Children's Home run by Hopespring in Sunderland

Inspection report for children’s home: 2630728 1 Registered provider: Hopespring Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to two children who may have emotional and/or social difficulties. Since the last inspection, two children have moved into the home and one child has moved out.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 13 July 2021.

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 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: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2630728 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2630728 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a modern, clean and comfortable home. Bedrooms reflect children’s personalities and interests. The layout of the home offers children shared spaces and opportunities to spend time apart without relying on their bedrooms. There are games and electronic devices in the communal areas. Staff prepare weekly timetables for children and display them in the kitchen. Theses timetables provide reminders and structure for the day.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in education. Some have had challenges and have not attended education full time since the last inspection. However, managers are quick to advocate for the children. They involve education professionals and helped draft an education, health and care plan for a child who needed one. Managers have provided tutors in the short term to complete core subjects with children. Music lessons, cooking, art and writing are also part of children’s structured day. The children benefit from this and engage well until permanent education placements are put in place.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have been reluctant at times to engage with health services offered to them. Managers have adapted their approaches to this. A therapist attends team meetings to train staff to help children with their emotional well-being. A psychiatrist also offers monthly supervision to staff. This consistent and shared approach removes stigma around meeting professionals or attending medical appointments. This also reduces pressure on children and improves their emotional well-being.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to see their families regularly and staff work flexibly to support this as required. Families report that they are kept involved, and that communication with the staff is good and that the children are making progress. The staff maintain links with wider family, trusted adults and friends. This helps children to have strong links outside of the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children build close relationships with staff. Feedback from all professionals is positive, who also confirmed the effect the therapeutic approach to care has on the children. Laughter and warm relationships between staff and children show the close bonds that they are building. Children contact the home if they are out and are struggling, seeking help and advice from staff.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The views of children are well captured and acted on. However, one child was unsure of who they could speak with if they wanted to make a complaint about their care.

p.3

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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2630728 4 Impact assessments completed before children move into the home are thorough. These assessments identify known risks to the children and how these can be managed. They also identify positive risks that can be taken. Taking positive risks helps children to grow in confidence.

p.4

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

Children’s care plans and are reviewed regularly. Staff discuss these with children. Staff regularly complete direct work with the children to help them understand the risks they face and how to best manage these. This gives the children strategies to keep themselves safer. Door monitors in the home are also individually risk assessed. Multi-agency decision-making is in place around this.

p.4

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

Communication is a real strength for the team. The managers lead by example and ensure that the staff, children and people connected to the children are well informed. All stakeholders commented on the quality and frequency of communication from the home.

p.4

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

Managers and staff work hard to plan transitions when children leave the home. Where moves need to happen quickly, the rationale for the move is clearly recorded. The best interest of the child remains central. Staff work hard to make the transition as smooth as possible. This prepares the children for the changes ahead and reduces anxiety for them.

p.4

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

There have been several missing episodes since the last inspection. There was a notable increase over a short period, and this increased concerns around potential exploitation of children linked to substance misuse. Managers, other professionals, families and staff communicated well and addressed the underlying issues. Appropriate actions were taken quickly. This reduced the number of missing episodes and the risk to the children.

p.4

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

Internet safety is well managed in the home. Specific work is completed with the children. The manager ensures that children understand the risks in both the home and in the community. Children are helped to stay safer because of this work.

p.4

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

It is rare that staff use physical intervention in the home. Staff document clearly what is helpful and not helpful when updating risk assessments and behaviour plans. The training provider has been changed in response to research to ensure that methods used promote the values of the home and provider, and keep children safe. Staff work reflectively with children to learn from incidents. This helps children to manage their own emotions.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The ethos of the home is caring and nurturing on every level. This is role modelled by managers and seen throughout the team, recording systems and the way that staff speak about children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is an experienced and skilled professional and is ambitious for the children in their care. The manager inspires the team to work creatively and they Inspection report for children’s home: 2630728 5 remind the staff how the children’s life experiences shape them. The manager has good oversight of recording systems and is seeking to streamline and improve them, reducing duplication of information.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from a thorough induction, regular supervision and training. New staff receive more frequent supervision. One staff member said supervision is their favourite time to reflect, and that, ‘Supervision helps me learn how to help the children better.’ The manager is supervised by the director of the organisation, and this is regular, reflective and challenges practice. Daily informal discussions also take place.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager tackles issues that impact on the children effectively. Professionals, families and children acknowledge how positively and quickly this is done. The manager challenges education, health services and social care when there is delay. One professional said that they have never had to challenge the manager or home staff on their quality of care in return, although they have been challenged. They also report seeing significant changes in the lives of the children since living at the home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager oversees the recruitment process diligently and all checks are in place prior to staff starting. Agency staffing is not used, as the manager strongly recognises the value of having trained, consistent staff in place. This helps children feel secure.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager understands the strengths and weaknesses of the home and uses research to improve the skills and knowledge of staff and outcomes for children. The manager has introduced effective monitoring systems to improve and develop the service.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring of records is generally effective. However, some ambiguous and vague recording persists and went undetected. It is essential that information on children’s records is accurate and concise should the child wish to review their records now or in the future. Inspection report for children’s home: 2630728 6

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that there is a clear process for children to share any concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. Regulation 39 sets out the requirements on the registered person to have a complaints procedure. Children must be aware of this procedure and be reminded of it, as necessary. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 22, paragraph 4.13)  The registered manager and staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a way that is non-stigmatising that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 62, paragraph 14.4)

p.6

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: 2630728 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 10 Sea View Road West, Sunderland SR2 9HA

p.7

Inspector

Carol Jagger, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2630728 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.

p.7

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.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8