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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC032701 1 SC032701

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Registered provider: South Tyneside Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a local authority. It provides care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager in post. There is an acting manager overseeing the home. They have not applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC032701 2

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Findings from the inspection

Ofsted did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

The home has not had a registered manager since February 2025. There have been several interim management arrangements since then. The current manager understands the children’s needs and is child-focussed. Staff say that they feel supported by the manager and describe the home as more stable. The provider has plans to recruit a permanent manager to the post.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, 2 children continue to live at the home, and one child has moved out. The changes have helped to improve relationships between the children who live at the home and a reduction in concerning incidents involving children together.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff build positive relationships with the children. They use children’s interests to plan activities and trips with the children to develop relationships. The effectiveness of this fluctuates. For example, one child continues to spend a lot of time out of the home and being drawn to unwanted risk-taking behaviours, and one child continues to display challenging behaviours towards staff. However, one child is more confident to talk to staff about personal and sensitive matters. In response, staff provide care that is supportive and non-judgemental. This is helping to develop trust.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s attendance at education has decreased over recent months. When there are barriers to children attending school, the manager requests a review of education plans to explore other options. Additionally, she professionally challenges education professionals when work sent to the home is not aligned to the child’s learning needs. However, when children do not engage with planned education, there are no clear plans to provide children with informal learning throughout the day.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff encourage children to have a healthy lifestyle and promote healthy eating. When children refuse to attend routine dentist appointments outside of the home, the manager arranges for health professionals to visit the home. However, strategies to encourage children to understand the benefits of their prescribed medication or engage with specialist support such as the child and adolescent mental health service, are not effective.

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Findings from the inspection

The home is large and spacious with ample space for children and staff to spend time together. While the home is generally well maintained, children’s bedrooms and bathrooms require more regular maintenance to ensure that they are clean and hygienic.

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Findings from the inspection

Some areas of the home such as the kitchen are routinely locked for safety reasons and on the advice of a clinical health professional. The manager has reviewed these Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC032701 3 arrangements and is waiting for a safer cooker to be installed. However, these arrangements have been in place for several months before and one child said that they do not like asking for the kitchen to be opened. Furthermore, most external doors are locked, including doors to the garden. This means children are unable to make independent choices and access all areas of the home. Additionally, these arrangements contradict the fire risk assessment.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s plans are updated when risks emerge and give staff guidance on how best to support children. When incidents occur, these are generally managed well, and information is shared with safeguarding professionals. The manager is confident to challenge the placing authority if she is not satisfied with the response.

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Findings from the inspection

Allegations are taken seriously. Staff listen to children and act on their views. Appropriate safeguarding procedures are followed that help to ensure that safe adults are caring for the children.

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Findings from the inspection

When children are at risk in the community, the manager and staff respond appropriately and share information with safeguarding professionals. Staff talk with children about their risks. However, this is often in response to an incident rather than planned and preventative, with staff missing opportunities to help and educate children to stay safe. The manager’s plan to address this has yet to take effect.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff understand the risks that the internet and electronic communication pose to children. Staff carry out checks and use software applications to monitor internet use. However, these strategies are not effective in monitoring children’s social media accounts which they use to meet other people and develop intimate relationships. This does not help children to stay safe and understand healthy relationships.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff know how to respond when children are missing from home. Staff have good knowledge about the community and look for children. Staff following missing-from- home procedures and a coordinated response helps to ensure that children return safely.

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Findings from the inspection

The monitoring and review of the home are not always effective. Children’s statutory documents such as pathway plans and statutory review minutes are not on children’s files. This limits staff’s ability to follow the children’s most up-to-date plan.

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Findings from the inspection

Two staff members have passed the relevant timescale to achieve their required qualification to work with children in a residential setting. Another staff member does not hold the qualification but is deemed to hold an equivalent qualification. However, leaders and managers have not demonstrated how they are satisfied that the equivalent qualification meets the relevant regulations. This does not provide assurance that all staff have the skills and knowledge to care for children.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has not ensured that the statement of purpose that accurately reflects management arrangements, has been submitted to Ofsted. This prevents the regulator from having oversight of the structure and staffing in the home. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC032701 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/07/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/08/2024 Full Good 14/08/2023 Full Good 30/08/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC032701 5

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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 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 31 January 2026

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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—

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to online safety. 31 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected; 31 January 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC032701 6 children can access all appropriate areas of the children's home's premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child's privacy or access to any area of the home's premises— and

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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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

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)) 31 January 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC032701 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home provides the child with a homely, domestic environment. In particular, the registered person should ensure children’s bedrooms and bathrooms are clean and hygienic. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that when children are not participating in education for whatever reason, children should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 28, paragraph 5.15)  The registered person should ensure that staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children understand, and where necessary work to change negative behaviours in key areas of health and well-being which includes engaging with services. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes

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Recommendations

Regulations including the quality standards,’ page 63, paragraph 14.13) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC032701 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: South Tyneside Council

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Cat Makel, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC032701 9 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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