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 local authority home is registered to meet the needs of children who have a learning disability. It currently provides care and accommodation for two children in long-term care, two children for whom care is shared with their parents, and 11 children receiving short-term breaks.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 13 to 14 November 2019

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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: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC034495 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/10/2018 Full Outstanding 10/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 29/11/2016 Full Outstanding 24/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC034495 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children and young people benefit from having exceptional outcomes. This is due to the consistently high quality of the staff’s professional practice. This is a view shared by the home’s partner agencies and the children and young people’s parents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff invest a lot of time getting to know the children and young people, working closely with their parents and a range of professional partners to develop individualised, detailed care programmes. Consequently, the successful implementation of these care programmes leads to excellent progress for the children and young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff are big advocates for the children and young people. The staff’s persistence and dedication, in providing the children and young people with the very best care, produces great results. The health and emotional well-being of the children and young people are much better. For example, the staff have been instrumental in transforming the lives of the children and young people by ensuring that they receive the endoscopic diets, physiotherapy, and mobility aids that meet their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

There is extra support for families so that their children can attend health appointments or go for a haircut, which some relatives would find difficult to arrange. This makes a big difference for those children and young people, and their relatives find it immensely helpful.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

As well as transformational changes for children and young people with complex health needs, the staff have an excellent impact on their emotional well-being. For example, the staff help children and young people overcome behavioural difficulties linked to past neglect and trauma. This leads to improvements in the children and young people’s self- esteem, feelings of security and they have much less anxiety. The significant progress means that the local authority can explore the possibility of foster care as opposed to residential care. This gives the children and young people the opportunity to experience positive family lives. The high level of care means that these changes and improvements are maintained.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff constantly look for solutions and ways to further improve the children and young people’s lives. In doing so, they make good use of the expertise of partner agencies and of the information sharing with the children and young people’s relatives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children and young people enjoy trips out, holidays and a variety of in-house activities. They make good use of the home’s cinema, computer and sensory rooms. The staff encourage the children and young people to develop their social and communication skills and to do as much as possible for themselves. Along with the increases in health and well-being, this significantly improves the children and young people’s future life chances. Inspection report children’s home: SC034495 4 The level of care is exceptional from the initial point of contact with families, planning tea visits, first overnight stays and through to the transition to adult services. If needed, the staff will spend extra time reassuring parents and getting to know children and young people well before they first visit the home. Staff are also very involved in planning the transition to adult services. They support families to visit prospective adult

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

placements and support the staff in these placements to meet the needs of the individuals moving in.

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

The planning of the children and young people’s care is thorough and creative. This minimises the risks to the children and young people. Consequently, their parents and social workers feel reassured and are confident that they are safe.

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

The staff are perceptive in noticing when children and young people feel anxious, and they take appropriate action. For example, the staff take a particular young person out for a walk, which relieves his anxiety. The staff prepare the home in advance of children and young people’s short breaks, such as by removing everyday items that may trigger negativity.

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

The children and young people enjoy the stimulation from using the sensory room, listening to their favourite music, bathing and being outside and feeling the wind. In this way, the staff are able to reduce the children and young people’s anxiety, which improves their well-being and their behaviour.

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

There are one-to-one staffing levels and plenty of space to spread out and relax in the home. This ensures that everyone’s needs can be met and ensures that they are safe. Plenty of planning and thought go into considering which children and young people have their short breaks together so that they are not at risk from each other.

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

The home is able to keep families together and prevent potential family breakdown, which would jeopardise the children and young people’s well-being.

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

The children and young people thrive in the home and enjoy valuable relationships with the staff, which gives them security. This is because the staff provide a caring and nurturing environment, which focuses on the children and young people’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The excellent style of leadership and management promotes a culture and ethos that support the children and young people to develop as much as possible. The manager and staff are influential in changing the lives of children and young people and sustaining this change.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff work hard and are a cohesive team. They are keen to do their best and frequently come up with ideas to improve the quality of life of the children and young people. This includes trialling a new sleep system and seeking bereavement support for Inspection report children’s home: SC034495 5 individual children and young people. The staff often seek advice from partner agencies about the children and young people’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff are reflective and regularly have open and honest discussion within the team and with partner agencies that puts the needs of the children and young people first. These other professionals consistently spoke highly of the staff and the quality of partnership work that gives the children and young people the best all-round support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The children and young people benefit from staff who are qualified, have a wide range of experience and are well trained to meet their complex needs. The high staffing levels ensure that all the children and young people receive the individual attention that they need. Consequently, the staff are able to maintain high standards of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is focused on continually trying to improve the home for the benefit of the children and young people. There has been recent significant investment in decoration, new furniture and flooring. This is in addition to longer-term plans to build a new home. The children and young people enjoy using the things they have asked for, such as Wi-Fi and tablets.

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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 6

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Simon Morley, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC034495 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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