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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2844123 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

The home is operated by the local authority. It provides care for up to 2 children who may experience emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was newly registered on 15 September 2025. The suitably experienced manager registered with Ofsted at the same time. This was the home’s first inspection since opening.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 2 children lived in the home and both children were spoken with during the inspection.

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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: 2844123 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have moved into the home since registration and have made progress in a very short period. Children attend education and are well supported by staff to do so. There has been an increase the children’s attendance and achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to build positive relationships with important family members. Staff support children to spend time with family where they wish to do so and where this is safe, in accordance with their care plans. Staff engage the children in positive activities that focus on their individual talents, such as gymnastics and trampolining, creating positive memories and opportunities for children. Children’s progress and achievements are celebrated, which increases children’s feelings of self-worth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to maintain a positive relationship with each other. Staff understand children’s differing needs and adapt their approach to each child. Children share that staff have made them feel safe and welcome in their new home, and children are responding well to the nurturing care provided. This encourages a continued sense of belonging. One child said, ‘I feel the safest here than I have ever felt anywhere before,’ and described the staff as ‘perfect, kind and just lovely.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff achieve an appropriate balance between respecting children’s sense of privacy and autonomy. Staff teach children important life skills by demonstrating how to care for their environment and age-appropriate self-care, in circumstances where they have not previously been taught these skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are not judged for their behaviours; they are listened to and they feel understood. Children are spoken about positively and receive praise. Children feel valued, and as a result, they are beginning to build positive and trusting relationships with staff. Open and honest discussions take place between children and staff about important subjects, which demonstrates that children feel safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This newly built home is comfortable, homely and decorated to an extremely high standard. Children have modern bedrooms with en-suite shower facilities. They have had input into decorating their bedrooms, and as a result, they are very proud of them.

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

Children receive appropriate responses from staff that help them feel safe and cared for. The manager consults with the in-house psychologist regularly to understand children’s behaviour and develop trauma-informed strategies to help children cope with difficult emotions. Strategies suggested by the psychologist are used to inform children’s care plans and to manage risk. This ensures that the care given to children is nurturing, while giving them a sense of control over their lives. Inspection report for children’s home: 2844123 3 Plans for children’s care are updated regularly with input from children, giving them a voice, and as a result, children feel listened to. The manager and staff implement behaviour strategies at a pace that is appropriate for children, and they understand the effect of too much change occurring in a short space of time.

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

Children’s needs around sexual health are responded to thoroughly and children receive care and support from the appropriate services.

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

Children are provided with consistent care, structure and routine. Age-appropriate boundaries have been implemented, which is something children are gradually becoming accustomed to. Meaningful conversations with the children have helped them understand the reasons for boundaries being in place are to keep them safe.

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

Safeguarding concerns are responded to effectively and appropriate procedures are followed. The manager and staff work collaboratively with other agencies to keep children safe. The manager and staff are proactive in following up concerns and when information of concern is shared by children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced, with a wealth of knowledge in contextual safeguarding. The manager models nurturing and therapeutic practice to staff. This benefits children, who are responding positively to the care they receive. The manager has a proactive and professionally curious approach and consults with therapeutic support on a regular basis to inform care planning for children and share her learning with staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say there is a positive culture in the home and that they have trust in the manager. Staff receive regular and consistent practice-related supervision that ensures they adopt a child-centred approach. Team meetings are well attended and provide an opportunity for learning through group reflection, which promotes staff confidence and development. The manager has ensured that their chosen safeguarding model is threaded into practice, with a high focus on a nurturing, therapeutic approach to children’s care. This is also becoming embedded into the recording systems staff use.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager understands what is working well in the home and areas that require further development. They have a plan for staff development, and the manager has sourced bespoke, specialist training to further enhance the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Ongoing consultation with the in-house clinician ensures that staff are equipped with the necessary knowledge and understanding around trauma and the effect on children. The clinician attends team meetings with staff to provide relevant training around trauma and attachment. This helps staff to develop their knowledge, build on the quality of care given to children and encourage the development of positive relationships and attachment between children and staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2844123 4 Safer recruitment practices are followed. A consistent team of staff with a wide range of experience is now in place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is highly skilled at multi-agency working and has quickly developed effective working relationships with the relevant agencies involved in children’s care. An independent reviewing officer reported a high level of partnership working and shared that communication from the manager is the best they have encountered in their experience of working with children’s homes. Feedback received from a social worker was highly positive about the level of communication and relevant updates received from the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

No requirements or recommendations were raised following this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2844123 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: 2844123 6

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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

Sarah Adotey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2844123 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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