Children's Home run by Kingston upon Hull City Council in Kingston upon Hull

Unique reference number SC034746 Inspector Nicola McEvinney Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Kingston Upon Hull City Council Registered person address The Guildhall Alfred Gelder Street HULL HU1 2AA

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Responsible individual Jon Plant Registered manager Paul Damian Robson Date of last inspection 05/11/2013 2 of 11 Inspection date 17/06/2014

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness good

Outcomes for children and young people good Quality of care good Keeping children and young people safe good Leadership and management good

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Overall effectiveness

The home is enjoying a period of stability, with the majority of young people progressing in all aspects of their welfare and development. Young people speak positively about the care and support given by the staff team, who in turn speak proudly of the young people’s progress and achievements. Young people get on well together saying ’we are there for each other’.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are involved in drawing up their care plans through ‘My Plan’, which ensures their views are heard. Their care plans are highly individualised, setting out how their specific needs can be met.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people say that they feel safe and are safe. There had been incidents of bullying behaviour which were addressed by staff. Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding issues and there are good links with other bodies involved in the protection of vulnerable children.

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Overall effectiveness

Good behaviour management strategies contribute to the stability of the home. Young people are able to take age-appropriate risks which are well-managed by staff.

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Overall effectiveness

Strong management arrangements have brought about significant improvements to 3 of 11 the home, creating a child-centred environment where young people’s life opportunities are enhanced.

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Overall effectiveness

Requirements and recommendations identified at this inspection relate to the records of restraints and sanctions and providing young people with their own keys to their bedrooms. 4 of 11

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a local authority. It is registered to look after a maximum of six children who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/11/2013 Interim good progress 29/04/2013 Full adequate 22/10/2012 Interim inadequate progress 30/07/2012 Full adequate

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

17B (2001) ensure that within 24 hours of any measure of control, restraint or discipline a written record is made in a volume kept for the purpose. (Regulation 17B(3)) 31/07/2014

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure young people's normal movement around the home is not restricted, b providing them with a key to their bedroom. (NMS 10.4) 5 of 11 6 of 11

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Outcomes for children and young people good

The home is experiencing a period of stability which is having a significant impact on the wellbeing of the young people. All have made good progress from their starting points. Young people have made good attachments to the staff and each other, saying, ‘we all look out for one another’. There is a marked improvement in young people’s behaviours both within and outside the home. They are learning socially acceptable behaviours, which has brought about this stability.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people’s health needs are well met. All are registered with doctors, dentists and opticians, and appointments are made as required. Some young people are undergoing medical tests, and they are well supported by staff. The home encourages healthy eating and there is always fruit available. Support is given to those young people who smoke and wish to cut down or stop this habit through smoking cessation services.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people were proud to say that they are all in education, and the majority are good attendees. This impacts significantly on their attainment, which has improved since their admission to the home. Those young people who have left school have college placements identified for the next academic year and over the summer are attending other courses. For example, a Fire and Rescue Course run by the fire brigade and an independence course organised by a youth group to equip young people with skills they require in adulthood.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people feel valued by having their views listened to. The home uses ‘My Plan’, which young people draw up with their key worker based on what they want their care plan to be. This allows for negotiation between the local authority and the young person to have a plan that is realistic and that young people are able to buy into. If young people do not wish to attend their review their keyworker will ensure that they have secured their views and will advocate on their behalf.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people benefit from the input of substance misuse services. They spoke positively about their input and were proud to say that they are drug free. More importantly they had a good understanding about the effects of their substance misuse and resolved not to indulge again. These young people were proactive in discussing this with other young people to help them to understand the risks involved.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are given responsibility for tasks within the home. For example, one of them is responsible for organising activities; another with staff is responsible for the upkeep of the home. This encourages ownership of their environment. Young people are involved in basic maintenance of their environment, like hanging pictures and mirrors. They make good use of local facilities, in particular the local park where all of 7 of 11 them may go to ‘have a kick about’. The home recycles, which promotes social responsibility.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people enjoy contact with significant family members. These arrangements are set out in their care plan. Young people’s friends are made welcome in the home and some have their friends come round to call for them.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are encouraged to develop skills they will require to live independently. The home has adopted an independence training package that the young people engage in to enable them to acquire the necessary skills. All are encouraged to undertake their own laundry, maintain their private space and help with meal preparation. Some feel confident in their culinary skills. Some of the young people have enrolled on a course organised by a youth group that is more in-depth and looks at a range of issues such as tenancies and budgeting. This organisation will give young people on-going support once they move to independence. This ensures young people continue to be supervised and supported.

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Quality of care good

The majority of young people enjoy warm supportive relationships with staff and have built friendships with one another. They say ‘we plan to do things together’; ‘it’s like a family’. They consider that staff care for them and treat them fairly.

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Quality of care good

Young people benefit from having their views actively sought in all areas of their care and in how the home operates. For example, staff discuss with them the Individual Crisis Management Plans, which enables young people to have a say in how they are supported in a time of crisis. This helps to diffuse situations. The use of ‘My Plan’ ensures their views are incorporated into their care plans. There has been a great improvement in young people’s attendance at house meetings. For example, in January staff consulted with the young people individually, but in May all the young people attended and the minutes taken demonstrate their full participation.

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Quality of care good

All the young people said they know how to complain. Some said that they have never had anything to complain about while others said that their complaints were taken seriously and dealt with to their satisfaction.

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Quality of care good

Young people’s needs are clearly set out in their care plans. Through ‘My Plan’ young people contribute to their plans, and staff advocate on their behalf. For example, suggestions that some young people should move to supported lodgings placements were fiercely opposed by staff as this is not what the young people wanted and staff considered that they were not ready for this move.

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Quality of care good

Young people’s life opportunities are enhanced by them all having an educational placement. There are constructive links with schools and educational providers to ensure young people receive the support they need. There are good links with the 8 of 11 head of the virtual school, who will advocate on behalf of young people if educational providers are not meeting their needs. The home will also challenge when young people’s personal educational plans do not identify the support required.

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Quality of care good

Young people have access to a number of services to help meet their complex needs. For example, the child and adolescent mental health service supports young people’s emotional needs. A psychologist from this service works closely with the home, providing consultation to the staff team to help them understand and manage some of the complex behaviours the young people present. Staff speak highly of this input, which enables them to work more effectively to support young people. The substance misuse service has made an impact in supporting young people to address their substance misuse. The looked after children nurse supports young people on a range of health issues including sexual health matters.

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Quality of care good

Young people’s self-esteem is enhanced by being well supported in having their needs relating to their personal identity recognised and valued. Young people have access to services and individuals that support them with issues of sexuality and gender identification to enable them to make informed life choices.

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Quality of care good

Young people enjoy living in this spacious home. There has been a lot of effort made to ensure it is well maintained and comfortably furnished to create a homely environment for the young people. However, young people do not have keys to their bedrooms, which restricts their normal movement and is institutional practice.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are protected by detailed risk assessments identifying potential dangers, with guidance in place to minimise the risk. These are regularly reviewed and amended in light of new information to ensure they reflect the current situation.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The incidence of young people going missing has greatly reduced and is now minimal. Occasionally older young people will stay at friends, but generally inform the home that they are staying out and that they are safe and well. When they do return young people say staff ensure that they have something to eat and are made to feel welcome. Social workers speak positively about the efforts of the staff to try to keep in contact with young people when they are away from the home and to transport them to ensure their safety. There are clear individual protocols in place to ensure appropriate action is taken if a young person fails to return when expected.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are protected by the effective links the home has with the local police. For example, the manager attends the police liaison meeting and pertinent information is shared. A representative of the local authority’s children’s homes attends other meetings where young people at risk of sexual exploitation are discussed and this information is shared as necessary. 9 of 11 Young people feel safe in the home. There were some incidents of bullying behaviours which were quickly addressed. Strategies are in place to support young people who feel threatened by new admissions by encouraging them to support and ‘buddy’ new young people to foster good relations.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are supported by behaviour management plans that identify triggers to unwanted behaviours, with strategies in place to de-escalate potentially volatile situations. The current group of young people is settled and the incidence of challenging behaviours has significantly reduced, providing stability. There have been no restraints for a considerable period, although there are some sanctions. The home is moving towards a restorative justice approach, where young people are able to reflect on their misdemeanours. However, the restraint and sanctions records do not comply with regulation as they are not stand-alone records and do not allow for easy monitoring.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are protected by all necessary health and safety checks, which are carried out regularly. These include young people’s participation in fire evacuation procedures. This ensures they know what action to take in the event of a fire.

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Leadership and management good

Young people are cared for by an experienced and committed staff team who provide a stable environment and good quality of care. The Registered Manager was appointed in March 2010 having attained a Diploma in Social Work and Level 7 Diploma in Management. He was appointed to manage this and another six-bedded children’s home. However, for the past two years he has managed this home only. Since that time the home has gone from strength to strength. He has a clear vision for how he wishes to develop the home and to ensure staff have the necessary skills to meet the complex needs of the young people placed.

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Leadership and management good

Staff have good supervision which is enhanced by the resource library which the manager has collated. This includes information on self-harming behaviours and gender identification which enables staff to have a better understanding and focuses the work they undertake with young people.

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Leadership and management good

The Manager has an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. The development plan concentrates on building on the strengths. These are the home’s approach to working with young people in a far more child centred, reflective way and staff working on building relationships with young people based on good behaviour management strategies. Weaknesses are around the staffing structure, which is subject to the outcome of the local authority’s review of residential services. The outcome of this review is yet to be determined.

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Leadership and management good

Effective monitoring systems demonstrate how young people have progressed in all areas of their lives. As part of this process a new framework for consulting with 10 of 11 young people, their families and professionals has been developed to ensure their views are sought on the care provided.

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Leadership and management good

The comprehensive Statement of Purpose ensures all interested parties understand what the home has to offer. Young people are provided with a young person’s guide to ensure they know what to expect when they come to live at the home. This document contains some information about each member of staff to enable young people to know who is caring for them.

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Leadership and management good

Young people are cared for by a sufficient number of qualified staff who are supplemented by a core of casual bank staff who are long-standing, regular and committed to the home. Some of these individuals have skills that they are able to utilise with young people and offer them experiences they may not have had the opportunity to access. For example, fire training and independence skills packages.

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Leadership and management good

Young people’s records are maintained on an electronic system shared by other professionals who are involved in their case, such as independent reviewing officers and social workers. This ensures all information is readily available. Social workers speak positively of the quality of record keeping. Hard copies of pertinent information is held to ensure all staff, including casual staff, have ready access to this information. This ensures a consistent approach to young people’s care is maintained.

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Leadership and management good

There were no requirements or recommendations raised at the last inspection. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management good

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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