Children's home run by Hull City Council in Kingston upon Hull, City of

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC034706 1 SC034706

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Kingston upon Hull City Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The local authority owns and runs this home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people, irrespective of gender, who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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This monitoring visit

The registered provider and the registered manager have started to implement an action plan to address the three compliance notices served after the last inspection. The provider and the manager have not completed any of the notices in the timescale set. A restriction of accommodation notice remains in force.

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This monitoring visit

Two young people have moved out of the home. In reviewing the needs of existing young people and how these can be met, the manager has arranged for three staff to be on each shift, at times supplemented by the manager. One young person is still assessed as needing two-to-one staffing. The staffing policy still requires two staff to be in the home at all times. The staff therefore need to be creative if this young person wants them to take him out, for example when the other young person is away having family contact or when the manager is in the home. Existing staffing levels also make it difficult to search for young people when they are missing from home. This is not good practice, and does not help to ensure the safety of young people on these occasions.

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This monitoring visit

The home environment has improved; there is less damage and staff have more time to spend with young people. Key-working sessions are starting to take place, although there has only been one so far. The staff are providing more support for young people with regard to their emotional well-being; they watch television, play games and cook meals together. Young people say that the home is a nicer place to live in. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC034706 2 Staff training has been planned in a number of areas to develop and refresh the staff’s skills. This is focused on safeguarding practice, the individual needs of young people and record-keeping.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has not yet been able to complete a review of the workforce plan to ensure that there are sufficient staff on each shift, and that as a team the staff meet the needs of young people and keep them safe. The manager has not provided staff with guidance through supervision and team meetings, as required. Therefore expectations about undertaking direct work on personal safety with young people and following the missing-from-care policy and procedures are not clear. Only three staff have received formal supervision and there has been no team meeting to discuss the requirements made at the last inspection. This meeting was planned to be held three days after this inspection. These shortfalls are delaying the required improvements and consequently standards of care for young people are slow to rise.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has taken steps to review and update young people’s individual risk assessments and their missing-from-home action plans. The manager has also started a review of young people’s individual care plans. One has been completed and one has not. The system for ensuring that staff know about these changes is weak, and lacks accountability and management oversight.

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This monitoring visit

Record-keeping in relation to missing-from-home incidents remains complicated. This makes it difficult for the manager to oversee staff practice and determine whether the relevant missing-from-home action plans are being followed. The action plans do not include clear details about when to report young people missing to the police. The manager has not yet implemented a system for monitoring this, so has been unable to evaluate current practice and make improvements.

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This monitoring visit

The manager’s monitoring system is still in the process of review. Therefore the manager has not yet improved how she evaluates the quality of care that the young people are receiving. Although systems are being set up to do this, in line with action plan, they are not in place. The manager has planned to complete this and start her new monitoring system within the next week.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 19/12/2017 Full Inadequate 26/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/09/2016 Full Requires improvement 15/07/2016 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC034706 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

*6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the overall aims and outcomes the home seeks to achieve for children and use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6(2)(b)(iv)) 04/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

*12: The protection of children standard

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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 order to meet the protection of children standard, in particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12(2)(a)(v)&(vi)) 04/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

*12: The protection of children standard

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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 order to meet the protection of children standard, in particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child 04/03/2018 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC034706 4 effectively from harm. (Regulation 12(2)(b)) *13: The leadership and management standard

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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 helps children aspire to their potential, and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 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; and ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate. (Regulation 13(2)(a)&(b)) 04/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

*13: The leadership and management standard

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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 helps children aspire to their potential, and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13(2)(d)) 04/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

*13: The leadership and management standard

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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 helps children aspire to their potential, and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 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. (Regulation 13(2)(f)) 04/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if the person has the appropriate experience, qualifications and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children. (Regulation 28(1)(b)(i)) 31/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC034706 5

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection. This was a focused inspection covering the three compliance notices issued on the 3 January 2018 and the restriction of accommodation notice issued on 22 December 2017.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Kingston upon Hull City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Guildhall, Alfred Gelder Street, Hull HU1 2AA

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Inspector

Simon Morley, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC034706 6 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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