Children's home run by HMO NE Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 2595974 1 Registered provider: HMO NE LTD 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 private provider. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children who may have emotional and/or social difficulties. At the time of this inspection, one child is living in the home. The service registered with Ofsted in November 2020. The manager registered on 17 July 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID 19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020. The home has not previously had an inspection.

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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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2595974 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good care and support from a nurturing staff team. Children’s experiences of moving into the home are well planned. The manager carefully considers the needs of children ahead of children moving in. This ensures that the staff provide care and support in line with the home’s statement of purpose. Children’s positive transitions into the home help them to settle quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have individualised care plans and make good progress, taking into account their starting point. The staff review care plans regularly. The staff speak to children and include children’s views in their care plans. This helps children to have a say about how they wish to receive care and support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive support from the staff to spend time with their friends and family. This is in line with children’s care plans and risk assessments. This helps children to maintain key family relationships which supports children’s sense of identity and their emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education, training and employment opportunities are well supported. The staff support children to access the support services that children require. The staff understand the need to work with a range of services to improve children’s outcomes. A professional commented, ‘The staff are amazing. They contribute to the care team. They are also excellent advocates for children. [Name] is attending more places to explore training opportunities than they did before moving into the home.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children maintain good health. The staff support children to do activities that they enjoy. Children enjoy attending gyms and going for walks. Children learn independent skills that help them look after their own health needs. Additionally, the staff support children to budget their finances to purchase healthy foods. This supports children’s good health and overall well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well maintained. Children personalise their rooms with furnishings, photographs and items that reflect their interests. This helps children develop a sense of pride about their home.

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

Children’s risk assessments provide clear guidance for the staff to follow. Regular reviews of children’s risk assessments mean that they remain relevant to children’s needs. The manager debriefs the staff following serious or significant incidents relating to children. As a result, children receive better care and support.

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

Children’s care plans and risk assessments inform key-worker sessions. Targeted key-worker sessions support children to learn how to keep themselves safe. As a Inspection report children’s home: 2595974 3 result, risks are reducing in some areas for children. Additionally, key-worker sessions provide opportunities for children to celebrate their own progress. A child commented, ‘I like it here. I have definitely made progress, as I don’t go missing as often as I used to.’

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

Incidents of children missing from the home have reduced. Staff follow the missing- from-home protocols to aid children’s safe return. Children speak to an independent visitor on their return. Children’s risks are well managed, which helps to better protect them.

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

Incidents involving children are rare. When incidents do occur, staff follow the home’s procedures. Staff take suitable steps to safeguard children. Staff complete written records, which the manager oversees. However, in one example where the staff deprived a child’s liberty, the staff did not record this correctly. This could lead to inaccuracies in children’s records, therefore impacting on the manager’s evaluation of children’s experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has the relevant qualifications and experience. Prior to becoming the registered manager, he was the deputy manager at this home and so knows the staff team and the children well. He has a clear vision for developing the service and staff team to improve outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager understands the home’s strengths as well as areas for development. His quality of care review on children’s experiences is good. This has informed the manager’s workforce development plan. His review of the service means that children’s experiences improve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective monitoring systems. These systems, and his oversight of staff practice, mean that he responds quickly to address any shortfalls in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager recognises the benefits of having a skilled workforce. He ensures that the staff have opportunities to access training. The manager ensures that the staff have regular supervisions and attend team meetings. This provides the staff with opportunities to reflect on their practice. This means children receive consistent care and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager advocates well on behalf of children. He challenges other agencies when children do not receive the support that they require. He ensures that children have a voice to express their views. This helps children feel valued and listened to.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement Not previously inspected Inspection report children’s home: 2595974 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any restricting of a child’s liberty of movement, for example changes to the physical environment of the home, should be recorded as a restraint. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.42)

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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 children’s home: 2595974 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 17 Mowbray Road, Sunderland SR2 8EW

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Inspector

Jacqueline Tate, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2595974 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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