Children's Home run by Together For Children Sunderland in Sunderland

Inspection report for children’s home: 2812482 1 Registered provider: Together for Children Sunderland

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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 owned and operated by a local authority. It provides care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There are two children living in the home. Both children were spoken to during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the first inspection of the home following its registration in November 2024.

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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: 2812482 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children build positive relationships with the staff. Staff understand children’s needs well and maintain positive, nurturing relationships. They prioritise building trust and meaningful connections with children by creating an environment that focuses on their well-being and best interests. Regular key-work sessions help children understand their lived experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff regularly talk to children about important topics. They show a genuine interest in children’s lives and experiences, prompting discussions that help children develop the skills and understanding they need to progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to have meaningful relationships with their family and friends. Staff support the children to spend time with the people who are important to them, appropriate to the children’s circumstances. Staff manage family time sensitively, ensuring that children can enjoy themselves and have positive experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education remains a challenge for both children. However, staff tirelessly advocate in their best interests. Support and planning related to their education are consistently child-focused.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are supported to attend their routine health appointments and are registered with local healthcare practices. They enjoy a healthy diet and are encouraged to keep fit. Staff have worked closely with mental health services to support the children’s emotional well-being. This ensures that the children are getting appropriate care to support their mental health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a well-maintained and comfortable home. Staff work hard to create a homely atmosphere for the children. Children’s bedrooms feature personal touches that reflect their taste and preferences. The managers display children’s drawings and writings in their office to show their appreciation of the children’s work.

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

Children have individualised and detailed plans, which are regularly updated. Staff understand children’s vulnerabilities and how to respond to keep them safe. There are clear and effective systems in the home to share information between staff when there is a change to a child’s plan.

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

Risk assessment for children in the home is a dynamic process, and children and staff are clear about what actions are taken and why. There is a consistent approach by staff, and children understand that staff care for them. As a result, a child’s risks have been significantly reduced. Inspection report for children’s home: 2812482 3 Staff and managers ensure that they communicate with external agencies to understand any identified risks for children or when there have been incidents. There are effective debriefs with children and staff, and learning is taken to inform future planning. Referrals are made to specialist external agencies when needed.

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

The manager ensures that there is a swift response if a child goes missing from the home. Staff will actively search for the child and notify professionals and family members promptly. Individual assessments are updated, and the manager ensures that independent return home interviews are offered to give the child the opportunity to discuss the incident to prevent further episodes.

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

Physical intervention is rarely used in the home. Instead, staff use other techniques to de-escalate behaviour and promote safety. This demonstrates the staff’s commitment to using the therapeutic model and individual assessments to stabilise children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has high aspirations for children. She is supported by a deputy manager. They are committed to ensuring the children receive high-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they are supported by leaders and managers, and they work together to make child-centred decisions. Supervision takes place regularly. Staff reflect on their practice and the progress children are making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place regularly and are well attended. Managers use resources and research to help staff understand the impact of children’s experiences. Guidance from mental health professionals is proactively sought and disseminated to all staff. This enables staff to develop their practice and ensure that children are supported effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from external professionals and a family member spoken with is positive. They believe the children receive nurturing care, feel safer as a result, and have made progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most of the staff have completed the local authority’s mandatory training. However, staff have not received training specifically related to a child’s needs. This has prevented staff from developing a better understanding of the children’s complex needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2812482 4

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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: 2812482 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Together for Children Sunderland Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Cherie Chen, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2812482 6 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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