Children's Home run by Together for Children in Sunderland

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1254835 1 Registered provider: Together for Children

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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 under trust arrangements. It provides care for up to six children. At the time of the inspection, six children were living in the home. Four children were spoken to as part of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2017 and is suitably skilled and qualified.

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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 these inspections, 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: 1254835 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify 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 said that they trust staff to work in their best interests, and staff use warm and heartfelt language when speaking with and about children.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support children to seek and attend education provisions, and all children have made progress with this from their starting points.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff promote peer dynamics between children. Children eat communally and attend some activities together. Anti-bullying promotion and awareness are embedded into the ethos of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are supported to understand risks, both individually and as a group. Potential risks are discussed in team meetings, children’s meetings and key-work sessions. There have been examples where children have shared their understanding of risks, such as online safety, with their younger peers and shared any concerns with staff. This resulted in staff being able to keep a child safe online.

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Findings from the inspection

Medications are stored effectively. Although no children are currently self-administering medications, staff understand the provisions they would put in place should a child begin to self-administer their medication, including having locked storage in each of their rooms.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have received training in therapeutic crisis intervention (TCI) and there is a TCI trainer in the home. They spoke knowledgeably about TCI and all staff have regular discussions about TCI principles. Children said that although they did not like being subject to restraint, they discussed the physical interventions with staff afterwards, understood that interventions were necessary to keep them safe and that staff would not use restraint unnecessarily.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff enforced limited access to communal areas for one child when they were demonstrating dysregulated behaviour. This was a restriction on their movement but was used as a least restrictive means to ensure that the child or other children did not come to harm. However, this was not documented in the child’s behaviour management plans.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager creates opportunities for consultation and is open to constructive criticism. Children speak openly at children’s meetings and during one- to-one discussions. There are also anonymous ways that children can raise any issues in the home .

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Findings from the inspection

Managers are aware of the requirement to notify Ofsted of incidents that they deem as serious. Some incidents of children sustaining injuries and attending hospital had Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1254835 3 not been notified. The registered manager has developed a guide to ensure that staff understand how timely notifications should be made to ensure that notifications are made consistently going forward.

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Findings from the inspection

Maintenance in the property has commenced and a full bathroom refurbishment is taking place. All staff are responsible for cleaning but there are no systems in place to prompt or capture what has been cleaned. The manager and staff agree that there is continued work to be done to improve the cleanliness of the property.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/05/2024 Full Good 23/05/2023 Full Good 03/10/2022 Full Good 11/01/2022 Full Outstanding Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1254835 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any decisions to limit a child’s access to any area of the home and any modifications to the environment of the home, must only be made where this is intended to safeguard the child’s welfare. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual child’s needs, be properly recorded and be kept under regular review. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10.)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the property and grounds are well maintained and repaired to a good standard, including children’s bedrooms. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9.) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1254835 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Together for Children

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sunderland City Council, City Hall, Plater Way, Sunderland SR1 3AA

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Inspector

Vikki Thwaites, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1254835 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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