Children's Home run by Hopespring in Sunderland

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2630728 1 Registered provider: Hopespring

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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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 social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager at the home since November 2023.

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Inspection date: 4 January 2024

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 4 January 2024

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 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: 2630728 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified no serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the full inspection, the registered manager has resigned their position and an interim manager has been appointed. There are suitable arrangements in place to make decisions for children and have oversight of their care.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s risk assessments are detailed and include known risks and vulnerabilities. Staff support children in a consistent manner, and the manager has oversight of incidents of concern. This ensures children receive well-planned responses from the adults who care for them.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has implemented monitoring systems to oversee the children’s files. As a result, care plans now accurately reflect the children’s needs and how staff can meet those needs. This helps to ensure that children are supported in a consistent manner by all staff.

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Findings from the inspection

The home uses alarms to alert staff when children leave their bedrooms at night and uses door chimes during the day. The staff also routinely lock the door to the kitchen at night. The manager details the rationale for the use of bedroom alarms in children’s risk assessments, but there is no rationale for locking doors in the home. In addition, there is no system to review and evaluate the use of these restrictive practices. This means that children may be subject to unnecessary intrusion into their privacy and restrictions to their movement around the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are moving on to new homes because of the provider’s decision to close the home. Staff are working well with the children’s social workers to ensure that these moves are smooth and that children are supported to adjust to these changes. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2630728 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/12/2022 Full Good 08/03/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2630728 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, The 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)) 15 February 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2630728 5

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Joanne Wallis, social care inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2630728 6 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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