Children's home run by HMO NE Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2595974 1 Registered provider: HMO NE LTD Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private company. It provides care for up to two children who may have social and emotional difficulties, learning disabilities and sensory impairment.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home. Both children were spoken to during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 18 September 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2595974 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/09/2023 Full Good 15/08/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/07/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2595974 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress and building trusting relationships with staff. Staff spend time getting to know the children. Children feel that staff care about them and say that they are safe in their home. One child said, ‘I feel safe here.’ Children feel supported by staff and invest in the relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend education and are making good progress. Staff work together with the virtual school and the educational settings to support attendance and promote learning. Children have future aspirations, which they believe are realistic. Staff help children to engage with their learning and achieve. For one child, this means they have sat all their exams ready for college. For another child, this means they are transferring back to an education setting next term.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children access experiences and opportunities to pursue their interests and hobbies. Children have access to community-based settings or wider activities to experience a range of opportunities. This helps children to develop wider peer networks and helps them to feel connected to the local area.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s needs are considered before moving into the home. The manager carries out an assessment to consider all known information and the impact on other children already living in the home. Staff support children who live together in the home to develop positive relationships and skills to manage any disagreements. Staff provide a consistent approach so that children have a predictable environment and can learn to make positive choices.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to share their views. Staff ensure that the child’s voice is heard by either empowering children to do this themselves or through advocating on their behalf. This means that children are involved in their own plans and decision-making processes. Staff challenge professionals to ensure that children have the same opportunities as any other child. Unfortunately, children have not been provided with identification documents, and one child’s plan is not available to them. This is not being regularly challenged by staff to ensure that it is in place. This means that children could be missing opportunities that are available to others.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff are proactive at responding to safeguarding concerns. Staff act promptly and communicate effectively to support safety and reduce the impact of potential harm. Children trust adults to keep them safe and act when necessary. Children know that staff will help them understand the decisions being made to help keep them safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Risk assessments are updated regularly. Risks identified are clearly understood by staff, who know how to respond to mitigate harm. Children are supported to take appropriate Inspection report for children’s home: 2595974 4 risks, understand potential harm and make safe decisions to learn how to keep themselves safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Incidents of children going missing from home are rare. If children go missing, staff know how to respond and follow the child’s plan. Staff actively search for the child while trying to maintain contact. When a child is located, staff work with relevant agencies to ensure their safe return and support children to have a return home interview.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff are skilled at de-escalation strategies. This means that restraint is used a last resort and to ensure the safety of a child. Staff use praise and rewards to promote positive behaviours in a caring and thoughtful way. Consequences used to address negative behaviour are fair and proportionate. However, they are not evident of a restorative approach. This is a missed opportunity for children to learn from these experiences and understand the impact on others.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Safeguarding concerns or allegations are responded to effectively. Staff offer support to the child and inform relevant professionals to reduce potential harm. The manager ensures that safeguarding incidents are notified to Ofsted. However, one notification was late, and one allegation made by a child was not notified. This prevented any oversight or review from the regulator.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home benefits from a registered manager who is qualified and experienced. The registered manager is supported by an experienced deputy manager and a stable staff team. Children benefit from consistency in their care from familiar adults in their home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a good knowledge of the children, their progress and the strengths and weaknesses of the home. The registered manager is involved in the care provided to the children and visible in the home to model practice and ensure that she also has a relationship with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has built effective multi-agency links with partner agencies. There is good communication from the manager and staff, which is evident in the feedback. Professionals have confidence in the manager and the staff team to ensure the quality of care for the children. One professional described the manager as ‘amazing’ and said, ‘She always shares information and always makes herself available.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular supervision and team meetings. Supervision records are child focused and offer reflective discussion opportunities. This provides the manager with the assurance that staff are knowledgeable about the children and the quality of care expected. Team meetings offer the opportunity for team reflection and shared learning. Minutes are taken at the meetings, which offers the manager a level of oversight across the team and their learning so that any gaps can be addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The culture in the home is one of high expectations. Staff have confidence in their management team. Staff said that the managers go ‘above and beyond’. Staff have Inspection report for children’s home: 2595974 5 access to a robust training offer to ensure that they are knowledgeable to provide care for the children. Some staff are working to achieve the required qualification. However, for one member of staff, this remains outstanding within the required time frame. The registered manager has a plan in place to ensure that this is addressed and aims to ensure that staff can complete the qualification within the required time frame in the future. Inspection report for children’s home: 2595974 6

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

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 10 September 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that where the placing authority or another relevant person does not provide the input to meet a child’s needs during their time in the home or in preparation for leaving the home, the home challenges them to meet the child’s needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.8)  The registered person should ensure that any consequences used to address poor behaviour are restorative, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home’s Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)  The registered person should ensure that all staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, have attained the qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant time frame listed in regulation 32(5). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes

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Recommendations

Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This 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’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2595974 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hallgate House, 9 Grange Terrace, Sunderland SR2 7DF

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Inspector

Kate Jackson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2595974 8 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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