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

Inspection report children‟s home: SC034746 1 SC034746 Registered provider: Kingston upon Hull City Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is operated by a local authority.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last full inspection, this home was judged requires improvement to be good. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, one young person has left the home after assaulting other young people at the home. Following the first incident, the registered manager devised a safety plan to reduce the likelihood of recurrence. Although staff employed an increased level of vigilance and supervision, a second incident of violence occurred at the home. The manager felt that the staff team was unable to safeguard the young people at the home from physical harm. Despite identifying this unacceptable level of risk, leaders failed to take effective action to protect children from harm. Subsequently, one young person was the victim of a serious assault that required hospital treatment. Furthermore, leaders and staff failed to notify Ofsted of all incidents, one of which included police being called to the home, that were of a serious nature. This meant that the regulator was not afforded the opportunity to have sufficient oversight of the escalating violence

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

at the home. Requirements are made to address these matters. Inspection report children‟s home: SC034746 2 Some of the records of measures of control do not meet the standards outlined in regulations. One record was not signed by the registered manager or an appropriate delegate. The young people are not always debriefed in a timely manner and there are some details missing, for example the duration of use of the measure and the efforts made to de-escalate the situation prior to intervening physically. These records are important to safeguard all parties in the event of a complaint or allegation, and to ensure that sufficient transparency and adequate levels of scrutiny are applied. Requirements are made to enhance the quality of these records.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person, who was evidently registered as residing at the home in the admission book, was residing at another address in circumstances that had not been fully explored or assessed. These circumstances potentially place the young person at risk of exploitation or abuse. Despite having significant safeguarding concerns about the young person, the registered manager had failed to formalise and escalate his concerns to an appropriate person in the placing authority. A compliance notice has been served to ensure swift action by the provider on this matter.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person has a significant history of self-injurious behaviour. There is a risk assessment in place that was devised in collaboration with mental health clinicians. The risk assessment has sufficient detail and preventative strategies to ensure that staff are aware of the actions that they should take to safeguard the young person. However, the current staff team has not had specific training to manage this type of behaviour or to remove a ligature safely. This means that staff do not have the skills necessary to safely meet the needs of this child. A compliance notice has been served to ensure that staff receive the required training as a matter of urgency.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite the significant shortfalls identified, the other young people at the home are engaging well in their education placements. Healthcare is well planned and the current group of young people living at the home appear settled and happy. Those young people say that they feel safe at the home and enjoy good relationships with each other and the staff team. The registered manager has made considerable positive progress on nine of the 10 requirements made at the last inspection. He has made significant improvements to the internal and external monitoring of the home and the quality of care review process. There is evidence that risk management strategies are detailed in safety plans for individual young people and that staff have followed them. However, some risk management plans could be further enhanced, for example to include the day-to-day steps that staff should take in responding to incidents of self-harm. There is evidence

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

that „missing‟ incidents have been reduced considerably. Independent return interviews are requested, but the records do not demonstrate that the outcome of the interview is evaluated and used to inform future practice. Recommendations are made to enhance these areas of practice. Inspection report children‟s home: SC034746 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/01/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 19/09/2016 Full Requires improvement 27/07/2016 Full Inadequate

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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, the 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

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child‟s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child‟s welfare. (Regulation 12(1), (2)(a)(i)(vi)) 08/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

* The leadership and management standard is that that registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential, and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(1), (2)(c)) 30/04/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC034746 4 The registered person must ensure that— within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— the name of the child; details of the child‟s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to

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Requirement Due date

use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered as a result of the measure. Within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)— has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 30/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(b)(e)) 30/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report children‟s home: SC034746 5

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Recommendations

 Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 45, paragraph

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Recommendations

9.30)  Evaluation of missing incidents should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. This evaluation should inform the review of the quality of care. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 46, paragraph 9.31)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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

Using the „Social care common inspection framework‟, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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‟. Inspection report children‟s home: SC034746 6

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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

Nicola Thomas, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC034746 7 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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