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

Unique reference number SC034313 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 Linus Penna Date of last inspection 16/01/2014 2 of 10 Inspection date 21/07/2014

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness adequate

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

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are provided with good quality of care and have good outcomes. All are attending education; none of them go missing and they do not indulge in risk taking behaviours. This is a significant improvement as some young people had a propensity towards these behaviours and were poor school attendees on admission.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people feel safe and are safe; they consider that they are well looked after.

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Overall effectiveness

The Registered Manager has a good understanding of the strengths of the home. However, he is less insightful of the weaknesses that have been identified at this inspection.

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Overall effectiveness

These weaknesses relate to ensuring Ofsted receive Regulation 33 reports and notifications of significant events promptly; the recording of sanctions; the maintenance of the home and ensuring young people’s records are correct. However, these weaknesses do not impact negatively on the welfare or safety of young people. 3 of 10

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Information about this children’s home

This children's home is run by a local authority and registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home also offers an outreach service to young people who have left care and may need additional support.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/01/2014 Interim good progress 09/07/2013 Full good 12/11/2012 Interim good progress 12/06/2012 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 discipline, a written record is made in a volume kept for the purpose. (Regulation 17B(3)) 31/08/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure HMCI is provided with a copy of the Regulation 33 report (Regulation 33(9)(a)) 31/08/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure HMCI is notified without delay any notifiable event as required. (Regulation 30 (1) Schedule 5) 31/08/2014

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Recommendations

4 of 10 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 all areas of the home is well maintained (NMS 10.3)  ensure that there is a system in place to monitor the quality and adequacy of record keeping and take action when needed. (NMS 22.1)  ensure that the Registered Manager exercises effective leadership of the hom staff and operation. (NMS 14.5) 5 of 10

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are making good progress; they are developing in confidence which has enabled some to clearly express their wishes with regard to placements. This has impacted on their self-esteem. They recognise that they have been able to make decisions which were supported by staff. Staff have a good awareness of the need to promote young people’s self-esteem and services are accessed to give young people the opportunity to develop their self-confidence.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people have an awareness of the importance of healthy lifestyles and take responsibility for their health. They are encouraged to eat healthily and staff support young people in exercise regimes.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people share their views in every aspect of their care and in how the home functions. For example, the use of the ‘My Plan’ ensures young people are able to say how they wish to be cared for and what they want to happen in their lives; their views are sought in how different areas of the house are to be used.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people’s life opportunities are enhanced by attending their education provision and they are good attendees. This is a significant improvement from their starting points where most young people had poor education attendance which resulted in poor attainment.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

The incidence of young people indulging in risk taking behaviours or anti-social behaviour has significantly reduced. This impacts positively on their health and well- being. For example, young people say they no longer partake in the misuse of substances and others no longer associate with individuals who can compromise their welfare. The staff are proactive in addressing ‘labels’ that young people come with. For example, where young people have been assessed as posing a significant risk to others, this has been challenged. The staff have insisted on a reassessment; the result of which has found that the young person no longer poses a risk. This has a significant impact on young people’s life opportunities.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people participate in community projects. For example, some are involved in a bike project where they build bikes. Some have been sent to Ghana and occasionally some are given to disadvantaged children within the community. The young people use the local gym and access local shops in the community.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are given the opportunity to develop skills that they will need in adulthood. For example, they regularly help with meal preparation; maintain their own living space and some help to maintain the garden by cutting the grass. 6 of 10

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Quality of care good

Young people consider that they are well looked after by staff and they have good relationships with them. There is always someone that can talk to.

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Quality of care good

Young people’s wellbeing is promoted by them living in a settled environment. Their behaviours are well managed. Each young person has an individual crisis management plan setting out how they present normally with triggers identified that may cause unwanted behaviours. There are strategies identified to enable staff to help young people to deescalate potentially volatile situations.

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Quality of care good

Young people’s wishes and feelings are ascertained in all aspects of their care and in how the home operates. An advocacy organisation supports this process by having an individual regularly visit the home. She chairs young people’s meetings and has built up trust with the young people which enable them to share issues with her. The ‘My Plan’ documentation is a live document, regularly reviewed with young people to ensure that it reflects their current wishes and feelings. Some young people have been involved in the recruitment of higher managers. This has built their confidence and they feel that they have had a say in the process.

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Quality of care good

Where the ‘My Plan’ identifies wishes that cannot be realised this alerts staff and enables young people to have a discussion regarding this. This ensures young people feel listened to and promotes their wellbeing.

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Quality of care good

Young people know how to make a complaint although none of them have had the need to do so.

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Quality of care good

Young people’s needs including needs relating to their personal identity are set out in their care plan with strategies identified setting out how these are going to be met. Each young person also has a basic daily routine setting out how they are to be cared for on a day to day basis. This aids consistency to their care. The home holds regular case reviews where each young person’s plan of care is discussed and how staff can further support their progress.

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Quality of care good

Young people benefit from accessing a range of services to help them meet their needs. For example, the child and adolescent mental health service supports young people with their emotional needs. An individual from this service attends the home regularly offering consultation to the staff team to help them support young people’s behaviours. Some young people access counselling services. There are close links with the supported living team who work with the home to identify suitable move-on placements for young people. The children’s university works with some young people on a range of topics including building self-esteem.

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Quality of care good

Young people’s life opportunities are enhanced by the proactive approach of the staff team to work with education providers. For example, they encourage young people to have a re-evaluation of their attainment levels so that they can secure appropriate 7 of 10 education at a level suitable to their abilities. This enhances their educational opportunities.

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Quality of care good

Young people enjoy participating in a range of enjoyable activities. For example, some young people went to the capital to watch their local football team play; they enjoy shopping; some go fishing and they have friends in the community who are made welcome in the home.

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Quality of care good

Young people live in a homely environment, particularly the communal areas. Although, some areas of the home require attention; for example, locks on the pantry door, broken light switches and smoke detectors. This gives these areas of the home a more institutional appearance.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Keeping young people safe is an exceptional strength of this home. Young people feel safe and are safe. Despite some young people presenting behaviours of concern prior to admission; they no longer go missing and there is no involvement in risk taking behaviours. This is a significant improvement in their welfare and safety. Young people report that there is no bullying.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Young people are robustly safeguarded by the proactive approach of the manager who is heavily involved in safeguarding arrangements within the city’s children’s homes. He works closely with the local police, chairing the police liaison committee, which works with other organisations involved in the protection of young people. Intelligence is shared particularly with regard to vulnerable children and young people that he cascades to other homes within the city. These arrangements help to protect vulnerable children and young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Young people are safeguarded by the effective risk assessments that identify potential risks. Staff competently implement the clear strategies in place so these dangers are minimised.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Young people’s behaviour is very well managed. Restraints are minimal and used only as guiding gestures to move young people away from potentially volatile situations. Young people consider sanctions are fair. However, 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 outstanding

Young people are protected by all health and safety checks being carried out as required, including regular fire drills to ensure young people know what action to take in the event of a fire. 8 of 10

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Leadership and management adequate

This home is managed by a Registered Manager who holds a social work degree and level 4 in Leadership and Management. He has been the Registered Manager of this home since October 2011. He has a very child centred approach and is passionate about his role as Registered Manager. He has a clear vision of how he would like to see this service develop.

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Leadership and management adequate

The Registered Manager sees the main strength as some staff who work proactively with young people. He will challenge the local authority if he considers that young people’s plans are drifting. The staff work effectively to improve the education opportunities of young people and they work hard to identify move-on placements for young people. Out of the last 40 young people placed, either back with parents or in supported living placements 35 remain in these placements. This stability promotes their wellbeing.

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Leadership and management adequate

In contrast the Registered Manager has identified areas development in child care practices. He has plans to address this through appropriate training and development. A development plan is in place which includes the development of the ‘My Plan’ document for young people and further development of the staff team.

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Leadership and management adequate

Although there were no requirements raised at the last interim inspection a requirement raised at the last full inspection has again not been met. Ofsted have not received a number of Regulation 33 reports. This does not ensure that the regulatory body has a good overview of what is happening in the home. The Registered Manager completes a Schedule 6 monitoring but there are some discrepancies in review minutes and young people’s plans which were not picked up. However, there is good consultation with young people, their parents and the placing authority. This feedback is positive about the care the home provides.

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Leadership and management adequate

There is a comprehensive Statement of Purpose setting out what the home has to offer. This ensures that interested parties know what services the home provides.

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Leadership and management adequate

Although there are adequate resources to meet the needs of the young people some areas of the home require attention. Outside the grass needs regularly cutting; the beds in the back garden have no plants growing and the allotment is not underway, despite this being an identified project.

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Leadership and management adequate

Young people’s electronic records contain some discrepancies which lead to confusion. For example, minutes of the placing authority’s child care reviews do not have the correct information this has not been challenged by the manager. Some health information is not updated and outcomes from serious events are not recorded, which does not demonstrate how situations have been resolved. This does not ensure that young people’s histories contain factual information. However the commitment of staff to meeting young people’s needs with good care minimises the impact of these inaccuracies. 9 of 10 The home enjoys good relationships with other agencies particularly the local police. There is good networking with other children’s homes within the city sharing practice and intelligence.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home has delayed in notifying Ofsted of notifiable events and has failed to notify Ofsted of some notifiable events. This does not enable Ofsted to have an awareness of incidents occurring in the home. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management adequate

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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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