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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 1 Registered provider: Hennessy Living Group Limited 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 provider. It offers care for up to five children who experience social and emotional difficulties and may have learning disabilities, alcohol misuse issues and mental health difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, four children were living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 24 January 2024

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/01/2024 Full Good 09/10/2023 Full Inadequate 16/08/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 3

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improvement to be good

Most children are not in education, training or employment. There is a lack of structure to the children’s day and not enough encouragement from staff for children to attend training or seek employment. Personal education plan review meetings are not always held and there are no effective working relationships with training providers or the virtual school.

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improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to try new experiences and engage in positive activities, including going to the gym, eating out with staff, shopping, caring for pets, bowling, and playing pool. However, most children spend their time at the home or with friends in the community. The children’s summer holiday was cancelled when the home’s vehicle needed repairing. The alternative activities arranged were limited to the local cinema, bowling and a fair. The children voiced their disappointment to the home’s independent visitor.

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improvement to be good

The home is a warm and nurturing environment. There are photos of the children adorning the walls of all communal rooms. The provider holds an awards night to celebrate the children’s achievements, and these trophies are proudly displayed in the lounge. The children’s bedrooms are well furnished, clean and personalised in line with their wishes.

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improvement to be good

Children have positive relationships with staff. Interactions are warm, and children say they feel safe in the home and that they trust staff. The relationships that were built quickly for one child contributed significantly during a difficult incident. The child was able to reflect and share their feelings and gratitude in a letter to staff.

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improvement to be good

The children are supported to maintain good physical and mental health. Children attend their routine health appointments and receive encouragement to address health issues. Additional mental health support is accessed routinely through the local child and adolescent mental health services, which the children attend independently. When treatments for conditions are not working, the staff are persistent, they liaise well with health professionals and encourage the child to attend until the issues are resolved.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to spend time with their family. The staff have positive relationships with the local authority and families of children. The staff work with children to maintain their relationships and recognise the importance of family support.

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improvement to be good

When children are missing from home, the response from staff is inconsistent. Known locations and wider areas are not searched when staff who do not have a driving licence Inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 4 work together. This increases the time that children are left at risk. When children are returned to the home, an independent return home interview is not always carried out and managers do not pursue this with the relevant authority. This reduces the learning that can come from someone independent talking to the child.

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improvement to be good

The risks to children are increased as staff do not always work to the agreed plans and risk assessments. A child was left at his mother’s address for two days, despite arrangements for contact to be halted and the child being assessed as vulnerable. No attempt was made to check on his physical safety, and the staff do not know for certain where he was during this period.

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improvement to be good

Staff did not seek medical advice for a child when they sustained a head injury. Two children were involved in a physical altercation and one child received a blow that caused a raised bump to the head. The child declined the offer of medical assistance at a time when he was leaving the home and in an emotional state. This was a missed opportunity to contact medical services and take advice about a child’s head injury.

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improvement to be good

The manager follows safer recruitment practices. New employees are thoroughly checked and vetted and receive appropriate safeguarding training before they work with children. This supports a safer environment.

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improvement to be good

Investigations into allegations of harm are taken seriously and responded to appropriately. Children are believed, and the manager takes action to protect the child and staff involved. Information is shared with appropriate agencies in a timely manner, investigations take place, and the manager seeks to learn from incidents to develop the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has not been involved in the decision-making for new referrals. Children have been welcomed into the home, despite the pre-admission assessment identifying considerable concerns linked to all children. Senior leaders accept this approach had a significant impact on the children and staff in the home and lessons needed to be learned.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager’s monitoring of the home is not yet effective. Her oversight has not identified the missing care plans and placement plan information. In addition, important information from a child’s annual health assessment was not transferred into the home’s own placement plan. This means that the manager cannot be assured that staff are working to the plans that are agreed by the local authority .

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The reporting and recording of information are not accurate or consistent. Incident reports have conflicting details and the reporting of important information in the Annex A does not reflect the actual data. This reduces the effectiveness of audits and gives those monitoring the home the wrong information to assess the impact of care for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 5 The manager understands the children’s risks and vulnerabilities. There are effective plans in place for the children to reduce these risks, and it is evident that the staff team is confident in implementing the plans. The manager is working with external agencies to support and educate the children, and there has been a recent reduction of risk- related incidents in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager uses team meetings effectively. The team meetings are detailed and specific to issues in the home. The manager empowers the staff by allocating them as leads in specific areas in the children’s care. Staff are provided with time during meetings to improve practice in the home. The manager challenges practice when necessary and provides individual praise for staff members each month.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There is a clear training schedule for each member of staff. The manager has sourced training in line with the specific risks and vulnerabilities that affect the children in the home. This approach supports the staff in responding to the individual needs of the children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager receives regular and supportive supervision. The manager shares concerns, worries and frustrations and receives a solution-focused response. Positive team practice is celebrated and areas for development are identified. Inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 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 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;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)) 1 May 2025

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the 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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)) 1 May 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— 1 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 7 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(ix)) 1 May 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are offered a wide range of activities inside and outside of the home and are encouraged to participate in those activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.5) Inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 8  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. The Annex A should be updated with correct information, and important details of children’s medical needs should be recorded in their care plan. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2613032 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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Inspectors

Lee Riley, Social Care Inspector Deirdre Silkstone, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2613032 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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