Children's home run by Hennessy Living Group Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2520922 1 Registered provider: Hennessy Living Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to six children who may have social, emotional or mental health difficulties. It is owned and managed by a private provider.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered in February 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspectors spoke with four of six children who live in the home.

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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

Date of last inspection: 1 February 2022

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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: 2520922 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/02/2022 Full Good 19/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/11/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2520922 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive warmth and affection from a stable staff team. Some children have lived together for a significant period of time, and they know each other well. Staff help children to maintain healthy relationships with each other and encourage the children to spend time together when appropriate. One child said: ‘I think living in the home change our lives. I think this is a good home.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with the children and the people who are important to them to create detailed plans to support the children to move into and out of the home. Children visit the home prior to moving in, and they are informed before new children move in. Staff review the children’s care plans to make sure that the impact of children living together is well considered. As a result, children feel comfortable and settle quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience a variety of opportunities that enrich their lives. They are active and regularly explore their wider community. They enjoy trips to the parks and sightseeing hotspots. This helps the children to develop their confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children create personal memory books about their experience of living in the home. These include photos of their activities and experiences. This contributes to their history and life-story work and enables them to reflect on their achievements. Children are proud to showcase their memory books, and they share their fond memories openly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to make progress by staff who understand the importance of learning and education. Staff develop positive relationships with the children’s education providers to ensure that the children get the provision they need. Staff understand the barriers to learning that children may face. Children who attend school are helped by staff through good routines and practical support. Some children, who have struggled with school attendance previously, now attend regularly and make progress. Children who prefer to engage in learning at home are prepared for adulthood by practising independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time and keep in touch with people who are important to them. Staff spend time with the children after their family time to explore their experiences and feelings. Staff help the children to understand why they are unable to live with their families or see their friends. This helps the children with their emotional and mental well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with the children to identify priority development areas according to the children’s care plan. Staff complete regular key-work sessions with the children, which are linked to their priority development areas. This provides the children with Inspection report for children’s home: 2520922 4 a safe space to reflect on their behaviours and to discuss any issues that they may have encountered.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are met. Staff support the children to register with doctors and dentists and access support from a wide range of other services. The children’s routine appointments and checks are up to date.

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

Children feel safe and supported living in the home. Children feel comfortable in seeking support from the staff and the manager. Staff provide a strong response to safeguard children, and they work closely with agencies to achieve this.

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

Children’s risk assessments are linked to their care plans and behaviour support plans. The manager updates the children’s risk assessments following an incident and reviews the children’s behaviour management plans regularly. This ensures that the children’s risks are identified and managed appropriately.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the children’s risks and their behaviours. The children’s behaviour management plans help the staff to identify the early warning signs and possible triggers which may cause the child distress. On some occasions, this helps the staff to divert the children’s attention away from potentially difficult situations. Staff follow clear strategies to reduce and manage risk, which helps to keep the children safe.

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

Staff respond quickly and confidently to incidents of children leaving the home without permission. They follow the children, and they are familiar with the areas that children may go to. The staff inform and work with other agencies to keep the children safe. Staff request that return home interviews for children are completed, and they speak with the children when they return home. This means that the children have the opportunity to talk about their experience and learn about the risks associated with this behaviour.

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

The manager and the staff understand the importance of using a restorative approach to help the children to understand the consequences of their behaviours. For example, the children developed a presentation about fire safety and internet safety as part of their reparation work. This helps the children to understand how to keep themselves and others safe while enjoying their presence in the community and the online world. However, this practice is not consistent, as not all children are consistently offered the opportunity to carry out reparation work following an incident.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is effective management oversight in the home. The manager is supported by two experienced deputy managers. They work well together to support one another and complement each other’s skills. There is a continual focus on children, which has a positive impact on the children’s progress and outcomes. Inspection report for children’s home: 2520922 5 The manager understands the strengths and areas for development at the home. She has addressed the requirements and recommendations made in the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The consistent staff team provides stability for the children. Professionals value the stability the core staff team provides to the children and say that there is good communication.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are held regularly, and they are well attended. The manager sometimes includes activities to help the staff to extend their knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation. This approach supports the staff to broaden their understanding of this aspect of their role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most of the staff have completed the organisation’s mandatory training. The rota is arranged to ensure that there are suitably trained staff available to meet the needs of the children. As a result, the children are being cared for by staff who have up-to- date knowledge of how to respond to their individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff maintain positive links with those agencies that support the children. The staff communicate with the children’s schools and education providers daily to discuss any issues or concerns. This promotes positive communication across the children’s care team and ensures that the children receive consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision from the management team. Staff are provided with opportunities and a safe space to share their views. However, supervision does not always include reflective discussion in respect of safeguarding. This is a missed opportunity for the manager to identify and monitor the development needs of her staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2520922 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the supervision of staff practice engages in a safeguarding culture. This is to ensure that staff reflect on their practice and understand their roles and responsibilities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.14)  The registered person should ensure that any consequences used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. In some cases, it will be important for children to make reparation in some form to anyone hurt by their behaviour, and the staff in the home should be skilled to support the child to understand this and carry it out. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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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: 2520922 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hennessy Living Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Rickleton 1B, Bowes Offices, Lambton Park, Chester-le-Street DH3 4AN

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Inspectors

Cherie Chen, Social Care Inspector Jacqueline Tate, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2520922 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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