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

Inspection report children’s home: 2517046 1 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

A local authority operates and runs this home. It provides care for one young person on a long-term basis.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the first inspection of the home since registration. The manager is registered with Ofsted, and managed another setting before this one.

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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 good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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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: not applicable

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable

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Recommendations

 As set out in regulations 31–33, the registered person is responsible for Inspection report children’s home: 2517046 2 maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1). Specifically, ensure that recruitment records are available for inspection and demonstrate that references are verified and any gaps in the employment history of staff are explored.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager, the staff and the local authority supported the young person to move here as part of a thoroughly planned and well-resourced transition. The manager and staff moved with the young person from his previous placement, which gives him a high level of stability and continuity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The young person’s care is successfully based on an evidence-based model of attachment. The manager and staff were trained to use this approach in the young person’s previous placement. The model is now fully embedded in the home’s practice and there is ongoing support provided by a clinican. Consequently, the young person has made significant progress in his life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

This is the young person’s longest placement and he benefits enormously from having this permanence. He is invested in the home, calls the staff his ‘second family’ and has very positive relationships with them. He makes lots of choices about the decor, furniture and garden and he has a pet. The home environment and care practice are built around his needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The young person’s attendance and achievements at school are huge. He has surpassed his targets within just six months. He is sitting exams and has opportunities to achieve vocational qualifications. The staff promote wider learning about animal care, health and safety and fire safety. He is now considering his future and is involved in decision- making about independence planning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Previously the young person had limited engagement in activities, but now he enjoys a wide range of leisure and social activities. These include swimming, trampolining, gardening, animal care and trips out to parks and places of interest. This has opened up a whole new life for him.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff promote the young person’s family contact and he benefits from having increased contact with extended family members. He has learned to make friends in the community, and has improved his understanding of positive social relationships and his ability to form these.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The young person is thriving in this placement as a result of the high quality of care. His Inspection report children’s home: 2517046 3 day-to-day experiences are very positive. All the improvements and progress the young person makes are contributing significantly to his future life chances. The change and improvement in his life since the beginning of this placement are enormous.

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

The manager and staff thoroughly understand the risks to the young person. These are clearly documented, and staff rigorously follow the agreed multi-agency risk management strategies.

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

The risks to the young person are significantly reducing. Consequently, the level of staffing needed to keep him safe is much lower. He now has regular free time to go out on his own. This is a new development and has been gradually built up through the use of creative strategies. For example, he started by using a walkie-talkie as part of an army outfit to keep in touch with staff, and only went out for short periods in the local area. This has now increased to him going into the city centre, using public transport and using a mobile phone to communicate with staff.

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

The staff encourage the young person to take appropriate risks, and allow him to learn from any mistakes that he has made. This is achieved in a safe and well-controlled manner, at the young person’s pace. He feels safe with the staff and has developed a sense of safety that was not previously expected. He is involved in his risk planning and understands the measures in place that are designed to promote his welfare.

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

The home environment is caring and nurturing. Equally, staff will reinforce appropriate boundaries and routines that help the young person to feel safe and secure. The young person rates the staff highly and will now talk to them about his feelings. There has been a gradual reduction in the young person’s challenging behaviour as he has become more resilient and able to cope with change. When there are incidents, the staff manage these well. They have stood by the young person and let him know that he is valued.

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

There have been no missing-from-home incidents. Staff know what to do in the event that this should happen, and they are able to recognise and respond to any signs that the young person may be experiencing exploitation.

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

Staff recruitment records were not fully available to inspect. Records that were provided at the time did not demonstrate full compliance with the regulations, such as verifying references and checking gaps in employment history. This is an issue with the recording system that is in place rather than a risk to the young person’s safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager leads and inspires the team to work in the best interests of the young person. The staff work cohesively. They are committed and dedicated to meeting the needs of the young person. Collectively they make a significant impact on improving the Inspection report children’s home: 2517046 4 young person’s quality of life. The home’s excellent working culture of high standards balances the young person’s education with his enjoyment, happiness and social life. The staff demonstrate to him that he can be a valuable part of the community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff understand the implications of trauma on brain development and attachment. They are well versed in the model of care they use. They appreciate the clinical input and see the difference this makes to the young person’s emotional well-being and all- round progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff are creative in their plans, such as researching the benefits of trampolining for people with autistic traits. As a result, the young person enjoys an annual pass for a local trampoline park. They have further planned to increase the young person’s independence and have included him in the preparation for this. Their aim is to seek the best possible pathway into adulthood and independent living. This is ambitious, yet, given the current progress, it is potentially realistic.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a good level of management monitoring and oversight of the quality of care. The manager knows the strengths and weaknesses of the home. He takes appropriate action to address any shortfalls. These are mainly around housekeeping tasks and consistency in record keeping. There are regular improvements made to the physical environment and the young person enjoys the homely atmosphere.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff have developed positive working relationships with other agencies and professionals to give the young person the best support possible. The who has been clinician involved in the young person’s care has suggested that the achievements of the home should be used as an example of excellent practice.

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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: 2517046 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Kingston upon Hull City Council, Brunswick House, Strand Close, Hull HU1 2AA

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Inspector

Simon Morley: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2517046 6 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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