Children's Home run by HMO NE Ltd in Sunderland

Inspection report for children’s home: 2569358 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

This home is owned and managed by a private provider. The home provides care for up to three children who may have emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspectors spoke to all three children living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2020.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2569358 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/08/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2569358 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make continued progress, which helps them to grow in confidence. Children’s experiences are enhanced because they receive individualised care and support from a nurturing staff team. Bespoke care plans detail how the children will be supported by the staff. Children have a say about how they wish to be cared for. This benefits children, helping them to thrive in all areas of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s personal spaces are individualised with their favourite pictures, photos and artwork, which are on display. The cleanliness of the home is good, and it is well maintained. The staff undertake regular bedroom checks to ensure that the children’s bedrooms are clean and hazard-free. However, a large sofa in a living area is torn and this has not been replaced or fixed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children said that they have excellent relationships with staff. One child said, ‘I get on with everybody. I can talk to staff about anything. I love it here and this is my home. They care for me.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family time is supported well, and in line with the children’s agreed plans. Staff recognise the importance of children maintaining key relationships with the people who are important to them. Staff advocate well on behalf of the children. This ensures that the children’s family time is a positive experience for them, and their families. This supports children’s emotional and identity needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Effective working relationships with a range of agencies and professionals help the children to access the care and support that they require. Education is very well supported. Some children who previously did not access education on a full-time basis now attend education in line with their education plans. Children said that they are proud of the progress that they make with their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make improved progress with their health and well-being. Staff support the children well, so the children can overcome their anxieties about attending health and dental appointments. This helps the children to access the support that they require. Children enjoy a healthy lifestyle. They are encouraged to enjoy a healthy balanced diet, and to be active through a range of activities that they access. This supports the children’s overall well-being and happiness.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children can speak to an independent advocate when they require independent support. Children feel valued because their views are considered and, when appropriate, acted on. For one child, this has been highly effective as they continue to live in the home, which is the child’s wish. Consequently, the child continues to make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s diverse needs are supported and celebrated. Children are educated to embrace each other’s differences, including gender identity and cultural Inspection report for children’s home: 2569358 4 backgrounds. This helps the children to accept each other’s differences and live harmoniously.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported well to move into and out of the home. The manager carefully considers group-living with the mix of children. Detailed risk assessments are completed prior to children moving into the home. This ensures that the right mix of children live together. This benefits children as there is a significant reduction in critical incidents.

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

Children said that they feel safe and well cared for by the staff team. Risks to children are identified, understood and managed effectively. Targeted key-work sessions focus on specific areas where the children require support and protection. Consequently, risks to the children reduce and they become increasingly safe. A professional said:

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

‘Seriously, the team are just amazing. They are so in tune with the children and know them so well. They just get it. I know that [name of the child] is in safe hands. I absolutely think that they effectively safeguard children, but also help [name of child] to understand how to stay safe.’

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

Handling of medication is not consistently good. During the inspection, the inspectors observed the medication cabinet open and unattended. On this occasion, children did not access the medication. However, this unsafe practice has the potential to expose the children to risk of harm.

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

Staff are trained to recognise the increased risks to children when they are missing from the home. Detailed risk assessments provide the staff with clear guidance on how to aid the children’s safe return home. This guidance is effective, as staff actively search for the children when they are missing from home. There is a significant reduction in children going missing from home as a result of this.

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

Children are supported well by the staff to manage their emotions and behaviour. Regular discussions with the staff help the children to talk about any worries or concerns that they have. The staff respond to the children with consistent, clear guidance and boundaries. This is effective, as bullying is not a concern, and there is a significant reduction in the need for staff to hold the children.

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

Effective safeguarding arrangements ensure that the children’s safety is promoted and protected. For example, when children make allegations against the staff, the management team takes decisive action to ensure that the children are protected and informed of any decisions and outcomes. Good working relationships between the staff, social workers, police and the local authority designated officer ensure that the provider’s safeguarding protocols are followed, which helps to better protect the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2569358 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is supported by a stable senior staff team. Together, they work collaboratively to help drive forward improvements within the service. The manager shows ambition to develop the service, and continually improves the children’s outcomes. Children’s day-to-day experiences are positive because of the high standards and delivery of care that the manager expects from her staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a clear understanding of the progress that the children make. Equally, she understands the need to regularly assess, review and plan for the children to help them to make continued progress. The manager is professional and challenges other professionals when the children do not receive the support that they require. Additionally, she demonstrates the ability to be professionally curious to ensure that the children receive the correct level of care and support. Children thrive because of this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides a supportive environment for her staff. Staff receive regular supervision that is reflective. This provides them with the opportunity to support their learning and development. Staff consistently receive a company induction, as well as an induction into the home. Training programmes that the staff access and complete are tailored to the specific needs of the children. Children receive consistent care and support because the staff are skilled and able to respond to their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has missed an opportunity to demonstrate how she assures herself that all the staff are safe and suitable to work with the children. There was one staff file where there was no clear audit on how the necessary recruitment checks had been completed. The manager addressed the issue during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager understands the home’s strengths and areas for development. The manager has effective systems in place to monitor the service, and she undertakes regular audits to review the practice of the staff. She quickly identifies and responds to any potential shortfalls and areas that require improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive training to help them to understand the children’s sexual identity and the impact for children. The manager’s passion around the subject has become part of her development plan for the staff and the service. The manager recognises that there is a need to improve the support to children who experience issues around sexual identity. One professional said:

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

‘This home is not advertised as a therapeutic placement. However, having worked with a range of therapeutic provisions and services over many years, this home blows other therapeutic services out of the water.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2569358 6

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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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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that all of the staff are clear on how to securely store medication at all times. 9 July 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any damaged furniture in the home is replaced in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should implement an effective system to assure herself that safe recruitment checks on staff are satisfactory. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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 for children’s home: 2569358 7

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Inspectors

Jacqueline Tate, Social Care Inspector Rachel Webster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2569358 8 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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