Children's home run by HMO NE Ltd T/A ForeverCare

Inspection report for children’s home: 2591471 1 Registered provider: HMO NE Ltd T/A ForeverCare

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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 operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties, or a learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home. The inspector spoke with one child.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2591471 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/06/2024 Full Good 03/08/2023 Full Good 05/07/2022 Full Good 17/08/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2591471 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say that they are happy living in the home and feel that they are well cared for. One child who has recently moved into the home spoke positively about their experience of moving into the home and that they were made to feel welcome.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff build positive, trusting and long-standing relationships with the children. Affectionate interactions between staff and children have been observed. Family members and professionals are complimentary about the care given to the children in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although children are making variable progress educationally, they are supported and encouraged by staff to attend education. Staff advocate for children’s educational needs by ensuring that they receive appropriate alternative education provision when required. Children attend health appointments and are encouraged and supported by staff to do so. Where there are barriers to attending, staff support children to overcome these.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are well prepared for their futures and the next steps to independence. Staff help children to settle into their new homes. Transition plans are comprehensive and show a good understanding of what support children will need when they move on from the home. When one child moved on recently, they remained in regular contact with staff. This demonstrates the relationship that the staff build with children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children live far from home and people who are important to them. Despite this, the registered manager and staff ensure that children maintain these relationships and facilitate family time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a cat in the home that is a pet of one of the children. Through the experiences of having pets, children develop a sense of responsibility and ways to positively express emotions.

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

Children say that they feel safe in the home. One child who moved into the home recently said that they settled very quickly and can share how they are feeling with staff, knowing that staff will respond to them.

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

Staff have a good understanding of each child’s needs, their behaviour and potential triggers for them. There are effective, individualised plans in place for staff to support children’s behaviour. Staff rarely need to give consequences to children as a result of their behaviour, which demonstrates the effectiveness of children’s behaviour support plans. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591471 4 Since the last inspection, there have been no incidences of children needing to be held. Staff say that this is because they know the children so well and are skilled at de- escalating situations.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home, with only one incident since the last inspection. There are clear protocols in place should this occur and staff have a good understanding of the missing-from-home procedures.

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

Staff support children to develop their independence skills and to take risks appropriate to their age and level of understanding as part of their development. As such, children are building in confidence and maturity as a result of living in the home.

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

Direct discussions with children around risk do not reflect known risks recorded in children’s care plans. This means important opportunities to have conversations with children on how they can keep themselves safer are lost. This is particularly significant for children who have additional needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and has high expectations of the staff. She has high aspirations for the children and the care provided, which is individualised to the needs of each child in the home. The registered manager is committed to the children in the home and in continuing to provide them with good care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a stable and consistent staff team that is committed to the children. The registered manager and staff care deeply about the children and advocate for them. Professional feedback is overwhelmingly positive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and has created an improvement plan for the identified areas of development. This includes further training for staff specific to the children’s individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Building and maintaining professional relationships is a particular strength of the home. The registered manager is consistent in her approach to maintaining and encouraging positive working relationships with professionals and with children’s families and those important to them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although staff’s supervision sessions are reflective in nature, not all staff receive the same regularity of supervision. This means that not all staff have the same opportunity to reflect on their practice in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591471 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff talk to children regularly and help them to understand their risks and how to manage them more effectively to keep themselves and others safe. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.7)  The registered person should ensure that staff supervision sessions take place on a regular basis. (‘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: 2591471 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: HMO NE Ltd T/A ForeverCare

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Dawn McCluskey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2591471 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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