Children's Home run by Newcastle City Council in Newcastle upon Tyne

Inspection report for children’s home: 2809166 1 Registered provider: Newcastle City 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 owned and managed by a local authority. It is registered with Ofsted as a multi-building children’s home. It provides care for up to 6 children in 3 separate houses who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

All the homes were visited as part of the inspection and 4 children were spoken with.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2809166 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/04/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2809166 3

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Summary of findings

Children like living at the home and develop positive relationships with staff. Children make steady progress. Safeguarding practice is effective and staff manage some complex and challenging situations well and some children become safer.

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Summary of findings

A dedicated leadership team manages the homes. Their monitoring is effective and this contributes to making continuous improvements.

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Summary of findings

Some minor areas of improvements are needed. This is in relation staff not always recording discussions that help children make progress or demonstrate how they understand risks; and the manager not always recording any potential effect all the children living in the homes may have on one another.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress from the help and support they receive. Most of the children have lived at the homes for over a year and have a sense of permanence. Children are supported by a consistent staff team and over time, develop positive relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say they like living at the home and can identify staff that they trust and feel able to speak to. Children are confident they will be listened to. For example, one child was supported to make a complaint about an external professional. Another child regularly requests that staff send emails to professionals or family members to ask questions on their behalf. Staff understand this is the child’s preferred communication method and support the child to understand the responses.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The importance of education is promoted, and some children attend school full time. The home is part of a pilot scheme run by the local authority that aims to explore the emotional challenges that can affect children attending school. Staff work with education professionals to identify more suitable provisions that can meet children’s needs. As a result, some children are re-engaging in education activities, for example, with tutors and vocational courses.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of children’s identity and cultural heritage. Children are supported to attend places of worship and celebrate religious occasions. Additionally, staff understand the importance of family ties and support children to spend time with people who are important to them. Staff communicate well with the children’s families and also support parents with their parenting skills. This has improved relationships between children and their parents and in some instances, supported children to return to their family home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2809166 4 Children are supported to learn and develop their independence skills in preparation for adulthood. This includes understanding finances and responsibilities to manage a home tenancy. Additionally, staff supported one child to gain part-time employment through job searches and preparation for interviews. This increases children’s confidence and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

skills in preparation for adulthood. Staff provide opportunities such as driving lessons and understand why this is important to children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All 3 homes are welcoming and represent children’s wishes and choice of decor. Children are encouraged to engage in activities to promote enjoyment, build self-esteem and social development. Some homes include photos of children and staff enjoying activities and making memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager completes an assessment of children’s needs before they move into the home. The manager is diligent in gaining information from other professionals who know the children. The manager takes appropriate action to ensure that staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to understand children’s needs through bespoke training. However, the manager does not record any potential effect the change in dynamics will have on all the children living in the homes which are in close proximity of one another.

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

Thorough responses to missing-from-home incidents are slowly helping children to become safer. Managers and staff have sound knowledge about risks associated with missing and exploitation and staff know what to do when children are missing from home. Staff look for children and follow safeguarding procedures to support their safe return. The manager has forged links with local and national agencies to ensure that children receive a swift response and to reduce future incidents. Risks have not been eliminated but they have been well managed and they have reduced.

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

Children’s plans are reviewed regularly and include actions that staff should take to help children to make progress and be safe. Children contribute to their plans and have a say about what they want staff to do to help them.

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

Staff understand children’s individual needs and emotional responses. Some children are held by staff for their safety when de-escalation strategies have not been effective. There has been an increase in the frequency and duration of holds for one child. All incidents are reviewed by the manager which has helped to identify possible reasons for the increase in unwanted behaviours. The manager communicated with professionals swiftly and requested a medication review.

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

Children have access to specialist support when they need it. Staff ensure that children attend appointments, for example with mental health professionals. Additionally, staff benefit from consultations with therapeutic practitioners. The interventions help staff to understand children’s presenting behaviours and implement strategies that help children.

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

Staff have supportive conversations with children about topics to help children understand risks. However, staff do not always record the discussions that help children Inspection report for children’s home: 2809166 5 make progress or demonstrate how they understand risks. The manager is aware this is an area for development and has plans to improve this for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced and committed manager. He is supported by 2 deputy managers, together they create a stable management team who lead by example and have effective monitoring systems. The leadership team know the children well, they understand children’s past experiences and use this to promote a therapeutic environment for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are held regularly and well attended. Minutes are detailed and specific to issues in the home. The manager invites other professionals to team meetings to share information to improve staff knowledge. The manager empowers staff by allocating lead roles in specific areas of the children’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff overwhelmingly say that they feel supported by each other and the leadership team; and that they benefit from this when managing complex and challenging incidents. This has created a positive morale in the home that benefits children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular practice-related supervision sessions. Sessions give staff an opportunity to reflect on their own wellbeing, development and to receive support. Safeguarding is a focus of supervisions sessions and includes safeguarding scenarios to improve staff skills and knowledge on how to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff work well with partner agencies. Professionals describe communication from the manager and staff as excellent. The manager consults with professionals who know the children well, about making changes to children’s plans. These collaborative relationships contribute to children receiving consistent responses to their needs, helping to create stability for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2809166 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are consistently completing and recording direct work with the children that help them to develop and make progress. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 16, paragraph 3.14)  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the staff can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs; and where they have fully considered the effect that a new child arriving will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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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: 2809166 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Newcastle City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Newcastle City Council, Civic Centre, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8QH

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Inspectors

Cat Makel, Social Care Inspector (lead) Amber Merriman, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2809166 8 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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