Children's home run by South Tyneside Council

Inspection report for children’s home: 2822441 1 Registered provider: South Tyneside Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is owned and operated by a local authority. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living in the home at the time of inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2025.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2822441 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has settled in very well and considers this to be their home. The stability the child has experienced and the positive relationships they have developed with staff have contributed to the progress they have made. The small, dedicated team around them has enabled the child to feel safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The views and wishes of the child are important and are promoted at every opportunity. For example, the child asked for their allowance to be put into their bank account so they could shop online. This is not something the provider has done before. The manager found a way to make this happen, and this has given the child more freedom of choice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There has been a lot of support for the child’s education, and the staff work closely with the school staff. When the child has struggled to go to school, the manager has considered other ways to help them. Alternative timetables, reduced time in school and tutors coming to the home are some of the ways the child has been helped. The child has taken exams this year and has moved on to college. This is a big achievement, and staff are very proud of them. Although there are some issues with the chosen college, the staff are supporting the child to achieve positive outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s health needs are well understood by staff. They encourage the child to make their own health appointments and be responsible for managing their own medication, such as paracetamol. This is part of the help the child has to support their independence. This is developing the child’s skills so they can take care of themselves when they move on to their next living arrangement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have taken time to get to know people who are important to the child. Before, the child could not have overnight stays due to some concerns that were raised. The manager assessed the information available, analysed the known risks and found a safe way to facilitate overnight stays. This has helped the child maintain relationships, and their views have been supported. This has also significantly reduced incidents of the child going missing from home, helping to keep them safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

In most recordings, staff write to the child. They write with care and describe the child’s experiences in a way that will be helpful to the child to look back on their time living at the home. Humour and jokes help bring the child’s day-to-day experiences to life. The child also has a memory box, full of photos that they will be able to take with them as a keepsake.

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

Staff dynamically assess risks as they increase and decrease along with the issues experienced by the child. Since the child moved to the home, all the worries for the child Inspection report for children’s home: 2822441 3 have lessened. This is because staff find the right way to help and support the child. Staff are consistently curious about the child’s feelings and experiences. This helps them tailor the support to the child in response to what is happening in the moment.

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

When the child is having difficulties, staff use their relationships to provide support. When this does not go to plan, staff reflect on how they might have contributed to the child feeling upset or frustrated and what they can do better next time. This allows the staff to learn and be flexible in their approach.

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

Positive behaviour is modelled by the staff, and the child is helped to manage their feelings. This is done through conversations and giving the child time to think. Staff rarely use consequences. When they do, the manager assesses them to make sure they are fair. The child has had the opportunity to make reparations, which the manager sees as the priority. The child can reflect on their behaviour afterwards and apologise, which is significant progress.

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

The child does have some issues around vaping and substance use. This issue is well understood by staff, who notice if the child may be under the influence of substances and provide extra support at those times. Although the child is not ready to work with support services, staff have obtained information about community services to share with them, making sure that they have the right advice to give.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is an experienced manager in the home. The child is at the centre of any decision made, whether that is about their care, staffing or other areas of development. The culture created by the manager filters through the team, ensuring there is a caring, nurturing approach with the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a strong advocate for the child and finds ways to create opportunities and life experiences. For example, the child has asked to go away next year with friends. As part of the support to independence, the manager has assessed this and created a plan with the child. The trip has been agreed in principle, allowing the child appropriate age-related freedom and autonomy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff like working in the home. They feel well supported by each other and managers. They say they can talk to managers about any issues that they have and that they will be listened to and resolutions found to their queries. The staff team is generally stable, and only one person has left. This ensures consistency for the child, because they know who is caring for them every day.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is enthusiastic about the staff learning, developing and expanding their skills. Help and support are given through training, team meetings and supervision. The manager is mindful that the staff do not always need to use all their skills and knowledge because the child is so settled. Therefore, the manager uses scenarios and Inspection report for children’s home: 2822441 4 discussions to ensure staff do not forget important practices and procedures that might be needed in the future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and the team work with the wider team of professionals around the child effectively. There are positive working relationships. Multi-agency professionals like the caring, homely and relaxed approach staff use to care for the child. This helps secure positive outcomes for the child because the wider team are working together to achieve the same goals. Inspection report for children’s home: 2822441 5

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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: 2822441 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: South Tyneside Council, Town Hall, Westoe Road, South Shields NE33 2RL

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Inspector

Miriam Dolman, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2822441 7 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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