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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2661071 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

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties, learning disabilities and mental health issues.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered in August 2022, when the home was first registered.

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Information about this children’s home

There were five children living at the home at the time of this inspection. The inspector spoke with all five children during the inspection.

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Inspection date: 16 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. The inspector has 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: 2661071 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Poor leadership and management.  Inadequate and unsafe home conditions.  Insufficient skilled, trained and experienced staff.  Poor care planning.  Children’s individual needs not being met, placing them at risk of harm.

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Findings from the inspection

This inspection was carried out in response to Ofsted receiving information that suggested potential breaches in regulations.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the previous inspection in August 2023, one child has moved out of the home in line with their care plan. Two children have moved into the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have failed to assess how children’s needs will be met and their individual vulnerabilities understood. The impact of moving a child into the home has resulted in the quality of care declining for all the children. One child told the inspector that they no longer want to live at the home, and they are unhappy.

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Findings from the inspection

Children experience difficult relationships with one another. During a planned visit for a new child, one child was racially abused, and one child was called names for wearing glasses and another because of his weight. As a result, children said that they do not feel safe.

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Findings from the inspection

The children do not live in a safe and comfortable environment. Significant damage in the home is not promptly repaired. Furthermore, hazardous items are left around the home, such as a power tool and hammer. These items were accessible to children.

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Findings from the inspection

There are staff absences resulting in significant staffing shortages. This has led to children receiving inconsistent care as they are cared for by a high number of staff, and there is a high reliance on agency staff. This impacts on children’s ability to form relationships with adults who care for them. When referring to staff, one child said, ‘Most of them are useless. Everyone has left. Nobody cares anymore about me.’

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that they have sufficient experienced, skilled and trained staff to meet the needs of all the children living in the home. The staff do not receive specific training to ensure that they can meet children’s complex needs and protect them from harm. As a result, one child’s needs have not been met, and the child presents with behaviours that the staff are not able to manage effectively. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2661071 3 The manager has failed to provide staff with the guidance that they need to keep children safe and protect them from harm. In particular, children are not supervised in line with their individual risk assessments. Because of this, one child has not consistently had the required staff supporting them, which puts them at risk of serious harm. The staff do not work together as a team. Staff are not given guidance about their

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Findings from the inspection

roles for the day, and they do not understand their roles and responsibilities.

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Findings from the inspection

The failings identified are underpinned by the lack of management oversight and review of the day-to-day arrangements and the impact this is having on the quality of care provided to children.

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Findings from the inspection

On the day of the inspection, the regional manager provided an action plan to Ofsted and took immediate action to address some of the shortfalls. This included reviewing the staffing arrangements.

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Findings from the inspection

During a case review on 17 January 2024, Ofsted made the decision to issue a notice to restrict children moving into the home. One compliance notice under Regulation 13 was also issued. In addition, a number of requirements have been raised. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2661071 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/08/2023 Full Good 07/03/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/12/2022 Full Inadequate Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2661071 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within 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

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; and

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)) 3 March 2024

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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. 31 March 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2661071 6 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

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

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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

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; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(v)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; and

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare; 31 March 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2661071 7 provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(vii)(c)(i)(ii))

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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.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b) (5)) 3 March 2024

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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.

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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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(ii)(c)) 31 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. 31 March 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2661071 8 The registered person may only—

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(b) (3)(a)(d))

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development; and

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a) (4)(a)(b)) 31 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should review the procedures in the home to reduce unnecessary police involvement in managing children’s behaviour. Children should not be at risk of being criminalised as a result of behaviour in a children’s home that would not similarly lead to police involvement if it occurred in a family home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.40) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2661071 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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Inspector

Claire Webster, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2661071 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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