Children's home run by HMO NE Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2595974 1 Registered provider: HMO NE Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private company. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection there were two children living in the home. The inspector spoke with both children.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2022.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2595974 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/07/2024 Full Good 18/09/2023 Full Good 15/08/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/07/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2595974 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive consistent, good-quality care from a team of staff who know them well and understand their individual needs. Staff work hard to build and sustain trusting relationships with children and provide effective support that meets their individual needs. As a result, children are making good progress.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are welcomed into the home sensitively after planned introductions to meet the staff and children. This supports children to start to develop relationships with staff and the other children at an early stage. One child has lived in the home for two years and enjoys stability and continuity of care from staff who have cared for them throughout this time.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move on from the home, their moves are managed well by staff who ensure that this is a positive experience for the child. Staff contribute to children’s plans and take a pivotal role in supporting the children through this change. One child has remained in touch with staff for advice and support, which reflects the positive nature of the relationships established between the staff and children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with education professionals and are strong advocates for children who need support to engage with their learning. This approach provides children with the best opportunity to be supported back into learning.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff take children’s physical and emotional health needs seriously. Children are registered with a dentist and general practitioner and are supported to attend any specialist support services that they need.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work well with children to help them develop skills for life. Staff also hold important conversations with children to help them learn about risks such as online safety and peer relationships. The positive relationships between children and staff help children to discuss difficult information and events.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are positively rewarded for their achievements. In addition to this, they have incentives that are linked to agreed goals that help children see the progress that they are making. Staff work creatively to consider different incentives for children to ensure that these are individualised to each child.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend time with family members. Staff develop positive relationships with family and communicate regularly to keep everyone updated. This helps children remain connected with their loved ones.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Not all children’s essential records are available to staff. Children’s education records are missing from children’s files, and staff do not challenge education professionals when meetings for children do not take place. Inspection report for children’s home: 2595974 4

p.3

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

Children’s risk assessments are detailed and provide information about children’s risks and vulnerabilities. Plans provide details of how staff can support children in different situations to help keep them safe. The plans are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect children’s changing needs.

p.4

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

Before children move into the home, the registered manager completes a risk assessment. This allows managers to explore how staff will meet the needs of all the children in their care.

p.4

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

There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home. This reflects that children are feeling well supported and feel safe in the home. Staff regularly keep in touch with children to check on their welfare when children are away from the home.

p.4

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

There are few consequences used in the home. Staff help children to understand and learn from any incidents. Managers have oversight of any consequences and review them for their effectiveness.

p.4

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

Safe recruitment practice for staff who come to work in the home is in place and embedded. This ensures that managers have reviewed information about adults before they work with the children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced registered manager who is supported by two deputy managers. Leaders and managers know the children well. They understand what progress children make while in their care and how to access support when necessary. This supports children’s continuing progression.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that staff have a structured training programme in place that is specific to the individual needs of the children. The registered manager and his team complete the provider’s mandatory training, and records of completed training are kept up to date. This means that staff have the necessary knowledge and skills to care for the children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Not all staff receive regular supervision. When supervision sessions take place, there is a focus on staff development and reflective practice. However, both deputy managers are not consistently provided with regular individual supervision. An example of an appraisal shows that there is a review of staff suitability for their role and support for their development.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers do not consult with staff, parents and professionals about the quality of care in the home. Although quality of care reports are received within the timescale, they lack consultation with these important adults involved in children’s lives. Inspection report for children’s home: 2595974 5 Staff do not have suitable arrangements to sleep at the home. Sleeping arrangements for staff are cramped and do not provide staff with personal space. Every night, one member of staff is expected to sleep on an inflatable mattress on the floor in a small staff office, which doubles as a sleep-in room. The arrangements are temporary while the registered manager recruits staff for additional posts, including a waking night post. Inspection report for children’s home: 2595974 6

p.4

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

p.6

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 28 November 2025

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the placing authority establishes how the home will support the child’s educational needs. In accordance with regulation 5 (engaging with the wider system to ensure that children’s needs are met), homes must have proactive relationships with appropriate schools and educational support. In particular, staff should advocate that they are invited to meetings in relation to children’s education plans and obtain a record of education meetings. (‘The Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 27, paragraph 5.7)  The registered person should ensure that the design of the home provides staff who sleep in the home overnight with appropriate accommodation and facilities to do so. (‘The Guide to the Children Home Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 17, paragraph 3.26)  The registered person should ensure that there is a system in place that allows them

p.6

Recommendations

to monitor the matters set out in regulation 45 at least once every six months and that the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff are gathered and considered. (‘The Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 64, paragraph 15.2)  The registered person should ensure that there are systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice Inspection report for children’s home: 2595974 7 and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘The Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 61, Paragraph 13.2)

p.6

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: 2595974 8

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Joanne Wallis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2595974 9 and inspects to 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9