Newcombe Lodge

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

The service had a culture of being open and transparent. The registered manager was present and always available for staff when they needed her. All staff we spoke to felt comfortable raising concerns and stated that the management were kind and non-judgemental.

Staff were encouraged to undertake training to support their development, and all support staff were trained above the minimum level required for their role. Professional development was celebrated, and this aided succession planning for the future.

Find out what we look at when we assess this area in our information about our new Single assessment framework.

Staff felt respected, supported and valued. All staff understood the purpose of the service and were passionate about delivering high quality care and treatment to achieve positive outcomes for children.

Daily work provided opportunities for development and career progression.

Managers had a strong understanding of the strengths and challenges of the service. Regular audits of practice were undertaken to ensure quality and consistency.

Staff told us they were aware of the freedom to speak up arrangements for the organisation and knew how to access them. All staff told us they felt they could address any concerns directly with managers, and felt the culture of the service was inclusive, open and transparent made this possible.

All staff undertook training in equality, diversity and inclusion, and there was an up-to-date relative policy. Managers welcomed diversity and no concerns were raised by staff in this area. Staff praised management highly for being inclusive and understanding of their individual needs, this contributed heavily to the high staff retention and high rates of satisfaction.

Our findings from the other key questions demonstrated that governance processes operated effectively at team level and that performance and risk were managed well.

Governance and accountability arrangements were clear. The provider’s policies were up-to-date, and we found that leaders consistently implemented relevant and mandatory quality frameworks within these policies.

The service had built positive links with the local policing service, GP and dentist. This meant children had access to essential healthcare services without delay, and considerations for compassionate and effective management of incidents was effective when support from the police was required.

Children took part in local activities and also travelled with staff to access recreational provision where it was not available locally.

Holistic care was provided for the children at Newcombe Lodge, including their dietary needs being met appropriately.

All staff we received feedback from spoke positively about the care of children with shared aims, care, compassion, and aspirations for them. We found no evidence of negative or punitive language being used in relation to children resident at Newcombe Lodge.

We saw processes to ensure that learning happens when incidents occur involving the children. Leaders were seen to encourage reflection and collective problem-solving at team meetings, during supervision and during staff appraisals. There was a clear strategy for how to develop these capabilities and staff were consistently encouraged to contribute to improvement initiatives, and management maintain oversight accordingly. Staff felt this was a supportive process. Staff received regular clinical supervision from clinical psychologists, and weekly reflective practice group supervision. They described these as compassionate and caring.