team uses this to inform its work with children. An overarching goal is to give children as many forms of communication as possible, so they can clearly tell people their choices. Staff now have keyrings and lanyards with symbols so children can make choices quickly. Makaton is used with children who use words and those who do not. This has broadened the children’s vocabulary, increasing the ways they communicate with each other and deepening their friendships.

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

Anxious behaviours, particularly for two children, led to an increase in incidents and supportive interventions from staff. The manager’s analytical practice and leadership of the team gave staff reassurance, and together they reflected on the causes of the children’s distress, finding the best way to support each child. For one child, this included getting medical help and an operation they needed on their eye. Staff’s curiosity and determination ensured that the child received the treatment they needed. Staff perceived the child's behaviour as unusual and interpreted it as a means of communicating their needs. For this child, who does not use words, this is particularly significant, as previous traumatic experiences have been due to others misunderstanding the child’s cues.

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The effectiveness leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is an inspirational person who leads by example. He knows the children incredibly well and can talk about them freely, sharing his knowledge about them with relevant others. His enthusiasm and commitment are infectious to an aspirational team that is committed to providing children with the best possible care. Similarly, the manager aspires for the staff to excel in their roles by inspiring them to constantly improve their knowledge and skills. Inspection report for children’s home: SC458754 5 The manager continually looks at ways to improve the service through innovative practice. For example, when children have epilepsy, they have QR codes in their rooms. This allows staff to use their mobile phone to scan the codes and quickly access the children’s epilepsy plan or complete an incident form immediately if the child has a seizure. Updates are immediate and seamless, enhancing practice overall. No information

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The effectiveness leaders and managers: outstanding

is stored on the phone used, ensuring confidentiality.

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The effectiveness leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff prioritise children in their practice and decision-making and ensure that they have what they need. If a child wishes to experience something, this is explored and arranged. Any obstacles are removed. For example, staff have supported children in experiencing music concerts and festivals by considering all necessary requirements to enhance their enjoyment and help them be comfortable around large groups of people and overcome sensory challenges.

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The effectiveness leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff feel valued by managers and leaders and are incredibly happy to be working at the home. Managers ensure that staff are well cared for, so they can fulfil their roles to the highest standard. There is a strong ‘one team’ ethos. Staff perceive themselves as a highly supportive large family who support each other. There is always someone to rely on or talk to. Without exception, all staff contribute to the high-quality care that children receive.

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The effectiveness leaders and managers: outstanding

Collaborative working relationships with others achieve the best possible care and futures for children. Relationships between the manager, staff, local authorities, health, and other care team professionals are effective. Feedback about the team is outstanding from everyone. Highly effective communication ensures that any changes, no matter how small, are shared immediately, helping to maintain flexible and responsive care.

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The effectiveness leaders and managers: outstanding

Families feel valued and are welcome at the home. One child’s mother said she feels like she is treated like an expert in her child’s life. She was encouraged to share her knowledge and contribute to the plans for her child’s move into the home. Family members’ close relationships with the staff promote continuity of care for the children and give parents confidence about the quality of care their children receive.

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The effectiveness leaders and managers: outstanding

Daily notes and other records capture the children’s journey in the home. Each child’s notes are specific to them. Staff use kind and thoughtful language, recognising a child’s emotions on the day and the reaction from staff. If the children want to read their records in later life, they will have a thorough understanding of their time in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC458754 6

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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: SC458754 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North East Autism Society

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 15 Lumley Court, Drum Industrial Estate, Chester-le- Street, County Durham DH2 1AN

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Inspectors

Miriam Dolman, Social Care Inspector Kate Jackson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC458754 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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