Children’s Services Directorate

Children’s Social Care

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

SLATYFORD

LANE

Registered Provider: / Registered Manager:
Newcastle City Council
Children’s Services Directorate
Civic Centre
Newcastle upon Tune
NE1 8PA
Registered Person:
Mick McCracken
Director of Safeguarding and Children’s Social Care
Civic Centre
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE1 8PA / Colin Beales
12, Slatyford Lane
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE5 2UP
Reg No: SCO33642

This is a Statement of Purpose and Function for Slatyford Lane and is compiled as required under Regulation 4 and Schedule 1 of the Children’s Homes Regulations 2001(amended 2011).

Slatyford Lane is registered with Ofsted at:

Ofsted

Piccadilly Gate

Store St

Manchester

M1 2WD

Telephone: 0300 123 1231

Last Reviewed June 13

Next Review June 2014 at the latest

Contents

1.  Overall Aims and Objectives of Slatyford Lane 4

2.  Facilities and Services provided 12

3.  Registered Provider and Registered Manager Details 13

4.  Qualifications and Experiences of Registered Provider

and Registered Manager 14

5. Staffing 15

6. Supervision, Training and Development of Staff 17

7. Organisational Structure of Slatyford Lane 19

8. Particulars of Slatyford Lane Children’s Home20

9. Admissions 20

10. Registration Criteria 25

11. Underlying Ethos and Philosophy 25

12. Health Arrangements 26

13. Education 28

14. Recreational, Sporting and Cultural Activities 29

15. Consultation with Young People 29

16. Control, Restraint and Discipline of Children 30

17. Arrangements Safeguarding and Countering Bullying31

18. Unauthorised Absence from Local Authority Care 33

19. Surveillance 34

20. Fire Precautions and Emergency Procedures 34

21. Religious Observance 35

22. Contact Arrangements 36

23. Complaints 37

24. Reviews of Children’s Cases 38

25. Sleeping Arrangements 39

26. Therapeutic Techniques 39

27. Anti-discriminatory Practice 39

1. Overall Aims and Objectives of Slatyford Lane

Service Statement of Purpose

The purpose of the Newcastle upon Tyne Residential Child Care Service is to provide, in partnership with families, a safe environment for children and young people who have been assessed as being in need of a group living placement matched to their individual needs.

We provide a range of clearly defined responsive services that will strive to maximise the potential of each child and young person within a child plan.

We will provide this service within a corporate parenting framework using the guidelines of Every Child Matters - Change for Children Outcomes and the five key areas / National Minimum Standards for Children’s Homes 2011 / Children’s Homes Regulations 2001 (amended 2011) / Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010 / Care Planning Regulations 2010

We hope to achieve this in the following way:

· Support children and young people to remain at home as far as is practicable;

· Assess needs and match with a quality service;

· To work in partnership with other workers and agencies in

a) undertaking assessment,

b) providing a quality service;

· Provide a service with a purpose;

· Provide a safe environment to care for children and young people through quality services;

· Support children and young people in returning home (or to the community), whenever appropriate;

· To have a trained and appropriately qualified staff group (objective);

· To maximise the potential of every child and young person in our care.


Aims:

· To achieve positive outcomes for all young people in our care.

· For young people to develop the skills and awareness necessary to live independently in the community.

· For young people to live in a supportive environment in which they can address problem areas, initiate change, and make positive plans for their future.

· For young people to make decisions and positive choices for themselves.

· For young people to experience, develop and successfully manage interpersonal relationships.

· For young people’s race, culture, religion and sexuality to be respected.

· For young people to have the right to self determination.

· For young people to face responsibilities, and to accept realities and limitations of life in the community.

· For young people to undertake education, training, work and appreciate the importance of it.

· For young people to be listened to.

Objectives:

· Staff will provide a stable and structured environment within which young people may acquire appropriate practical and necessary life skills.

· Staff will encourage young people to take responsibility for their actions and support them in identifying and accepting the consequences.

· Staff will work positively with young people; they will give respect and privacy and be available to listen and offer or arrange advice.

· Staff will utilise their interpersonal skills to develop honest and open relationships with young people, thus encouraging them to make decisions and positive choices.

· Staff will encourage young people to give responsible consideration to their education and career options, promoting a positive work ethic.

· Staff will use daily living situations as a focus for young people to learn about the effect their behaviour has on themselves, others and the community.


Staff at Slatyford Lane aim to provide an environment in which:

· Young people experience a caring and supportive environment that is accepting of them, irrespective of race, culture, religion and sexuality.

· Young people are able to address problem areas, initiate changes in their behaviour / lives and make positive plans for the future.

· Young people can participate in decision making and planning processes e.g. planning meetings, LAC reviews.

· Young people can develop the skills, in order to be able to live successfully in independent accommodation, with their family of origin or with a substitute family.

· Young people are aware of the realities and limitations of life in the community.

· Young people have some choices and control over aspects of their lives.

· Young people can develop the social skills to be able to have positive relationships with family, friends, teachers, social workers, neighbours and future employers.

· The unit has its own transport to facilitate school attendance, family contact, appointments, social and skill development.

· Staff on duty – there will be a minimum of two staff rotated at any one time; at least three between the hours of 9am and 10pm.

· Managers will make available written guidelines for young people and staff, which, when combined with a team approach, will provide the opportunity for a consistent service.

· Staff should encourage young people to develop a commitment towards their placement, including rules and expectations, by involving them in the decision-making processes.

· Staff will positively encourage anti-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes; daily living situations will be used to educate and model acceptable behaviour and attitudes, enabling young people to understand issues of gender, race, disability, class, culture and religion.

· Staff will make young people aware of their rights and responsibilities and also ensure that they understand the Department’s complaints procedure.


Ewen Weir

Director of Wellbeing, Care and Learning

Slatyford Lane Young People’s Unit

Newcastle upon Tyne NE5 2UP.

www.newcastle.gov.uk

Mission Statement

Our mission is:

To enable young people to respect each other, live safely and healthily, and fulfil their potential through support and learning.

Our values:

Excellence: / Endeavour to provide outstanding care, support and services to young people, families, stakeholders and staff.
Achievement: / Seek to achieve your full potential and promote ambition and achievement.
Positivity: / Approach everything you do with a caring, sensitive and creative ‘can do’ attitude. Ensure you can give a positive / caring response to young people, families, and allied professionals.
Purposeful: / Have a clear understanding of your role. Be purposefully effective and be accountable for your own performance.
Respect: / Respect others and value the contribution of all staff in achieving Slatyford Lane’s vision and goals.
Partnership: / Communicate effectively with one another; collaborate with partner agencies to achieve our vision, and to show greater benefits and opportunities.

Our vision:

To achieve excellence and become a home that provides improving quality of care, widely recognised for:

· Enriching and developing young people’s lives through their engagement in excellent care experiences;

· Improving the effectiveness of the service and meeting the needs of all our young people;

· Being a strong, creative and reliable service;

· Our positive, professional service user focussed approach;

· Our contribution to the prosperity of the local community.

Colin Beales

Registered Manager, Slatyford Lane

March 2013


Values:

Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 12):

‘Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child’.

For this purpose, the child shall in particular be provided the opportunity to be heard in any judicial and administrative proceedings affecting the child, either directly, or through a representative or an appropriate body, in a manner consistent with the procedural rules of national law.

Support for Article 12 - Value for individual

· Privacy, Dignity, Independence of young people to be respected.

· Service to be provided in an anti-discriminatory manner.

· Valuing and supporting staff.

· Each individual has right to growth and development to achieve their potential.

· Children have a right to feel safe.

· Approach to work via openness and honesty achieves effective communication.

· Growth and development takes place in the context of stability, continuity, participation, structure and security.

· Each child is an individual and requires an individual plan to achieve their full potential.

· Corporately shared values lead to a consistent multidisciplinary approach.

· Right to confidentiality.

· Group living is dependent on respect of the rights of others.


Young people at Slatyford Lane will be Healthy -

Equality and Diversity relates to all standards:

· Staff will encourage young people to embrace a healthy lifestyle and give advice to prevent poor health; staff will assist young people to assess services for alcohol and substance misuse where appropriate.

· Young people are registered with a GP, opticians and a dentist, and are encouraged to attend for an Initial Health Assessment.

· Young people are encouraged to exercise and eat a healthy diet.

· Staff maintain good links with CAMHS and facilitate appointments.

· Staff encourage young people to take responsibility for their sexual health and support them in accessing appropriate services. We are also a registered C-Card service provider.

· The staff will offer the young people opportunities to discuss and examine their needs and feelings.

Young people at Slatyford Lane will Stay Safe -

Equality and Diversity relates to all standards:

· Slatyford Lane provides a safe, caring and supportive environment free from maltreatment, neglect, violence and sexual exploitation.

· Slatyford Lane meets, and will continue to meet all health and safety standards.

· Young people are provided with advice regarding their physical safety when outside of the home.

· Staff at Slatyford Lane ensure young people are safe from bullying and discrimination and apply the Directorate’s anti-bullying and equal opportunities policies.

· Staff will develop open and honest relationships with the young people so they can feel comfortable and safe within the unit.

· Staff will ensure that all young people understand the Directorate’s complaints procedure, advocacy service and are aware of their rights.


Young people at Slatyford Lane will Enjoy life and Achieve their Full Potential –

Equality and Diversity relates to all standards:

· Staff at Slatyford Lane actively encourage and facilitate regular school attendance, support learning and careers options that promote a positive work ethic.

· Young people are encouraged to experience a wide range of activities outside of school hours.

· Each young person will have a Personal Education Plan, which outlines what support is needed in order to maximise the young person reaching their academic potential.

.

Young People at Slatyford Lane will be encouraged to make a Positive Contribution –

Equality and Diversity relates to all standards:

· Young people are encouraged to participate in planning for their future.

· Young people are encouraged to participate and contribute to the appointment of staff and delivery of services to Looked After Children.

· Young people are encouraged to be respectful to the needs of other members of the community and to act within the parameters of the law.

· Staff to assist young people to understand their position within the community and to make a positive contribution wherever the opportunity arises.

· Staff at Slatyford Lane support young people and assist them through the transition to independence.

· Staff will encourage young people to take responsibility for their own actions and support them in identifying and accepting the consequences.

· Staff will positively encourage anti-discrimination behaviour and attitudes. Primary work sessions, group meetings and daily living situations will be used to educate and model acceptable behaviour enabling young people to understand issues surrounding gender, race, disability, class, culture, religion and sexual orientation.

· Staff will work in partnership with parents and other significant parties to identify problems and a strategy for change.

· Staff will support young people in the development of their communication skills by helping them develop their own self worth.


Saltyford Lane will encourage and facilitate young people to Achieve Economic Well Being –

Equality and Diversity relates to all standards:

· Young people are actively encouraged to seek employment or further education.

· Young people are prepared for independence and encouraged to think how they will provide for themselves given the resources available to them.

· The expectations of young people are raised and they are assisted to achieve a standard of living independently.

· If required a young person will be offered extra support to ensure they are financially literate.

2. Facilities and Services Provided

All young people will be provided with a single bedroom, which can be locked to protect personal items and belongings. Young people are encouraged to personalise their bedroom etc. The sleeping area also contains toilets, baths and showers, separate WC. The residential unit living area provides two TV lounges, dining area, education room, a kitchen, relaxing room and launderette area. The TV lounges offer both television and DVD provision. Young people have access to two computers and a lap top for homework purposes. The kitchen offers the facilities for meal preparation and beverages. The laundry area offers individual washing and drying equipment.