Children's Home run by Hennessy Living Group Limited in Hartlepool

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 1 Registered provider: Hennessy Living Group Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company operates and manages this home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to five children with social and/or emotional difficulties and/or mental health needs, and/or alcohol difficulties and/or a learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children living in the home at the time of the inspection. Inspectors observed the children and spoke with one child.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager has been appointed since the last inspection. She has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 2 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 3

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

Children develop trusting relationships with the staff. One professional said, ‘[Name of child] has really good relationships with the staff, and this has helped to improve the child’s emotional well-being.’

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The care of children

Children’s progress is carefully tracked and reviewed. The staff support the children to reach personalised targets. The staff praise and celebrate the children’s efforts and achievements. This helps the children to understand the progress that they have made.

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The care of children

The manager advocates well on behalf of the children. When children require additional support, the manager refers them to expert services. The staff help the children to attend these appointments.

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The care of children

Children understand the reasons for the use of the CCTV in the home. The manager has spoken with each child about this, and they have sought the appropriate consent for this. In addition, the provider has changed their practice to ensure that the use of CCTV is discussed with children when they move into the home.

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The care of children

Home conditions are homely. Shared spaces, such as the lounge and the kitchen, are maintained to a good standard. However, the children’s bedrooms are not consistently cleaned and maintained by the staff. Consequently, there is a noticeable difference between the conditions of the children’s rooms and the rest of the home.

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The care of children

The kitchen is locked at nighttime. This prevents the children from entering the room. Instead, the children must ask the staff for drinks and food. The children do not like this restriction because it affects their freedom and independence. This practice has been in place for a long time and the manager has not reviewed the arrangements to ensure that they are proportionate and necessary.

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The safety of children

The home has experienced an unsettled period since the last inspection. There has been an increase in incidents that have resulted in some children being arrested. This has been an unsettling time for the children, and some children have experienced unplanned moves out of the home.

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The safety of children

Staff hold children when there is a risk to the child and others. The frequency of this practice has increased. Staff complete a written record when a hold is used. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 4 However, in two examples, records lacked key information. This shortfall was not identified through the manager’s audit.

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The safety of children

The staff use consequences to manage the children’s behaviour. However, consequences are not consistently applied, regularly reviewed and, in some cases, not recorded. While the manager reviews the use of consequences, she does not consistently evaluate how effective they are for the child.

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The safety of children

When incidents occur, the staff talk with the children about what has happened and how this has affected the child. However, in some examples, the language used by the staff is negative and undermines the children’s sense of stability.

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The safety of children

Incidents of the children going missing from the home have reduced. The manager has allocated champion roles to the staff, one role having a focus on missing from home incidents. Consequently, additional checks are now in place to help the children to return home safely. The children also now receive a return home interview from an independent person. The manager scrutinises the staff’s practice and gives further guidance and training, to improve the staff’s practice.

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The safety of children

When the staff are concerned that the children have dangerous items hidden in their bedroom, the staff carry out a room search. When items of concern are found, the staff speak with the child. Key-work sessions are held to help the children to understand their behaviour and how they can become safer.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

There is a high turnover of managers. The newly appointed manager is the fourth manager since the home opened in December 2020. The manager has been promoted from another role in the home. Therefore, she has a good knowledge of the service and the children’s individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

In addition to the changes in manager, there have also been a number of staff changes. Almost half of the staff have left. New staff have been recruited so the home is fully staffed. The manager is using this period of change to develop the staff skills, improve communication and work better as a team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The provider has taken effective action to address the requirements issued in the previous inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager values feedback from external monitoring systems, such as the independent visitor. When shortfalls are identified, the manager implements a plan to make improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The home’s statement of purpose is up to date and regularly reviewed. However, the manager has not ensured that this document is sent to Ofsted. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 5 The quality of staff training and partnership working with the local police force was not fully reviewed at this inspection. Therefore, the recommendations have been reissued. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 6

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/08/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 05/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 7

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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 privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 16 April 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the staff meet the child’s basic needs in the way that a good parent would, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met. Doing so is an important aspect of demonstrating that the staff care for the child and value them as an individual. In particular, the registered person should ensure that the children’s bedrooms are maintained to a high standard. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)  The registered person should agree with their local police force, procedures and guidance on police involvement with the home to reduce unnecessary police involvement in managing the children’s behaviour and criminalisation of the children. Children should not be charged with offences resulting from behaviour within a children’s home that would not similarly lead to police involvement if it

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Recommendations

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 8 occurred in a family home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.40)  The registered person should ensure that the records of restraint provide a clear description of the use of restraint. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)  The registered person should ensure that the staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and they should understand the key role that they play in the training and development of the staff in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.11)  The registered person should ensure that the staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective

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Recommendations

and clear recording. This includes staff using sensitive and appropriate language. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that the review of care report clearly identifies any actions required for the next six months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 9

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Goundry

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Inspectors

Catherine Heron, Social Care Inspector Paula Kelly, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 10 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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Inspectors

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