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

Inspection report children’s home: SC034313 1 SC034313 Registered provider: Kingston upon Hull City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A local authority operates and runs this home. It provides care for young people whose plan is to live in a medium- to long-term residential setting. The manager is suitably qualified and has been in post since January 2017. He became the registered manager in August 2017. He began working in children’s homes in 1999 and was first registered as a children’s home manager in 2010.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC034313 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/03/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/10/2016 Full Good 02/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/09/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC034313 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

Ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(2)(c)) With particular reference to staff receiving good-quality training in order to meet the specific needs of young people, and receiving supervision that meets local authority-agreed timescales of frequency. 16/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to provide to children the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. Ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6(2)(b)(vii)(c)(i)) With particular reference to repairing all damaged areas and improving the decor, fixtures and overall presentation of the home. 16/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

The standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that arrangements are in place to manage and review the placement of children in the home. (Regulation 14(2)(b)(ii)) In particular, the registered person should accept placements for children only where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. 03/07/2018

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Recommendations

 Any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. In some cases it will be important for children to make reparation in some form to anyone hurt by their behaviour and the staff in the home should be skilled to support the child to understand this and carry it out. Equally, staff should understand the system for rewarding and celebrating positive behaviour and recognising where children have managed situations well. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraphs 9.38 and 9.39) Inspection report children’s home: SC034313 4

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improvement to be good

Despite the endeavours of the home’s domestic employee and the staff team to provide the children and young people with a comfortable environment, the building is not homely. There have been unacceptable delays in repairs to the damage caused by the children and young people, and this contributes to their lack of respect for their surroundings.

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improvement to be good

There have been two admissions to the home since the last inspection. These were on an emergency basis, and the staff team members were not able to prepare for and welcome the young people as they would have wished. Both of these were for complex and challenging young people for whom the local authority is struggling to identify suitable placements. However, the staff team’s sensitive support for the young person who left to go to a secure children’s home ensured that this was a positive experience for him. Much-improved day-to-day care plans now target the children’s and young people’s identified priorities, and this enhances their opportunities for success.

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improvement to be good

The manager has devised a new ‘My Plan’ template for key workers to use together with the children and young people. This is intended to enable the children and young people to share their wishes and feelings and actively contribute to their care planning, once it is fully embedded.

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improvement to be good

Notwithstanding the negative influence that some of the children and young people can have on each other, some of the residents are settled and engaging with the staff team. The children and young people can identify individual staff members whom they like and have trusting relationships with. A staff team member said, ‘They are returning home on a night and they do tell us things, so we do have that relationship with them.’

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improvement to be good

The majority of the children and young people either have been involved in or are still involved in substance misuse. Good partnership working with specialist agencies ensures that they have access to relevant support to address this, but not all of the young people are willing to engage. This affects their emotional health, as they are unable to receive the services of mental health specialists until they are settled. Nevertheless, the staff team members persist in encouraging the children and young people to develop a healthier lifestyle. A substance misuse worker said, ‘We tend to be here and doing a lot more with the kids than other homes, and this home will tell us if they think there are issues.’

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improvement to be good

Good working relationships between the staff team members and education providers ensure that those children and young people who will engage are receiving appropriate education. The support and encouragement that the children and young people receive from the staff team enhances their learning experiences. A parent said, ‘He’s attending school, and at our last meeting they said he was doing really really well and is on track to take his GCSEs.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC034313 5 The staff team members use a new targeted approach to engage with the children and young people if they are not in education during school hours. This removes the need for internal doors to be locked and allows the children and young people to have access to all appropriate areas of the home during the day.

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improvement to be good

Parents report positively about the contact that the staff team members maintain with them and the progress that their children make in the home. All of the professionals spoken to report the good relationships that they have with the staff team members. This helps to ensure that the children and young people receive the consistent care that they need. A social worker said, ‘Communication with them has been very good. All of us, including school and (home’s name), have excellent communication.’

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improvement to be good

The staff team members work closely with the children and young people to encourage them to participate in positive experiences in the community. This is not always successful, and some young people continue to be involved with negative peer groups. Those children and young people who are engaging are thoroughly enjoying activities, such as fishing, boxing and attending the cinema, which promote their social and life skills. A social worker said, ‘He has developed loads of interests now. He needs to be kept occupied at all times, and this is something (home’s name) is very good at.’

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improvement to be good

Due to inappropriate matching of the children and young people, there has been a significant number of behavioural incidents leading to assaults on staff and damage to the home. There are clear expectations for the children and young people to follow, and the staff team members’ consistent and patient approach provides the children and young people with good behavioural examples. Some of the children and young people have responded well to this approach, but others have yet to engage.

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improvement to be good

All of the sanctions imposed for negative behaviours have been of a financial nature. This does not allow the children and young people to effectively learn the consequences of their behaviours or understand the impact that their actions can have on others. The children and young people are not rewarded for their positive behaviours, and this reduces their incentive to try.

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improvement to be good

Good safeguarding procedures are known and applied. There have been some bullying behaviours between the children and young people. The staff team members are very well aware of the impact that such behaviours can have on all concerned, and act proactively to prevent them. The children and young people spoken with on inspection stated that they felt safe in the home and knew that the staff team would protect them if necessary. Parents and professionals reported that the children and young people are safe.

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improvement to be good

The committed and resilient staff team members work extremely hard to provide the children and young people with consistent and safe boundaries. A senior care officer said, ‘We have a good staff team who are creative at spending time with young people.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC034313 6 The children’s and young people’s individual vulnerabilities are assessed and planned for. The risks posed to the children and young people by involvement in ‘county lines’ are known to the manager and staff team. The staff team members work with the children and young people to enable them to understand the dangers that their behaviours can place them at. This meets with varying degrees of success at this time.

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improvement to be good

All of the staff team members are appropriately trained in restraint techniques, but use them only if absolutely necessary. Where restraints have taken place, managers and independent persons audit the physical intervention records to ensure that they are appropriate and include the children’s and young people’s views.

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improvement to be good

Most of the children and young people have significant histories of missing episodes prior to moving into the home. For some, the routines and clear boundaries have allowed them to settle and feel secure, resulting in a marked reduction in their absences. The staff team members work very closely with local and specialist police officers to locate and bring the children and young people home if they are in unsafe locations. A social worker said, ‘I can sleep at night now, knowing he is here, and I couldn’t before.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Senior managers in the local authority directed that some children and young people were admitted to the home against the managers’ judgement. The risk assessments indicated that their behaviours were likely to pose a risk to the other children and young people. This proved to be the case, with an increase in bullying behaviours, assaults on staff and damage in the home, this impacted negatively on care and outcomes. The manager and staff team members have worked extremely hard to meet the needs of all of the children and young people, but this has meant that they have not achieved in other areas.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The experienced registered manager is a good role model for the staff team and the children and young people alike. His calm and measured approach instils confidence and trust. He is realistic about the pressures that poorly matched children and young people place on the home. The manager continues to strive to ensure that the staff team members meet all of the children’s and young people’s diverse needs while also appropriately challenging the senior managers in the authority about the inappropriate placements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Six of the eight requirements and one of the two recommendations raised at the last inspection have been met. This demonstrates the home’s capacity to improve and the areas for development. However, the staff team members are not receiving consistent training or supervision at this time, and repairs are needed to the fabric of the home. These requirements are repeated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The staff team members report, and the team meeting minutes evidence, that research is being used productively to use current care practices to support the children and young people, for example sharing information about the risks posed by involvement in ‘county lines’. Inspection report children’s home: SC034313 7 The manager has recently introduced new monitoring sheets which clearly record the progress that the children and young people are making. They also demonstrate how the staff team members are working directly with the children and young people to meet their needs. The manager ensures that the home is conducted in a manner that is consistent with its statement of purpose. This includes assigning an experienced member of staff to be a restorative practice champion, although he has yet to implement changes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Good external monitoring visits contribute to the children’s and young people’s well- being and safety, as they are appropriately challenging and detailed. The manager’s internal auditing procedures clearly identify areas for improvement, as well as acknowledging and building upon good practice. A comprehensive development plan incorporates ways of meeting and celebrating the children’s and young people’s unique equality and diversity needs. Inspection report children’s home: SC034313 8

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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

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: SC034313 9

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Ann-Marie Born, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC034313 10 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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