Vulnerable children suffered harm or were put at risk because of failings at a Sunderland children’s home.
Inspectors found a litany of ‘serious and widespread failings’ at the facility, which included poor training, ‘ineffective’ management and not properly investigating allegations against staff.
Assessors did however accept Covid-19 restrictions had been adhered to throughout the pandemic, allowing youngsters to have contact with family members and other loved ones.
A report by education and children’s services watchdog Ofsted said: “When children make allegations against staff, the managers do not follow safeguarding procedures, which leaves children at risk of harm.
“Some children report that staff do not help them to understand what happens next when they have shared a concern.
“This leaves the children feeling worried and confused.
“Despite training in safeguarding, staff have failed to recognise and respond to the children’s risk-taking behaviours effectively.
“The manager has not identified this as a shortfall, which has resulted in the children being harmed or being at risk of harm.”
The findings of the inspection, which was carried out over two days in October, was published on November 19.
The home itself was not identified, but according to the report it is a private facility for up to three children with emotional or behavioural issues based in Sunderland and which was only formally registered with authorities in May (2020).
As well as finding evidence of ‘unsafe practice’ by staff, inspectors were also damning in their assessment of managers who do not properly monitor their workers, meaning vulnerable children were not ‘sufficiently helped and protected’.
