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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2744459 1 Registered provider: Together for Children Sunderland 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

This home is owned and managed by a local authority. It provides care for up to four children with social and/or emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager were registered with Ofsted in November 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. The inspectors spoke to both the children.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2744459 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/05/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2744459 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children stay at the home for up to 12 weeks. There is robust information-sharing and decision-making before children move in. The decision-making considers staff’s ability to meet the needs of all children and manage any impact on children who already live in the home. Staff share information with new providers or families when children leave the home. This means that children’s needs are known and supported across different settings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff establish nurturing relationships with children. A supportive and positive environment is created through warm and friendly interactions. Staff take a genuine interest in children and celebrate their achievements. Children can share their thoughts, feelings and concerns during meaningful time with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to attend education and achieve. Two children have recently completed their GCSEs. Children talk with staff about their futures. Staff have taken children to further education information events and have helped one child to apply for an apprenticeship. Children have been supported to compile their CVs in the hope of gaining employment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children maintain relationships with people who are important to them. Staff support children to have meaningful experiences with family members. Some children have moved back to the care of their family. Staff contribute to the transition plans for children, which have resulted in successful moves for children. When children leave the home, staff are sensitive to the feelings of children.

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

Staff understand and use the children’s individual behaviour support plans to support them. Children contribute to their behaviour support plans. Behaviour support plans consider the impact of past trauma on children’s presentation and how they need to be cared for. Staff meet with a psychologist monthly and use the psychologist’s support to embed trauma-informed practice and responses to behaviour.

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

Staff receive training in de-escalation and physical intervention skills. Physical intervention would only be used as a last resort to ensure children’s safety.

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

Staff establish trusting relationships with children. Children feel that they can trust the adults around them and feel listened to. Children are encouraged to understand acceptable behaviours through a restorative approach. When consequences are used to address negative behaviour, they are fair, balanced and time-limited.

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

Since moving to the home, some children’s missing episodes have reduced. When children go missing, staff are proactive in trying to locate the children. Staff Inspection report for children’s home: 2744459 4 communicate with children’s families and other professionals, working collaboratively to ensure that children return back to the home safely. When children return home, they are welcomed back with warmth from staff. Independent return home interviews and key-work sessions are offered to children.

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

Children’s risk assessments and care plans identify the need for key-work sessions to help children stay safe. Children complete key-work sessions around identified and emerging risks. Children use the key-work sessions to talk about their feelings and behaviours. Staff help children to understand the risks and dangers attached to their actions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is ambitious and passionate about children. She is supported by an experienced deputy manager and the senior leaders. Together, the managers are instrumental in ensuring that staff understand children’s needs and take effective action. The managers know the staff team and the children well. They understand the home’s strengths and weaknesses and have good plans to further develop the service to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Multi-agency working is strong. Professionals and a family member gave positive feedback that the children are making progress because of the support they receive from the staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are well attended and held on a regular and frequent basis. This provides managers with ongoing opportunities to promote and maintain consistent care practices across the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are thorough quality assurance processes used by the managers. They have good oversight of all plans and reports. All documents are evaluated, and comments are added by the managers. Such oversight helps staff to learn and develop their skills. A range of audits are also in place to ensure health and safety in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most staff have completed the local authority’s mandatory training; however, less than half of the staff have undertaken training that is specific to children’s individual needs. This is a missed opportunity for the managers to ensure that all staff are fully equipped with the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of the children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and speak positively about the manager’s support. Discussions are wide-ranging. However, supervision records do not consistently capture the depth of the discussions and the reflection that has taken place. This does not support staff to fully understand and fulfil their responsibilities and hinders managers’ ability to effectively monitor practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2744459 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)) 21 July 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that supervision enables staff to reflect on how children’s behaviours may impact their own emotions and responses, and to develop strategies to manage these effectively. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.15)

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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: 2744459 6

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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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Inspectors

Cherie Chen, Social Care Inspector Ali Owens, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2744459 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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