Children's home run by HMO NE Ltd

Inspection report for children's home: 2771500 1 Registered provider: ForeverCare

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager were registered with Ofsted in September 2024. This was the first inspection since registration.

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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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2771500 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home. The child’s move into the home was well planned. The manager liaised with a variety of professionals and met with the child. This ensured that the manager had a good understanding of the child’s individual needs before they moved in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite the child only living in the home for short period, they have settled well and are beginning to develop positive relationships with the staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s care plan is detailed, and understood by staff, however, the manager has not kept this under consistent review and some information was outdated. Although staff were aware of the changes, this has the potential to impact on the child’s care and lead to inconsistencies in practice for new staff who are not as familiar with the child and their support needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is helped to understand the importance of good health. When there have been concerns regarding substance misuse, appropriate discussions have taken place to support the child. Referrals to specialist services have also been made to support the child to understand the impact on their health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is a struggle for the child and they have had significant periods of time out of education. The child is currently supported to engage in alternative education and their attendance is improving. The manager continues to ensure that education is promoted. The home’s staff regularly meet education staff to discuss the child’s progress and identify ways to increase their participation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family time is rigorously promoted, and the child is supported to spend time with people who are important to them, even under difficult circumstances. Staff support sleepovers with family members in the home and they arranged a ‘goodbye for now’ visit to support the child and their brother to say goodbye to a sibling who was being adopted. Staff managed this sensitively and with compassion. They ensured that memories of this time have been captured for the child to remember and look back on.

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

The child feels comfortable to raise complaints. When a complaint was made, it was thoroughly investigated and shared with professionals, and the child was made aware of the outcome. This supports the child to feel valued, listened to and able to raise concerns when needed.

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

The child does not like engaging with professionals on how to keep themselves safe, or discussing incidents that may place them at risk. The manager has identified alternative ways to support the child, such as staff completing training and consulting with Inspection report for children's home: 2771500 3 substance misuse and health professionals, and using challenges and quizzes with the child.

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

Leaders and managers have not ensured that there is guidance in place to support staff in keeping children safe during sleepovers in the home. The arrangements for sleepovers and expectations for staff are not clear and the risks to children have not been considered. While this has not impacted on the child or staff, it does not fully promote everybody’s safety.

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

Before living in this home, the child persistently went missing. Staff have worked hard to develop relationships, to consider the child’s views by involving them in their care and to incentivise positive behaviours. Consequently, the child has not gone missing from the home.

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

There has not been a need to hold the child to keep them safe. Positive behaviour is reinforced, and restorative practice is used to support the child to learn from behavioural incidents. Leaders and managers understand the use of consequences is often ineffective when supporting children with emotional and behavioural challenges. Consequently, there is a strong emphasis on incentives and positive reinforcement, which the child responds well to.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced manager who knows the child well and understands their individual needs. She has high aspirations for the child and celebrates the progress they are making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team has undergone some changes and there has been a need to use agency staff. This has been managed well by the manager, who has ensured that consistent staff have supported the child. All agency staff receive an induction and training before working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Records of the hours worked in the home are inaccurate and do not consistently include the details of agency staff. This limits management oversight and compromises children’s safety, as there is a lack of transparency about who is working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they feel supported by the manager and are confident to raise any concerns. Regular supervision and monthly team meetings provide staff with opportunities to reflect on their practice, discuss the child and further develop their knowledge through training and senarios.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The child’s records are kept electronically. The manager has oversight of these documents. She has identified where there are shortfalls in recording and is supporting the staff to develop in this area. Independent monitoring of the home also supports the manager in her role, and she ensures that recommendations are acted on to improve care for children. Inspection report for children's home: 2771500 4 The manager has not ensured that the home’s statement of purpose has been updated and shared with Ofsted, as required by regulation. Inspection report for children's home: 2771500 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

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. (Regulation 12(1) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that there is clear guidance to support staff in safeguarding children when family members sleep over in the home and that the arrangements for sleepovers are clearly detailed. 28 February 2025

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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

The registered person must provide a copy of the statement of purpose to HMCI and make a copy of it available upon request.

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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. (Regulation 16 (1) (2) (3)(a)(b)) 28 February 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which— 28 February 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2771500 6 include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the child’s records are completed and kept up to date.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the rota details all staff working in the home and is up to date. 28 February 2025

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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: 2771500 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: HMO NE Ltd T/A ForeverCare

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2771500 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 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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