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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 1 Registered provider: 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 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

Ofsted conducted a monitoring visit on 14 March 2023 to monitor the provider’s compliance with the suspension notice and its progress in meeting the compliance steps. During this visit, Ofsted identified continued shortfalls in the leadership and management arrangements of the home. Ofsted made the decision to reissue three compliance notices under regulations 12, 13 and 14.

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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. The provider has complied with the emergency suspension notice, and no children have been living in the home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 2 The provider has improved the safeguarding arrangements for children. Therefore, the compliance notice that was issued under regulation 12 has been met.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has also improved the care planning arrangements for children. Therefore, the compliance notice that was issued under regulation 14 has been met.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has yet to improve the leadership and management arrangements of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Other than the registered manager and deputy manager, there are no other staff employed. This means that there are no trained and experienced staff to care for children if they are admitted to the home. Furthermore, the manager has submitted a form to Ofsted to cancel her registration as registered manager. This means that the manager will also be leaving the home. This will leave no registered manager in day-to-day control of the home. As a result, Ofsted has issued a further suspension notice.

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This monitoring visit

At an earlier monitoring visit, the provider implemented new systems to support management oversight of records and staff’s actions. However, the provider has yet to embed these systems. The provider has missed an opportunity to ensure that there is effective day-to-day management oversight of the operation of the home.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has developed new systems that identify how they will train and upskill all staff to work in accordance with children’s risk assessments and the home’s policies and procedures to safeguard children. The guidance that is available to staff has been improved so staff know how to respond when significant safeguarding incidents occur.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager and her deputy manager have introduced new learning systems to strengthen the induction of new staff. The implementation of the systems gives assurances that all those working with children will know and understand the policies and procedures in place to safeguard children. However, as there are no children living in the home, the effectiveness of these changes cannot be measured.

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This monitoring visit

Changes have been made to children’s plans to identify children’s cultural needs and ensure that their wishes and views are captured.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has an action plan to continue the improvement work in this home. Following this visit, the compliance notice under regulation 13 has 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. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 3

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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 4

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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 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 promotes their welfare.

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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

The registered person must ensure that there is effective day-to-day management oversight of the operation of the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 4 June 2023

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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

mutual respect and trust; 19 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 5 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

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; 19 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 6 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

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Requirement Due date

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. 19 July 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. 19 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 7 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))

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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. 19 July 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)) 19 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 8 This requirement has been restated.

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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. 19 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

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. 19 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they gain consent to any monitoring or surveillance by the placing authority in writing 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. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sunbridge Childcare Limited

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Inspector

Claire Webster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638322 10 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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