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

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has made some headway in addressing the requirements and recommendations raised at the last inspection. An improvement in young people’s personalised care plans now recognises their needs arising from their ethnicity and racial identity. Preliminary staff training and awareness raising on diversity issues has also commenced. This coupled with advice and guidance from the provider’s training department, psychologist and plans for life story work all contribute to helping young people to develop a positive self-identity. It continues to be work in progress. The home environment is improving. For example, the redecorated rooms, replacement furniture, carpets and repairs to holes in the walls make for a better place for young people to live. The manager is acutely aware of the further work needed to upgrade the home conditions throughout. He continues to progress this. The practice of propping open fire doors has ceased, which protects everyone in

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

the event of a fire. Fire doors that do not close properly have been reported for repair to ensure they meet fire safety regulations. The home is currently functioning to full capacity now that three further placements have been made. One young person placed after the inspection quickly returned home to their family. The placement matching process needs further work though. This is to ensure consistent practice that makes clear the rationale for making placements so they do not impact on the existing group dynamics. A directive made by a senior manager to make a placement without exploring the current group dynamics is an exemplar of poor practice. This has been countered by the careful considerations when other placements have been made. The current admissions procedure does not make clear what happens should the manager have valid reason to refuse a placement. He continues to address this issue with plans to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

implement a risk management tool, which should formalise this process. This requirement is reinstated. Independent monitoring reports show some improvements in content. However, the reports do not include an explicit opinion from the visitor of whether young people are safeguarded and their welfare promoted. This requirement is reinstated. The manager’s review of the quality of care is not due until 31 March 2016. This requirement therefore remains in place. One recommendation that relates to missing from care return home interviews has been resolved. A worker from a young person’s advocacy service has been appointed to conduct the interviews. The system in place confirms whether or not young people have been offered a return home interview. This enables them to speak to an independent person should they wish to. Incidentally, missing from care incidents have decreased, which means that the staff know where the young

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

people are. A supportive and consistent staff team are responsive to young people’s diverse needs. This includes the high standing placed on promoting their educational outcomes. For a number of young people their educational attendance is sporadic, which has the potential to limit their life chances. Positive partnerships between the home, social care and education services, such as the virtual school is utilised to help counter some of the barriers to the young people’s educational advancement. Young people’s overall safety and welfare is reinforced by the good measures taken by staff to help and protect them. This view is confirmed by a young person who said they feel safe here. Those young people who have relapsed into using drugs are vulnerable to harm and health concerns. Agreed risk management strategies and multi-disciplinary decision making that is intended to help to minimise risk is yet to have the desired effect. Those young people at risk of child

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

sexual exploitation are safeguarded by the information sharing in multi-agency meetings. Relationships between the young people and staff are generally good, which promotes respect and open discussions and act as additional safeguards. Those young people who present with challenging behaviours have acclimatised to the boundaries that the manager describes as, ‘A better relationship’. This has enabled them to regulate their emotional outbursts, leading to a reduction in confrontational situations. Restraint is infrequent and only used to prevent harm. One complaint made by a young person to Ofsted was appropriately investigated by the provider in consultation with them. It was also shared with Ofsted and the matter is now closed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff team ensure that young people maintain their family bonds by supporting them to maintain contact with their kin.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager shows a clear commitment to service improvements, which inspires him to make a difference to the young people’s lives. He is also committed to engaging the team in this regard. New staff have settled into the team. Their positive views and interactions show genuine enthusiasm for caring for the young people. One staff member said, ‘I love working here.’

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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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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

09/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

14: The care planning standard (1) The care planning standard is that children— (a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home; and (b) have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. In particular, fully consider the impact that new placements will have on the existing group of children by producing written matching considerations and contingency plans. The current admissions policy must make clear the procedure should the registered manager refuse to accept a placement judged by them to be inappropriate. 30/06/2016

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person's report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person's opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

(a) children are effectively safeguarded; and (b) the conduct of the home promotes children's well-being. Specifically ensure that the independent visitor provides sufficient challenge, rigour and analysis. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b)) 31/05/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months. (2) In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— (a) the quality of care provided for children; (b) the feedback and opinions of children about the children's home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and (c) any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children; with specific reference to producing fully evaluative reports that include the opinions of parents, placing authority and staff and; ensure that the home is well maintained and decorated throughout to a good standard. 31/03/2016

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This 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 Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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