Children's Home run by HMO NE Ltd in North Tyneside

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2676045 1 Registered provider: HMO NE LTD

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is run by a private provider. It registered with Ofsted in 2022 and can provide care and support for up to four children with learning disabilities and/or social or emotional difficulties and children with sensory impairment.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children being provided with care at the time of this inspection. One child was spoken to at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has a registered manager, who registered with Ofsted in July 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 29 and 30 April 2024

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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. 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: 2676045 2

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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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Findings from the inspection

Children are making progress. One child is now accepting care from male staff and starting to go outside of the home independently. One child is following an independence plan to support their transition to independent living.

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Findings from the inspection

Children attend education and are making progress. One child, who had not been to school for some time, is now attending school every day. Children are supported to engage in their education and learning by staff, who ensure that children feel safe and are ready to learn.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s plans are reviewed regularly. Any updates are identified, and staff are made aware of the changes. Children’s risk assessments provide information about their risks and vulnerabilities. This is to ensure that children receive well-planned responses from the adults who care for them. This helps staff to keep children safer.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are skilled at de-escalation. Staff use positive relationships with children to recognise when a child needs more support, and this means incidents are rare. Staff use the preferred communication methods to speak to children. There is a lack of a restorative approach, which would support children in understanding the impact of their behaviours.

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Findings from the inspection

Children understand how to stay healthy and manage their own complex needs. Staff support children to understand how to manage their medication safely. The registered manager has safeguards in place to ensure that medication is stored and administered safely.

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Findings from the inspection

The presentation of the home has improved. The registered manager has prioritised redecoration, and some rooms have had changes made. One child told the inspector that they liked being in the ‘cosy corner’ and liked the mat. One child told the inspector that they love their home and will work in the home when they are older.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have a voice and contribute to their plans. Staff understand how children like to communicate to gather their views. This means children can be decision- makers in their own lives.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are supported to have a relevant qualification and access to training. This helps staff to provide informed and consistent care to meet the needs of the children safely. However, not all staff have completed the required training related to risks identified for the children.

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Findings from the inspection

At the last inspection, Ofsted raised five requirements and three recommendations. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2676045 3 The registered manager has progressed an action plan to address the requirements and the recommendations. The requirements previously issued under regulations 12 and 13 were not reviewed in full during this visit. For this reason, they are partially restated. Three requirements and one recommendation have been met in full, and for this reason they have not been reissued. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2676045 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/04/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/11/2023 Full Good 30/01/2023 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2676045 5

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)) 3 March 2025

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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)(c)(f)) 3 March 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2676045 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should be skilled in anticipating difficulties and reviewing incidents, such as learning from disruptions and placement breakdowns. They are responsible for proactively implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice to ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)  The registered person should ensure that any consequences used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature, 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 Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2676045 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 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2676045 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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