Children's Home run by South Tyneside Council in South Tyneside

Inspection report for a children’s home: 1268334 1 Registered provider: South Tyneside 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 by a local authority. It provides short-break services for up to four children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home currently supports 39 children. At the time of inspection, two children were using the service.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2023.

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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 good

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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: 27 November 2024

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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 a children’s home: 1268334 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/11/2024 Full Outstanding 03/01/2024 Full Good 03/05/2022 Full Good 16/07/2019 Full Good Inspection report for a children’s home: 1268334 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children feel safe, secure and are exceptionally well cared for during their stays. This is due to excellent staff, who enable children to settle easily into their stays and make the very best of their time. Strong and enduring relationships have developed between staff and children. Many children continue to access the service for several years, providing them with reliable and trusted support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Through high-quality care, children with the most complex needs make significant progress from their starting points. This is achieved through close, effective collaborative working with health professionals, schools and other agencies. Children’s individual targets are thoroughly pursued and successfully met. Information and care strategies are shared fluidly between professionals, ensuring steady routines that allow children to flourish.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s achievements are celebrated with happiness. An awards ceremony brought together children and their families to recognise their individual progress and success. Each child received a certificate and medal, creating a joyful and inclusive event. This annual celebration ensures that children, families and staff can reflect on and take pride in how far they have come.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have a wide range of needs, including complex health needs. Staff have superb knowledge and skill in meeting these needs, whether administering medication, following detailed health plans for conditions, such as epilepsy, or supporting children with other specialist requirements. This ensures that all children, regardless of their level of need, can access short breaks safely and securely. Families are reassured by the team’s expertise and place immense trust in their ability to provide safe, specialist care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The voice of children is central to practice. This is particularly apparent for children who do not use words. Staff employ a wide range of strategies to ensure that every child is fully involved and able to express their views. Managers and staff actively seek opportunities to include children in decision-making. For example, the ongoing development of the garden area. Children are being invited to choose from three design plans. This inclusive approach ensures that shared spaces reflect children’s preferences and fosters a strong sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are committed to enriching each child’s lived experiences. They provide opportunities that many families find difficult to arrange. For example, one child’s dream of attending a music concert was realised through the manager’s creative planning. Families are also included in outings, enabling them to share precious experiences and build lifelong memories together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Relationships with families are very strong. Staff and managers invest significant time in developing deep, trusting connections with parents and carers. They provide unwavering Inspection report for a children’s home: 1268334 4 support during times of difficulty, enabling families to take essential respite. Staff consistently go above and beyond expectations with outreach support. Where possible, the manager also arranges additional stays during times of increased stress. One parent describes the service as a ‘lifeline’ and emphasised that they did not know where they would be without the support they have.

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

Safeguarding arrangements are effective. The main safeguarding policy has been strengthened and is more robust. Additional processes ensure that concerns, such as unexplained bruising on children, are addressed promptly and thoroughly. This enables safeguarding professionals to have oversight of decision-making. This is particularly important as some children are unable to use words to say what has happened. Children’s safety is prioritised, and children’s social care is involved at the earliest opportunity.

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

Children benefit from staff’s support to manage their behaviour and feelings safely. Staff are curious about children’s experiences and demonstrate an understanding of the reasons behind their behaviour. Clear expectations and boundaries are in place, but staff work sensitively to reduce triggers and create a calm, nurturing environment.

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

Positive behaviour is consistently promoted. Staff model this well and use gentle reminders to guide children. Strategies are tailored to the individual needs of each child, which helps to calm situations successfully. As a result of this approach, staff have not needed to use any strategies, such as physically guiding or holding a child.

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

Complaints are managed properly. The manager takes concerns seriously, ensuring that they are resolved in a timely manner, and provides feedback to complainants. This builds confidence in the service and ensures concerns do not escalate.

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

Children’s health needs are well met. Each child has an individual health file stored securely in the medication room. Processes for the receipt, administration and return of medication are clear. This ensures children’s safety and minimises the risk of errors.

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

For some children, additional equipment is needed to keep them safe. For example, children who have epilepsy may require a monitor with a camera in their room at night. The process for reviewing the need for this support is not as detailed as it could be. However, this is always discussed with the family and health professionals, with appropriate consent being given.

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

Records are in the process of being updated and streamlined to prevent duplication. However, there is some minor inconsistency across information in care plans. This does not affect the care children have or their safety. However, this should be addressed so staff have the same information for each child at hand. Inspection report for a children’s home: 1268334 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The service is led by a highly experienced and inspirational manager. Having worked across a range of roles within the service for years, she has developed an exceptional understanding of its strengths and challenges. She uses this deep knowledge to push continuous improvement, with a focus on achieving excellence for children. For example, she has skilfully managed the increasing complexities of coordinating children’s stays as the service grows, ensuring that children’s needs are met with thoughtful care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has established a culture of positivity, openness and trust. Staff are actively encouraged to provide anonymous feedback on the performance of the management team and areas for improvement. By recognising staff as experts in children’s care, the manager has empowered them to voice their views in a safe space. Feedback is not only listened to but acted on, with changes to practice directly shaped by staff contributions. This has created a vibrant and reflective service, where staff feel valued and empowered in delivering the very best outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Innovation is a characteristic of the manager’s leadership. Creative ideas are consistently used to enhance children’s experiences and prepare them for their stays. An excellent example is the children’s book, developed with the help of a local author, who has experience of disability. This enchanting story introduces children to the service in a child-friendly way, reducing anxiety and helping them feel secure before arriving.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff know the children incredibly well. They provide individualised care that enables each child to thrive. Children are treated with unconditional positive regard, with staff consistently seeing beyond disability and ensuring that no child is limited by their diagnosis or complex needs. This ethos is spread across the service and results in children experiencing care that is both aspirational and empowering.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The management team are effective in driving staff practice forward. They create meaningful opportunities for staff to reflect, share ideas and develop their skills. Training, team meetings, supervision, and development days are used to build confidence and expertise. Managers identify and nurture the strengths of each staff member, encouraging them to grow and contribute to the collective success of the team. This ensures that the quality of care is strengthened and remains at the highest standard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The management team and staff maintain close, positive relationships with a wide range of professionals. Information is shared seamlessly and consistently, ensuring that children’s care is sound and predictable. This is particularly vital for children who find changes difficult. This helps children experience stability and reassurance during their stays. Inspection report for a children’s home: 1268334 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that case records must be kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. ‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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 a children’s home: 1268334 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: South Tyneside Council

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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 a children’s home: 1268334 8 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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