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

Inspection report children‟s home: SC034495 1 SC034495 Registered provider: Kingston Upon Hull City Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority service for up to seven children and young people who have multiple learning disabilities and/or complex needs. It provides residential care and support through a mixture of long-term care, shared care and short breaks.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children‟s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children‟s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Key findings from this inspection

This children‟s home is outstanding because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 The children and young people make exceptional progress from their starting points. Inspection report children‟s home: SC034495 2  The children and young people receive consistency of care from dedicated staff who offer them a range of opportunities. The staff team is supported by a confident and ambitious management team that strives for excellence in the care of the children and young people.  The environment is homely and child-centred, with visual and sensory aids evident to make life in the home easier to understand.  The home is regularly adapted to meet the needs of the children and young people using the service to minimise trauma and provide the safest opportunity for care.  The children and young people have the opportunity to enjoy life to the full. They are able to make friends and enjoy activities that would not be available to them without such committed and professional care.  Families feel fully supported by the staff team. They feel that children and

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Key findings from this inspection

young people are well cared for, supported and advocated for.  The staff team works collaboratively with a number of other agencies. This ensures that children and young people‟s opportunities to be heard are increased through varied skills in the team around the young person.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 29/11/2016 Full Outstanding 24/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 22/12/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children‟s home: SC034495 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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Recommendations

 Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure that it needs the needs of each child. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 49, paragraph 9.59) This is with reference to the discrepancy in recording serious incident dates, and the need for incident forms to be reviewed by the senior staff member on duty.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children and young people who live in this home and use this service are fully dependent on the staff team to care for them and to keep them safe. Staff know the children and young people very well, and are able to meet their diverse needs in an informed and professional manner. Careful planning enables the team to organise the best care for each individual child and young person, and also accommodate emergencies should they arise.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

There is sustained improvement in the lives of the children and young people. All family members spoken to were able to identify the improvement that their child had made. One family member said that they were lucky that (name) is there, stating: „[name of young person] has gone from being a neglected and dishevelled child to someone who can communicate.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is identified by parents as the second family to children and young people. Parents were able to say that without such a supportive and considerate service, their children would not have the normal teenage experiences that are available to them. For example, teen discos, pamper trips, and, for some, just a ride on the bus is what gives them enjoyment. One young person who has no verbal communication shows his parents he is eager to go for his short break by gathering up his belongings. Parents are able to let their children have independent time in a service that places the children at the centre of activity. The robust relationships between parents and the staff team enable families to be more resilient and better able to cope. Inspection report children‟s home: SC034495 4 Professionals from other fields have input into the care of the children and young people, and add to the diverse and experienced staff. Collaborative working with child and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

adolescent mental health services has introduced art therapy to the home with the hope of helping young people understand and cope with loss. Children and young people‟s wishes and feelings are gained by the use of a specialist advocate. This advocate said: „I am happy with how the staff are with the children and young people. They are encouraged to participate in their lives, and when they are able to do something for themselves, such as get a drink, then staff support and encourage them with this.‟ She said that the home has „a nice atmosphere where staff listen, and it is a nice place to be.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

A sensory-based approach in the home provides children and young people with the opportunity to better understand the world around them. As an example, photographs of children and young people and staff who will be in the home that day are positioned for everyone to see. This helps children and young people know who they will be sharing the home with on that day, and who the staff are.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The environment by its nature has some formality to it. Despite this, however, there are some fantastic opportunities for children and young people to do what they want to do, and to capitalise on their strengths. Permanently resident children and young people have their own immaculately presented bedrooms and space where they can enjoy peace in their own home. Young people who stay at the home on shared care or short- breaks plans have rooms personalised by the staff in preparation for when they arrive. Consequently young people have familiar items around them, which creates a recognisable place that they can associate with safe and considered care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children and young people‟s educational development and attendance are treated with the utmost importance. The staff actively advocate to ensure that the correct and most suitable provision is sourced for the children and young people, enabling them to make progress in this area of their life. Staff work with schools and families to overcome situations that may get in the way of young people having these opportunities.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Many of the young people are extremely vulnerable due to their complex needs. Friendships between the children and young people change. While considered and effective planning goes some way to managing these issues, staff are vigilant in identifying when young people‟s relationships may be poor, or when young people may be feeling happy, upset or excited generally. The homes‟ shared rooms are designed to offer positive, alternative activities and keep children and young people focused on what they enjoy. Bedrooms are adapted on a daily basis to ensure that they meet the safety needs of the young people using them. Distraction is the preferred way to stop young people escalating any frustrated or challenging behaviours. Any physical intervention remains at a low level. If such interventions occur, they are treated seriously and are recorded and monitored by management.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

In general, the recording of serious incidents is good. There are some discrepancies in Inspection report children‟s home: SC034495 5 the recording between the dates on the young person‟s file and the log for the home. There are also some instances when the manager or senior care officer had not signed off the serious incident form as having reviewed it.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Staff are acutely aware of the protective role that they have while they care for these young people. When there are concerns about family-home circumstances, the staff team members remain vigilant in ensuring that the young people continue to be visible to, and using, services. Any injuries that young people may have are identified and possible/actual causes shared. Staff are aware of their responsibility to protect young people and what to do if any concerns arise, and consider if there is a robust protective system in place. Collaborative work with the disability social work team ensures that any concerns about young people are progressed in a timely manner so that the necessary intervention can be undertaken.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

For many of the young people, daily medication is a necessity. The staff team is trained to administer this, and the clear procedures for the storage and distribution ensures that risks of error are kept to a minimum. Close links with a local healthcare short-breaks provision add to the expertise in this area, and provide extra protection to young people who are dependent on adults to keep them safe and well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has been in post since 2010. Regular staff supervision and team meetings are held. Records demonstrate reflective discussions about the young people using the service and how the staff can be supported to continue to provide good child- centred care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A number of professionals spoken to during the inspection expressed that the manager runs the home in a sensitive and considerate way; with aspirations for the children and young people to achieve and enjoy to their highest level. These aspirations are exhibited in the staff team, whose members were highly praised in their knowledge and care that they provide to the children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff group brings with them a range of personal and professional experiences that broaden the team‟s knowledge and capacity to deal with daily and unexpected events. Staff feel supported, and enjoy being able to work in an environment where young people‟s diverse needs are identified and met. Shift patterns do not place excessive demands on the staff team. Staff are emotionally and physically prepared to meet the needs of the children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Family members were unequivocal in their support and praise for the home. A parent said of the manager: „(Name) is not just a manager, he is a parent to the kids. He knows them and takes his role as their “parent” seriously… He is amazing.‟ There is nothing that she feels the home could do to improve, and said: „As parents, we are still learning. It is nice to speak to people with an expert view for advice and support.‟ Another parent explained that the staff have supported her looking for a change of school for her child, and have advised and travelled with her to assist in making the right decisions. To know Inspection report children‟s home: SC034495 6 that this level of care is provided instils parents with confidence, and enables them to positively promote the time at the home with their children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Case files are up to date. Care plans and risk assessments reflect the needs of the individual children and young people. Plans on how to respond at times of crisis are detailed in the individual risk management plans, as well as in the home‟s risk assessments.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The statement of purpose was most recently updated in September 2017, and the home functions in accordance with it. Regular independent person‟s reports are received and address the relevant issues. The six-monthly manager‟s review has also improved since the last full inspection and now provides much clearer information about the home, areas for improvement and actions plans to meet these. This routine reviewing of the progress within the home and the response of the manager are evidence of the commitment to ongoing improvement on behalf of the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The care provided in this home exhibits inspirational management which is ambitious and creative in nature, in turn improving the lives of the children and young people who use this service. The expectations on the staff to provide care that improves lives for children and young people is evident in the comments from families and professionals alike. This would not be possible without positive working relationships with all professionals.

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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 differences 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

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: SC034495 7

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Angela Norrie, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC034495 8 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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