Children's Home run by HMO NE Ltd in Northumberland

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2819607 1 Registered provider: HMO NE Ltd T/A ForeverCare

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private organisation. It provides care for up to 2 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post is currently vacant.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, no children were living in the home. One child had recently moved on from the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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.’ Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2819607 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Serious incidents have not been managed appropriately, leaving the child at risk of harm.  Management oversight is ineffective.  Staff turnover is exceptionally high and the inconsistency has had an impact on the child’s safety and wellbeing.  When significant incidents happen, staff and managers do not always recognise the risk to the child and do not always take appropriate action to reduce risks.  Some consequences given to the child are punitive in nature and are in direct opposition to the child’s care plans and risk assessments.  Recording and documentation are inconsistent, limited in detail and do not have consistency in actions, follow up or management oversight.  There is inconsistency in the reporting of serious events to Ofsted.

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Findings from the inspection

A full inspection took place on 17 June 2025. At the time of the inspection, 1 child was living in the home. Since the inspection and in more recent weeks, there has been a significant increase in safeguarding notifications and an increase in incidents of concern.

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Findings from the inspection

When significant incidents have taken place, staff and managers have not recognised the risk to the child and do not always take appropriate action to reduce the risks. When a child sustained a significant injury, the detail of how the injury occurred was extremely limited. There was a lack of professional curiosity surrounding the injury, and it is unknown whether important safeguarding actions following the injury took place. This resulted in the child having experienced harm.

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Findings from the inspection

There are significant concerns about the leadership and management of the home. This has led to serious incidents not being managed appropriately, leaving the child at risk of harm. There has been a high level of management turnover, and the registered manager post is currently vacant. The monitoring and reviewing systems are ineffective, and managers’ procedures and policies have not been followed consistently or effectively. Additionally, oversight from leaders and managers has failed to identify the significant shortfalls or take effective action to improve practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff turnover is exceptionally high. This has resulted in every staff member and manager, except 1 member of staff, having left the home in recent weeks. This means that where there are details and information missing, there is no one to provide any further detail or clarity. This has resulted in important information about a child, their plans and actions taken, being lost. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2819607 3 There is significant use of agency staff in the home, alongside other staff from the provider’s other homes. This amounted to 40 additional individuals to the staff team providing care to 1 child. The remaining staff member, professionals and the parent of the child all spoke of this inconsistency having a significant and detrimental impact on the child.

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Findings from the inspection

When the child has made an allegation, the response by staff is punitive. This resulted in the child not receiving physical care, support or comfort for an extended period. This is despite information being known about the child that they respond well to comfort and physical support. This meant that the child was not having their basic care, or emotional and physical care needs met.

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Findings from the inspection

When an allegation was made against a staff member, the manager informed the child of the outcome of the investigation, before it had taken place. As such, due process and diligence was not undertaken and this caused distress to the child.

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Findings from the inspection

When a complaint was made, this was dealt with by the person the complaint was made about and there was a delay in the child being able to make the complaint. The record of the complaint lacked detail of what the complaint was about, the actions taken and any oversight of how this was managed. There were similar concerns in relation to the handling of complaints at the full inspection. This concern continues and the shortfall has not been addressed.

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Findings from the inspection

The most serious incidents are appropriately notified to Ofsted in a timely manner. However, on at least 1 occasion, Ofsted has not been notified of a serious incident. This prevents Ofsted from scrutinising information to ensure that children are safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have not addressed any of the shortfalls identified at the full inspection. Every area of concern raised continues to be a shortfall and, in some areas, there have been further and more significant concerns raised.

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Findings from the inspection

Following the inspection, a case review took place on 16 January 2026. Given that there are no children living in the home, no manager and no staff team, and assurances were given by the provider, the decision was made that there was no need for higher enforcement or compliance action. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2819607 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/06/2025 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2819607 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)) 28 February 2026

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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— 28 February 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2819607 6 lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the procedure must provide that no person who is the subject of a complaint takes any part in its consideration or investigation, except at the informal resolution stage if the registered person considers it appropriate.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (1)(2)(3)) 28 February 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 28 February 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2819607 7

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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 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2819607 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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