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

Inspection report children‟s home: SC040105 1 SC040105 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

This home is an edge of care service operated by a local authority. It provides short- term, respite and emergency placements with the aim of supporting children and young people to move on to consistent and stable homes. The manager is well qualified and has over 11 years‟ experience as a registered manager. She has been registered to manage this home since March 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children‟s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 19 February 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC040105 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/02/2018 Full Good 21/11/2016 Full Good 09/06/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC040105 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

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out – how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children‟s home; and the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b)) 10/08/2018

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Recommendations

 Children‟s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 15, paragraph 3.9) This is specifically in relation to fire safety information being made clearly available to children and young people who are admitted to the home on an emergency basis.  The registered person should ensure that children are offered a wide range of activities both inside and outside of the home (where appropriate) and are encouraged to participate in those activities. Staff should support children to take part in school trips, out of school and other clubs, volunteering and leisure activities. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 31, paragraph 6.5)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people spend varying amounts of time in the home dependant on their plans and legal status. Those who are resident have good, trusting relationships with the staff team and the attachments that they form enable the children and young people to either return to live with family members or to move on to long-term placements that are appropriate for them. A young person said, „This is me being happy and I am so happy. I am happy here.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Individual risk assessments are completed on each child or young person to assess the Inspection report children‟s home: SC040105 4 potential impact of them being placed in the home before a placement is agreed. Once accommodated, the children‟s and young people‟s day-to-day care plans identify the clear steps needed for them to reach their goals. Specific work is undertaken with each individual in order for them to develop the necessary social and life skills and to engage with services. A grandparent said, „She‟s grown up since she‟s been there.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Given the range of needs, the variety of care plans and the different conditions that the children and young people are admitted to the home under, the staff team members have to be able to draw upon a wide range of skills to maintain a happy and secure balance. They are doing this well and for the most part the children and young people are receiving all that they need to be fulfilled. They are encouraged and supported to build friendships locally and to spend positive time with family members. However, there can be times when the resident children and young people do not receive the attention from the staff team members that they would wish or have the opportunity to participate in leisure activities together with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is based on a housing estate within easy reach of a range of community facilities. It is a large building, yet the spaces used by the children and young people are homely and welcoming, enhancing their sense of security and belonging. A social worker said, „The staff here were absolutely amazing. They went over and above that anybody else would do. Within a short space of time, they made her feel like she was welcome.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family members report positively about the support that they receive from the staff team members in order to rebuild relationships with the children and young people. This has enabled some children and young people to remain living in the family home and not have to be accommodated long term and others to return to live with relatives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals spoken with on the inspection are fulsome in their praise of the care that the children and young people receive and the communication between themselves and the staff team members. They cite the manager and staff team members as examples of good partnership working in order to meet children‟s and young people‟s needs. A social work team manager said, „The relationships are really good, and things are moving in the right direction for [Name of young person].‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children‟s and young people‟s emotional and physical health improves as they engage with the healthy lifestyle promoted in the home and attend necessary health appointments. Good, collaborative working with specialist health professionals ensures that the children and young people receive the directed interventions that they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff team members promote an expectation that the children and young people resident in the home will attend school. This positive culture, and appropriate challenge of partner agencies where necessary, empowers the children and young people to engage with learning thus expanding their future life and employment opportunities. One young person had the chance to attend her school prom. This had a significant impact on her feelings of self-worth and self-esteem and has provided her with a positive memory. A social worker said, „I can‟t praise them enough. They have worked very well in challenging the school and advocating for [Name of young person] to get her Inspection report children‟s home: SC040105 5 the education she needs.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people are enabled and encouraged to share their wishes and feelings. Innovative practice, such as translating the children‟s meeting minutes into their first language, ensures that all of the children and young people feel heard and valued.

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

Children and young people can be admitted to the home in an emergency, often late at night. The caring staff team members sensitively welcome them and settle them into comfortably prepared bedrooms. Although fire evacuation information is explained on admission, it is not clear whether the children and young people fully understand this, especially if English is not their first language.

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

The children and young people have individual behaviour management plans which help them to understand their responsibilities within the home. However, the children and young people are at different stages of their care experiences and are not always clear what the behavioural expectations in the home are. At times, they feel that other children and young people are able to do more than they can.

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

The good relationships that the children and young people have with the staff members mean that the need for physical intervention is rare. When restraints do occur, they are recorded appropriately and all involved are given the opportunity to learn from the experience thus preventing recurrences.

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

Good local authority safeguarding procedures are applied effectively. The detailed locality risk assessment provides comprehensive information about potential risks in the neighbourhood. The children and young people are protected from the threats posed by extremism and radicalisation.

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

Comprehensive risk assessments ensure that each child‟s and young person‟s individual vulnerabilities are known and planned for. The children and young people develop an understanding of the dangers that some activities may pose for them and the reasons why adults are concerned. Recordings following the implementation of sanctions are much improved. The children and young people are provided with the opportunity to learn the consequences of their actions.

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

There has been a high number of episodes of going missing from this home. The staff team members proactively search for the children and young people. They also work collaboratively with partner agencies, including the police, to return the children and young people safely home and to protect them. Once the children and young people settle and engage with the staff team members, they cease to absent themselves. This is a significant improvement for some of the children and young people. A young person said, „I used to go missing before I came here but I don‟t need to do that now because I feel safe here.‟ Inspection report children‟s home: SC040105 6

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The skilled and experienced manager is passionate about her role. She knows well the children and young people in her care and strives to ensure that they receive the best of outcomes. The manager leads an enthusiastic and resilient staff team whose members share her ambition.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The three requirements and one recommendation raised at the last inspection have been met. This demonstrates the home‟s capacity to improve. In addition, the manager and senior managers from the authority are working in partnership with each other to ensure that only children and young people whose needs can be met together are being placed in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A clear development plan details the steps being taken and progress being made by the manager with the local authority in reshaping the edge of care service, with this home as the base. Professionals from other disciplines, for example a clinician and a police officer, will be located in the home to provide support to families on the verge of breakdown. It is too early as yet to quantify outcomes and successes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Reports prepared by the independent visitor are detailed and thorough. They actively contribute towards the well-being and safety of the children and young people. The manager‟s internal auditing procedures provide an excellent picture of the care provided. They include the views of the children and young people and other interested parties. All achievements and any areas of concern are identified. The children and young people are encouraged to actively contribute their views towards their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An updated statement of purpose now accurately reflects the age of the children and young people who the home will care for and the care to be provided. The informative children‟s guide is made available to the children and young people in their first language. This ensures that all children and young people receive the information that they need in order to inform their stay.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The promotion of equality and diversity is a strength. The manager and staff team have made links with local places of worship and specialist food suppliers. This, coupled with information being available in a range of languages, ensures that the children and young people, including unaccompanied asylum seekers, are introduced sensitively to the home and the care system in a way that meets their needs. In addition, the good work that takes place with the children and young people who are exploring their sexuality and gender allows them to forge their own identity.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A well-trained and supported staff team is committed to making a difference in the children‟s and young people‟s lives. Addressing the diverse needs of children and young people who are residing in the home for different lengths of time can present a challenge, but the skilled staff team members are meeting that. The staff team members report positively about the training that they have received, particularly in areas of preventing radicalisation and understanding homophobia and transgender issues. A staff team that understands children‟s and young people‟s needs cares for the children and young people. Inspection report children‟s home: SC040105 7 The independent visitor stated, „One of the indicators of a well-functioning team is that it can manage without the intervention of the home‟s manager. It was evident that this staff team can cope when the manager is absent.‟

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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: SC040105 8

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Louise Taylor-Deville

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Inspector

Ann-Marie Born: social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC040105 9 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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