Children's Home run by Durham County Council in Durham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC035137 1 SC035137 Registered provider: Durham County 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 operated and managed by a local authority. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since 20 March 2025. The deputy manager is overseeing the home in the interim.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC035137 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/03/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/08/2023 Full Good 21/11/2022 Full Good 02/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC035137 3

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improvement to be good

Children have varied experiences of living in this home. One child does have established relationships with staff. However, staff are yet to develop effective ways of engaging the other children. The children spend large amounts of time isolated in their bedrooms or staying away from the home, impacting on the children’s ability to develop quality relationships with those caring for them and the children’s progress.

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improvement to be good

Educational progress for children is mixed. One child attends school on a regular basis and is making progress. However, other children are not accessing education. Routines and staff’s approach to promoting educational opportunities are not effective. This is impacting on the children’s academic potential.

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improvement to be good

Children have opportunities to share their views. However, due to staff’s limited influence they struggle to help children to engage in discussions. In addition, staff do not always act on the children’s requests in a timely manner. This does not help children to feel listened to or that their views are important.

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improvement to be good

Staff develop positive relationships with the children’s family members. When children spend time with their families, staff keep in touch to check in on how things are going. However, staff do not contact the children. This practice does not lend itself to staff being assured that children are safe when they spend time away from the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff offer children the opportunity to engage in various activities. One child has been encouraged to learn to play the guitar and visit a theme park. However, staff struggle to engage other children in activities. Staff keep memory books for children that capture their enjoyable experiences of living in the home. However, they are not completed on a regular basis and the quality varies between children.

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improvement to be good

Children complete some independence tasks. However, support to further develop these skills varies between staff and there is delay in promoting some aspects of independence. For example, one child waited several months before being able to use their bus pass. Arrangements for one child to move on from the home in the near future are poor. This does not help children to develop the skills needed to move on in life.

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improvement to be good

Staff take an interest in understanding the children’s cultural and identity needs. Staff promote the children celebrating cultural festivals.

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improvement to be good

The children’s needs and risks are not fully understood by staff, for example being unaware of a child’s mental health diagnosis. Furthermore, children’s care plans and risk Inspection report for children’s home: SC035137 4 assessments do not provide sufficient context or clear strategies to meet their needs or manage risks. This prevents children receiving consistently effective care.

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improvement to be good

Some children are not helped to develop a routine or plan to ensure that their bedrooms are cleaned of hazardous elements regularly. There is a limited drive from staff to understand behaviours and find positive ways to promote independence around hygiene.

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improvement to be good

There have been no incidents of physical intervention in this home since the previous inspection. However, there is a lack of consistency and boundaries from staff. This is likely to lead to a sense of confusion and lack of security in children. Staff describe some of the children’s behaviours as significant. However, there are no incident reports or evidence to reflect significant situations as described. This is not helpful and risks labelling children.

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improvement to be good

Staff have limited understanding as to why some children do not wish to attend health appointments, such as the dentist. There are no clear plans to help children overcome the barriers that the children face.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Following shortfalls raised at the previous full inspection in March 2025, leaders have been ineffective in making improvements. There is no registered manager, and recruitment has been unsuccessful to date. The deputy manager is acting up in the interim. However, there is limited support for him in the home to effect positive change. Staff raise frustrations about inconsistencies in embracing the changes needed. However, staff do describe feeling well supported by the deputy manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Supervision sessions with staff and team meetings do not have reflective practice embedded. Staff do raise their concerns about the children’s care. However, there is limited discussion about how to find solutions or change practice. This prevents staff establishing creative and adaptive ways of supporting the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not consistently embed what they have learned from training into practice. For example, some staff are unaware of the model of care used in the home and what this means in practice. This leaves children receiving inconsistent care from staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not routinely use the support from partner agencies, for example the emotional health service. Staff are offered one-to-one support sessions to help develop their practice, but these are yet to be taken up. Staff focus on what external agencies can do to support the children rather than what they can do directly. This practice does not lend itself to improving the quality of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The provider is not yet achieving the aims and objectives set out in the home’s statement of purpose. However, senior leaders are accepting of the shortfalls raised. Senior leaders have provided an action plan, although this is yet to be effective. Inspection report for children’s home: SC035137 5

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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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(v)(viii)(ix)(b)) 6 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 6 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC035137 6 that staff—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vi)(d))

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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)(a)(b)(c)(f)(h)) 6 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC035137 7 The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(iii)(c)) 6 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(vi)) 6 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that staff— 6 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC035137 8 help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 6 July 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision support from specialist services that will help them understand the children’s needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should ensure that staff keep records for children that help them reflect on their time living at the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: SC035137 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Durham County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Fostering & Adoption Team, Spectrum 8, Spectrum Business Park, Seaham SR7 7TT

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Inspectors

Jess Elliott, Social Care Inspector Karen Karlsson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC035137 10 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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