Children's home run by HMO NE Ltd T/A ForeverCare

Inspection report for children’s home: 2591471 1 Registered provider: HMO NE Limited 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. The home provides care for up to two children who may have emotional and/or social difficulties and/or learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2021 and is currently absent from the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector spoke to both of the children.

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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: 2591471 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/08/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2591471 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The managers and staff ensure that the home provides a warm and comfortable environment for the children. The home is well decorated. The children’s bedrooms are individualised, as they have chosen their own decorations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are supported by a stable and consistent staff team. This means that the children build positive relationships with the staff, who they become attached too. When additional staff are needed, staff who are already known to children are called on. This further promotes consistency of care for the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children make good progress with their education. The managers are proactive and they advocate well for the children. This ensures that the children receive an education provision that meets their needs. When the children are struggling with their education, the managers work closely with the education professionals to ensure that alternative plans are in place. This ensures that the children continue with their education and make progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported well to attend their routine health appointments, and they are registered with local healthcare practices. Children enjoy a healthy diet and they are encouraged to keep fit. Staff engage with specialist mental health services to support the children’s emotional well-being. This ensures that the children access the support that they require when needed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage and support the children to engage in activities in the community. The children have lots of fun days out with the staff. The staff support the children to take part in local charitable events. For example, the children and the staff have taken part in a litter picking event at the local beach in order to celebrate world environment day. Activities such as these support the children to feel part of their local community, and they give them a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to explore their identity. The children have trusting relationships with the staff and they can talk to them freely about their feelings and emotions. This helps the children to have a positive self-image.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are prepared well for moving on into adulthood. Children’s care plans identify their areas of strength and skills, and the areas in which they need extra support. When additional support is required, this, and who will provide this support, is clearly identified in the child’s plan. As a result, the children learn life-long skills and grow in confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff create personal memory books for the children to capture their experiences of living in the home. In these books, there are photos and details of the activities the Inspection report for children’s home: 2591471 4 child has taken part in, and they record the child’s achievements. This contributes to the children’s life-story work and enables them to reflect on their progress.

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

The managers and the staff ensure that children’s risk assessments and individualised support plans are in place to help to keep the children safe. These assessments are reviewed regularly so the staff have the most up-to-date information to care for the children safely. As a result, children receive predictable, consistent responses during challenging times.

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

Staff and the managers are quick to identify emerging risks for the children. Collectively, they work well with all the agencies that work with the child, to promote the child’s safety and welfare. When children’s risks increase, such as going missing from the home, the managers are proactive, and they take action to minimise the risks. The managers alert the relevant professionals about the emerging concerns, and about the risks associated with the location of the children’s home. This means that appropriate action is taken quickly to safeguard the child.

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

Children rarely go missing from this home. When children do go missing, there are clear procedures in place for staff to follow. This helps the staff to respond effectively to locate and safeguard the child.

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

The staff talk to the children regularly to make sure that they feel safe and secure. When a child has seen something that another child has done that worries or concerns them, the staff spend time with the child. The staff provide the child with an opportunity to talk about this, and they offer reassurance to the child. Children said that they feel safe living at the home.

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

Staff understand the children’s behaviours and their triggers, so they respond appropriately when children are in crisis. On the rare occasion when children are unable to manage their emotions, the staff physically intervene to stop the children from hurting themselves. These interventions are appropriate and they are recorded in detail. The managers analyse each incident, and ensure that any learning from this is put into practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is absent from work. The home is managed by an interim manager. The interim manager is a registered manager for another children’s home owned by this provider. The interim manager has a good understanding of the wider organisational culture and procedures. She is supported well by an experienced deputy manager. Together, they work well, which has a positive impact on the staff and the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers have a clear understanding of the children’s needs, risks and their progress, as they regularly review the children’s clear and detailed records. The Inspection report for children’s home: 2591471 5 managers learn from, and adapt to, the changing needs of the children, to help inform their practice and develop the team further.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular supervision. Supervision records are detailed and include reflective discussion. These discussions give the staff the opportunity to consider and talk about the children’s complex behaviours and evaluate the effectiveness of their actions in managing the children’s behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers act on the findings from their internal and external monitoring systems. This helps to improve their practice through evaluation. Any actions that are identified in the monthly independent person’s report are actioned swiftly by the managers. However, on one occasion, Ofsted were not provided with the independent person’s monthly report. This oversight prevented Ofsted from being assured that the children were being safeguarded during this time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although the staff rosters are produced in advance, the managers have not consistently ensured that there are a sufficient number of trained staff to meet the needs of the children. The inspector found that on two occasions staff who were in charge of the waking-night duty were not up to date with their first aid training. This oversight hinders these staff from responding to the children’s health needs, using the most up-to-date guidance, if first aid support is required. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591471 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 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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that staff who are in charge of night-time duty have up-to-date first aid training. 11 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to–

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the independent person reports reach the provider and Ofsted within the required time frame. 11 August 2022

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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) Inspection report for children’s home: 2591471 7 Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591471 8

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Inspector

Cherie Chen, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2591471 9 regulates and inspects 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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