Children's Home run by Sunbridge Childcare Ltd in North Tyneside

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 1 Sunbridge Childcare Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in July 2021 and is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

There were no children living in the home at the time of the visit.

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This monitoring visit

An assurance inspection was carried out on 2 February 2023 due to an increase in regulation 40 safeguarding notifications. During this inspection, Ofsted identified significant shortfalls in the provider’s safeguarding practice due to ineffective leadership and management arrangements. As a result of the shortfalls, a decision was made to suspend the registration of the home on 2 February 2023. Ofsted also issued four compliance notices under regulations 12, 13, 14 and 25. In addition, several additional requirements were issued.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to monitor the provider’s compliance with the emergency suspension notice and its progress in meeting the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has complied with the emergency suspension notice and no children have been living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has also improved the fire safety arrangements in the home. Therefore, the compliance notice that was issued under regulation 25 has been met.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has yet to improve the safeguarding arrangements for children. Two of the five steps in the compliance notice issued under regulation 12 have been restated. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 2 The provider has yet to improve the leadership and management arrangements and the care planning arrangements for the children. Two of the three steps in the compliance notice issued under regulation 13, and both steps in regulation 14, have been restated.

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This monitoring visit

Other than the registered manager and the deputy manager, there are no other staff employed to care for children. The provider has a plan in place to address this.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has introduced more systems to identify when bedroom searches should take place so that children and staff are aware of this. The registered manager now has a plan in place to ensure that these take place when required.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has improved its systems so that the children can understand how their behaviour may place them and their peers at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

New systems are in place to support management oversight of records and staff’s actions. However, the provider has yet to embed these systems and there has been no management oversight since 26 January 2023.

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This monitoring visit

Policies, procedures and documents make it clear how complaints can be made. Accessible information is now readily available so that children know how to make a complaint. However, as there are no children are living in the home, the effectiveness of these changes cannot be measured.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has developed several new systems to support the monitoring of the safe operation of the home. However, the effectiveness of the new systems and documents at improving the safeguarding arrangements for children cannot be tested as there are currently no staff or children at the home.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has missed an opportunity to identify how it intends to train the current and new staff in its workforce and home development plan. This oversight prevents those who may use the service from being assured that the staff are all familiar with all the children’s known and emerging risks and know how to respond when significant safeguarding incidents occur.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has yet to provide sufficient guidance so that staff know how and when they should escalate their concerns to the children’s placing local authorities when the child’s behaviour continues to place them and others at risk.

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This monitoring visit

Although changes to the children’s plans have been made to ensure that their wishes and views are captured in their care planning, these plans still do not identify the children’s cultural needs.

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This monitoring visit

The registered provider has an action plan to continue the improvement work in this home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 3 Following this visit, the compliance notices under regulations 12, 13 and 14 have been reissued.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements previously issued under regulations 5, 11, 16, 19, 33, 35, 39 and 40 were not reviewed during this visit. For this reason, they are restated.

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This monitoring visit

The emergency suspension notice remains in force until 26 April 2023. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2022 Full Good 01/02/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 5

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must have a system in place so that they can be assured that the manager and staff know, understand and follow the policies and procedures in place to safeguard children. 23 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 6 Additionally, the registered person must identify how they will upskill and train all the staff to work in accordance with the children’s risk assessments and the home’s policies and procedures to safeguard the children.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

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)(d)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they have sufficient experienced and trained staff who understand, and respond appropriately to reduce, the risks to children.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, the registered person must ensure that management oversight of the operation of the home is effective.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 23 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

*The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. 23 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

the child is, or has been, persistently absent from the home without permission; or

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Requirement Due date

the child requests a review of the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(e)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there is a system in place that identifies the children’s wishes, feelings and needs, including their cultural needs, and how these will be met.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, registered person must ensure that there is a clear process in place to escalate any concerns that they identify when they are unable to keep a child safe. This process must include how and when the manager will escalate their concerns about the child’s care planning arrangement to the child’s placing local authority to request a looked after review.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that staff— 23 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 8 meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and 23 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 9 a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

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”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

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 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child.

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Requirement Due date

The following measures may not be used to discipline any child—

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Requirement Due date

imposing a financial penalty, other than a requirement for the payment of a reasonable sum (which may be by instalments) by way of reparation. (Regulation 19 (1) (2)(f))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 23 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI’s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding twelve months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. (Regulation 39 (1) (3) (5)) 23 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 10 This requirement has been restated.

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 23 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 23 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 23 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 11 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.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 23 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they obtain written consent to any monitoring or surveillance from the placing authority at the time of placement. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 3.16)  The registered person should ensure that all the children’s case records are kept up to date and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 12 Unique reference number: 2638322

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Inspectors

Janine Shortman-Thomas, Social Care Inspector Claire Webster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 13 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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