Children's Home run by Three Bridges Care Ltd in South Tyneside

Inspection report for children’s home: 2815492 1 Registered provider: Three Bridges Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and managed. It provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties and may have mental health needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in December 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home. All the children were spoken to during the inspection.

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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: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2815492 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive a well-planned move into the home. They benefit from having visits from staff and to the home and receive a guide about life at the home ahead of moving in. Discussions take place with those children already living in the home to prepare them before other children arrive. Children help staff to create moving-in treat boxes to welcome new children. Additionally, staff act on the wishes of children, such as changing one child’s bed ahead of them moving in. This helps to reduce anxieties that children may experience and develop early positive relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the children’s needs, background and what is important to them. They get to know each child’s personality and ensure that they experience personalised care. Children say that they have good relationships with the adults caring for them. One child said, ‘There is always someone here to talk to if you need to.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress even when they have only lived in the home for a short period of time. Staff engage children in conversations about their plans and discuss sensitive topics. Professionals supporting the children mainly attribute progress to children being ‘more settled’ in the care of staff and feeling safe to express their emotions. Children proudly discuss their progress made, such as reducing their cannabis use.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Educational progress is sporadic. However, when children do not attend school, staff seek to engage the children in discussions to understand any barriers to learning. Staff promote alternative education activities and training opportunities. Furthermore, staff encourage children to express their goals for education and support them to share these with partner agencies. This supports children’s educational aspirations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and managers support the children to share their views. They ensure that children feel empowered to attend statutory meetings and discuss their care plans. This has enabled one child to appropriately complain to a partner agency and have their views acted on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to access a range of activities and enjoyable experiences. Staff source activities in line with the children’s interests and sensory needs. Staff capture the children’s memories in photos to share with children. Daily records are written to children in a way that is helpful for them to understand what their day was like.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children regularly meet to discuss aspects in the home. They have a say in what activities they do, and choose meals and décor in the home. Children personalise their bedrooms to help them feel more homely. This helps children to feel listened to and that their opinions matter. Inspection report for children’s home: 2815492 3

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

Staff and managers have a clear understanding of each child’s needs and any worries. Staff ensure that each child has an up-to-date personalised care plan and risk assessment. These documents give staff guidance on what strategies to use to keep children safe. Children are encouraged to contribute to their plans. As a result, children experience more consistent care.

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

When children move into the home, a risk assessment is completed. However, it does not capture the child’s needs or any risks alongside children already living in the home, or if staff have the skills to meet the children’s needs. This has not had an impact to date. The manager is aware that improvements are needed and has a plan to address this, although this has not yet been achieved.

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

Staff deal with incidents in line with the children’s plans. They take effective steps to safeguard children and liaise with partner agencies when needed. The manager’s effective oversight of incidents helps to identify areas of development, such as changes to risk assessments or to address staff practice when needed.

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

Effective de-escalation techniques reduce the need for physical intervention in this home. When physical intervention does occur, it is to prevent children from hurting themselves or others. Incidents of children going missing from the home are also rare. When incidents do occur, staff actively search for the children and liaise with others to ensure that children return home safely. There is management oversight of these incidents. Discussions take place with both staff and children that focus on reducing the likelihood of further incidents.

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

When medication errors occur or concerns about staff practice arise, the manager appropriately investigates the concerns. Managers hold discussions with staff and external agencies. This helps to address shortfalls and improve staff practice.

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

The manager works with other relevant agencies to provide stability for children and meet their complex needs. The manager recognises when they are no longer able to meet children’s needs or keep children safe. Following one child leaving, the manager completed reflections to inform practice moving forward. This identified what the team can do differently in the future to prevent placement breakdowns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager speaks highly of the children and staff. The manager is visible to the children, and they are at ease discussing matters with the manager. Staff value the knowledge and guidance that managers offer. They feel well supported and can seek advice at any time. This promotes a positive working environment. Inspection report for children’s home: 2815492 4 Staff benefit from thorough inductions, which develop their understanding of the children and what is needed to effectively run the home. Inductions also include staff accessing a range of training, including specialist training linked to supporting the mental health needs of children. This promotes children receiving care from suitably skilled and experienced staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular practice-related supervision and attend team meetings. Both include detailed discussions about children. The managers ensure that there are discussions to reflect on incidents and the children’s needs. The managers provide appropriate challenges to address practice shortfalls, helping staff to learn from their mistakes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager strives to improve the service and quality of care that children experience. The manager utilises feedback from others to make changes. However, the manager does not yet have an auditing tool, which may lead to gaps in their oversight of the home. There is no impact at present. A new template is ready to be used but its effectiveness cannot yet be evaluated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safe recruitment practice is not always followed. The provider has not explored gaps in staff’s employment history to assess if additional checks are required. This means that important information about a staff member’s suitability may be overlooked. Inspection report for children’s home: 2815492 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety.

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d)) 24 June 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that they can respond effectively to the child's assessed needs as recorded in the child's relevant plans, and they have considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56 paragraph 11.4)

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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: 2815492 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Three Bridges Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 12 Salisbury Road, Durham DH1 5QT

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Inspector

Jess Elliott, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2815492 7 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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