Children's Home run by HMO NE Ltd in Sunderland

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2569358 1

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HMO NE Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated and managed by a private provider. The home provides care and accommodation for up to three children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager has been in post since the home registered in May 2020.

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This monitoring visit

An assurance visit was carried out on 13 October 2020. Following this visit, a restriction of accommodation notice and three compliance notices were served under regulations 6, 12 and 13 to address serious and widespread concerns. Issues identified include that leaders and managers do not take effective action to safeguard children, they do not sufficiently monitor staff’s practice, and that staff provide children with inconsistent care.

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This monitoring visit

To evaluate the progress that has been made in addressing these concerns, a monitoring visit was undertaken on 24 November 2020. As a result of this visit, the restriction of accommodation order has been lifted and the three compliance notices are assessed to have been met.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s care plans have been updated with detailed information about their individual needs. The manager has created a system to share information with her staff daily, including any changes to children’s needs. This helps staff to provide children with consistent care. Care plans outline how staff support children to achieve but do not include an outcome. This reduces opportunities for children to see how they are making progress.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s risk assessments contain details of identified risk and relevant historical information, to help staff understand the difficulties children face. There are steps included in the assessments for staff to follow to reduce risks to children. The Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2569358 2 incident records show that staff follow the strategies in place to manage risk, which means staff are helping children to become increasingly safe.

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This monitoring visit

Key-work sessions are used to support children with their individual needs. Staff provide children with guidance and advice to help them understand the potential risks they face.

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This monitoring visit

The manager and her team have completed a range of training to develop their safeguarding practice. The manager has used the shortfalls identified at the previous visit to deliver internal training sessions to her team, which has developed their understanding of the roles and responsibilities in safeguarding processes.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have been given updated copies of safeguarding policies which are discussed in supervision and team meetings. Flow charts are on display for staff, which provides an easily accessible reference point to follow in the event of a safeguarding concern.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has individualised development plans in place for each member of staff, to enhance their knowledge and improve practice. One member of staff said that this input from the manager has helped them to focus and that they feel supported.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements raised at the last inspection under regulations 34 and 40 and one of the two recommendations made have been met. The requirements under regulations 29 and 35 and the second recommendation were not considered during this visit, for this reason they are reissued.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Not applicable Inspection type Inspection judgement Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2569358 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, the 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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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, children’s outcomes should be clearly recorded in their relevant plans. 28 December 2020

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 28 December 2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2569358 4 In particular, monitoring systems should be used to track children’s progress.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider is an individual, the individual must undertake such continuing professional development as is necessary to ensure that the individual has the skills needed for carrying on the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider is a partnership, the partnership must ensure that one of the partners undertakes such continuing professional development as is necessary to ensure that the partner has the skills needed for carrying on the home. (Regulation 29 (1) (3)) 28 December 2020

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")— 28 December 2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2569358 5 has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Inspectors

Paula Kelly, Social Care Inspector Gemma McDonnell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2569358 6 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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