Children's home run by Together For Children Sunderland

Inspection report children’s home: 2613157 1 Registered provider: Together for Children Sunderland Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed under trust arrangements. It provides care for up to three children who may have emotional and/or social difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager and home registered with Ofsted in October 2020.

p.1

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.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 29 March 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2613157 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report children’s home: 2613157 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are settled and make good progress from their starting points. They have trusting relationships with staff who are committed to them. One child scored living in the home as ‘10 out of 10’ and said, ‘I really love the care home. The staff are really nice. I love the kids here and everyone loves me too.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is welcoming and has been decorated and furnished to a high standard. The level of cleanliness in the home is excellent. Children’s bedrooms are decorated to reflect their likes and dislikes, and staff ensure that children can enjoy their hobbies and interests. For example, a piano was purchased for one child. The manager has plans to develop the large garden at the rear of the home into a space that the children can enjoy. The care that staff put into the home helps children to feel valued and to develop a sense of belonging.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who are new to the home are welcomed sensitively and with careful planning. Visits and overnight stays take place before the children move in. When these have not been possible due to COVID-19 restrictions, staff have been creative and done this virtually. Children are provided with a copy of the children’s guide and complaints procedure on their arrival. This helps them to understand the rules and boundaries of their home and helps them to settle in quickly.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are treated with dignity and respect. Staff embrace and support children’s differences and individuality. They are sensitive to children’s specific needs and challenge others appropriately. This allows children to develop a positive self-image and a sense of their own identity.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are able to raise complaints confidentially and are confident in speaking to staff. Children have used the complaints procedure on one occasion, and the manager has responded appropriately. This gives children confidence that their concerns are being heard and acted on.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that the children’s health needs are met. Children receive support from a range of professionals including therapeutic services. Staff have access to the provider’s clinical team. This enables staff to improve their knowledge of the children’s early experiences and the impact these may have on their development.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Medication arrangements for children have now been improved. There have been two medication errors in the home. There has been a review of the medication policy and there is now a robust plan in place to ensure that this shortfall does not reoccur.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Not all children attend education consistently. Staff recognise the importance of education and make every effort to promote good attendance. Where there are Inspection report children’s home: 2613157 4 barriers to attendance, staff advocate for children and, where necessary, challenge appropriately. This approach ensures that children can return to their education setting quickly and continue with their progression.

p.3

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

Children feel safe due to staff’s consistent approach in managing the children’s behaviour. Staff know the children well and the triggers for their behaviour. They are good at de-escalating incidents and supporting children to develop strategies to regulate their own behaviours. As a result, the home has had no missing-from-home episodes, no incidents of physical intervention and only one complaint. This approach helps children to further develop their relationships with staff and helps them to become increasingly safe.

p.4

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

Key-work sessions cover a range of topics including bicycle safety, mental health awareness, online safety, and safe relationships. This work helps children to develop a greater awareness of what it means to be safe.

p.4

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

Safer recruitment processes are followed when staff are appointed. This provides assurances that they are suitably vetted and qualified to provide care.

p.4

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

Records, including children’s risk assessments and individual crisis support plans, are clear, easy to read and have a detailed plan of how the risks will be managed. However, one example of contradictory information was identified in children’s case records, and there was one example where strategies to manage a known risk were not included. While these examples have not adversely affected any child, it means that staff do not have an accurate understanding of the risks. This potentially places children at risk of harm.

p.4

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

One safeguarding shortfall was identified during the inspection. This involved a child being able to leave the home through the bedroom window on two separate occasions. On the second occasion, the child sustained an injury which required hospital attendance. While the manager had identified a plan to address this, it had not been implemented at the time of the inspection. When the inspector highlighted this, the manager took urgent action to address this shortfall.

p.4

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

Staff occasionally use sanctions to help children understand that they are accountable for their actions. However, the sanction records do not include any oversight from the manager, and children’s views are not sought appropriately. This hinders the manager’s ability to identify patterns in children’s behaviour. In addition, the records do not evidence that the manager has considered whether the use of sanctions is fair, appropriate and effective.

p.4

good

The home has a new manager in post. He has not been a registered manager previously. The manager is child focused and has a clear vision of how he wants the Inspection report children’s home: 2613157 5 home to develop and to improve. He has a strong presence in the home and ensures that he spends time with the children.

p.4

good

All the staff receive monthly supervision sessions. These are reflective and focus on staff’s health and development as well as the needs of the children. Staff feel supported by their manager and are confident to seek advice and support. One member of staff said, ‘This is the first home I have worked in where I am really clear on the values and ethos of the home… [Manager] is clear in his vision and in his expectations.’

p.5

good

Team meetings are held regularly and are well attended. They are used to reflect on the developments across the service and improving practice in the home. On one occasion, the children were invited into the meeting to develop the rules of the home and consequences. This means that children have a say in their care planning and gives them the clear message that their views are valued.

p.5

good

The manager ensures that the staff receive training, relevant to the individual needs of the children. Training records are kept up to date and identify when training needs to be renewed. Despite the manager being aware that three members of staff have not completed any physical intervention training, he allowed these untrained staff to work together alone. This oversight prevents staff from being able to meet children’s needs safely and in line with current training guidance should a child go into crisis and need to be held.

p.5

good

The effectiveness of the internal auditing processes to monitor the performance of staff and how the home functions is not consistent. There is a lack of management analysis in some key documents. There is also no mechanism in place for the manager to be assured that the staff have read children’s records. The lack of these processes hinders the manager’s ability to be assured that the staff are responding appropriately to the changing needs of the children.

p.5

good

The statement of purpose is out of date and does not reflect the current staffing structure. This failure means that parents, commissioners and Ofsted are not able to scrutinise the information to ensure that the current staff have the appropriate skills, experience and knowledge to care for children appropriately and safely.

p.5

good

Independent visits take place monthly. However, they are not undertaken by an independent person. These visits are conducted by staff who are employed by the trust to perform the designated officer function. This is a breach of the regulations.

p.5

good

The manager completes a review of the quality of care provided for children. However, the report does not include clear actions which he intends to take over the next review period. This hinders the manager’s ability to monitor and review the progress that is being made to improve practice and outcomes for children. Inspection report children’s home: 2613157 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d)) This specifically relates to the registered provider ensuring that window restrictors are appropriately fitted in children’s bedrooms. 14 October 2021

p.6

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— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(h)) 14 October 2021

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. The registered person must— keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. 14 October 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2613157 7 (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out— how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. The registered person must ensure that— 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”)— has spoken to the user about the measure; and 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 (1)(a)(b) (3)(b)(i)(c)) 14 October 2021

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint, at the registered provider’s expense, a person (“the independent person”) to visit and report on the children’s home carried on by the registered provider.

p.7

Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5), the registered provider may not appoint the following as an independent person—

p.7

Requirement Due date

if the registered provider is a local authority, a person who is employed by that local authority in connection with the carrying on of the authority’s social services functions (as defined by section 1A of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970(1)) relating to children. (Regulation 43 (1) (3)(a)) 14 October 2021

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered manager should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Risk assessments should include all known risks and details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards,’ page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered manager should ensure that the quality of care review report clearly identifies any actions required for the next 6 months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards,’ page 65, paragraph 15.4) Inspection report children’s home: 2613157 8

p.7

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: 2613157 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Together for Children Sunderland Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Stanfield Business Centre, Addison Street, Sunderland SR2 8SZ

p.9

Inspector

Paula Shepherd, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2613157 10 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.

p.9

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10