Children's home run by Together For Children Sunderland

Interim inspection report children’s home: 1254838 1 Registered provider: Together For Children Sunderland Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides short breaks for up to seven children and young people who have a sensory impairment and/or a learning or physical disability. The home is owned by Sunderland City Council but controlled by an independent board.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 19 December 2017

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, children and young people continue to enjoy high-quality and individualised care from a stable and experienced staff team. All the children and young people receiving short breaks have effectively ‘grown up’ in the care of the same staff group. Staff know the children and young people and their families very well. This helps to reassure parents and has enabled the children and young people to develop positive and trusting relationships with staff. As one member of staff commented: ‘We are a very supportive staff team, everybody has a different set of skills and experience and areas of interest and we complement each other.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no children or young people leaving the service since the last inspection, however there are a number of young people who will be transitioning on to adult services in the near future. Their complex health needs are well documented, and early planning that includes introductory visits and close cooperation with family and Interim inspection report children’s home: 1254838 2 professionals ensures that there is minimal disruption for the young people during this significant change in their lives. The manager and staff have responded exceptionally well to an emergency admission for one young person and have gone ‘above and beyond’ in managing the safeguarding concerns. Staff have been proactive in their liaison with health and social care professionals in ensuring that the complex needs relating to the young person’s disability are clearly understood. A social worker commented: ‘The manager and staff team have been fantastic in their ability to respond

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

to [name of young person’s] admission to the home. The care they are providing in such a short space of time has seen [the young person] make significant progress. Communication is brilliant and often on a daily basis. [The young person] presents as being much happier.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children’s and young people’s complex health and disability needs are well known and are supported with detailed and individualised care and behaviour management plans. Procedures for administering medication and feeding regimes, such as gastrostomy PEG feeding, are clearly recorded, and daily records reflect that these procedures are followed correctly. This meets the requirement made at the last inspection. All personal care tasks are carried out sensitively and in a way that encourages the children and young people to develop independence skills. Consistency of care alongside a dedicated and skilled staff team has resulted in the children and young people making sustained and measurable progress. A longstanding member of staff said: ‘I absolutely love working at [name of the home]. It’s priceless to watch the children and young people make progress. In the few weeks that [name of young person] has been here she has made such progress.’ Progress and achievements are

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

recorded, and children and young people receive certificates in recognition of this. Much focus is placed on developing the child or young person to reach their full potential. For some, this might mean steps that are small but that give them a better quality of life.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Recording activities and the upkeep of daily records, care plans and risk assessments have been revised to provide a more measurable and evidence-based recording tool. The home has introduced an ‘All About Me’ booklet and ‘My Ladder of Achievements’ that focuses on the consultation that takes place with the child or young person to ascertain their wishes and feelings, likes and dislikes. This has improved the range of activities children and young people have been able to participate in which have included a trip to the cinema, bowling or a day trip to the seaside and lifeboat centre. The manager has met the recommendations made at the last inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The introduction of a more robust monitoring and auditing system is being undertaken by the registered manager that informs shortfalls in practice. The manager’s ‘footprint’ and oversight in the quality of care being provided is more visible and has seen an emphasis being placed on evaluating the questionnaires completed by children and young people, families and professionals. A greater understanding of the range of techniques and approaches in engaging and communicating with young people, to give them a better quality of life, is clearly evident. The use of Makaton and ‘the Voca’ app are just two examples. Again, this meets the requirement and recommendation made at the last inspection. Interim inspection report children’s home: 1254838 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Together For Children Sunderland Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sunderland City Council, PO Box 102, Sunderland SR2 7DN Interim inspection report children’s home: 1254838 4 Responsible individual: Debra Patterson

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Inspector

Cath Sikakana, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: 1254838 5 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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