Children's Home run by Kirklees Council in Kirklees

Inspection report children’s home: SC033326 1 SC033326 Registered provider: Kirklees Metropolitan Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for four children and young people between the ages of 10 and 16. The service strives to offer a secure, stable environment where children and young people can live and be assisted to reach their full potential until they either are ready to live independently, can return home to their family or live in an alternative provision. The home is operated by a local authority.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has considerable experience of working with children and young people in residential care. He has been registered by Ofsted as the manager of this home since May 2013.

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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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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC033326 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/05/2018 Full Good 31/01/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 24/04/2017 Full Good 07/03/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC033326 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people are making good progress in all areas, including attendance at school. There was evidence of the challenge made, when a young person was not in education, to ensure that they were able to access education quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people engage in enjoyable activities, and have been on holiday together. They have special periods each week with their key worker, or a member of staff of their choice, to do a positive activity in the community such as going to the cinema, bowling or shopping. Young people are supported to pursue their hobbies and interests. Two of the young people have been supported to go to local rugby clubs. One young person is attending a club to address his health and developmental needs. Young people have access to a gym and a games room within the home. They were consulted about what they wanted in these rooms, which allow them to socialise with each other and take part in activities which teenagers enjoy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people told the inspector about how they have been helped to remain in touch with their family members and how the staff ‘go over and above’ to ensure that they have access to family time. An example of this was when one young person said that the staff did everything possible to allow the young person to meet up with their family and were there to support them throughout. As a result of the consistent approach to the contact arrangements, young people have progressed to unsupervised time with their families.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One young person is accessing therapy, supported by both the staff team and the placement support team to access this support. They and his family have worked together to support his identity needs, completing life-story work and working effectively in relation to his experience of early childhood. The planning was detailed, and enabled the young person to feel supported to manage difficult information. One young person said that he feels safe to explore his identity and sexuality. The staff team has helped him to attend a Pride event. Staff have also worked with his peers to provide an inclusive environment which has enabled him to express himself within the home. The staff help young people to develop a sense of belonging and begin to have a sense of their identity and cultural needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people’s health and developmental needs are supported effectively. Staff are sensitive to the needs of each young person and manage these positively to ensure that the young people are able to express how they feel and to discuss any health concerns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people say how the staff have helped them both to manage their behaviours and to develop positive strategies for use when they are struggling or in crisis. The young people feel that the staff know them well and use their understanding of them to allow them time and space to reflect.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have independence plans, which they are consulted about, and are given Inspection report children’s home: SC033326 4 positive experiences to develop life skills in the home and in the wider community. The young people have developed positive links within the community in which they live, and recently helped a local hospice by raising funds at a charity event.

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

The home is well organised and has good, effective systems in place to help young people to feel safe, have a secure base and begin to develop trusting relationships with members of staff, professionals and families.

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

The staff work in partnership with other agencies and professionals to help to safeguard the young people. They are resourceful in accessing specialists to ensure that the young people’s needs are supported. Staff have worked with the risk and vulnerabilities team, community police and the substance misuse team. In partnership, they have developed thorough risk assessments to support young people‘s risky behaviours. These assessments are monitored and updated with good management oversight and good partnership working to ensure that information is shared and recorded to help to safeguard young people. There are reduced missing-from-home episodes, bullying among the young people has been addressed and positive relationships are fostered by encouraging them to engage in activities and giving them a space to have their voice heard.

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

The staff have accessed training and consultation to develop their knowledge and experience. They use this to understand the risks to the young people and help them to develop positive strategies so that they make positive progress. There is better decision- making about the young people as a result of their strong relationships with young people, encouraging them to feel part of the home.

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

The managers and the staff team have a good understanding of child sexual exploitation, county lines and radicalisation. They use partnership working effectively to reduce the risks to the young people in their care.

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

Young people say that they feel safe and listened to, and that managers and staff address any concerns. They said that staff ‘go out on a limb’ for them so that they can have positive outcomes. The staff work hard to enable the young people to feel safe and to reduce their risk-taking behaviours. They are proactive in engaging with the young people and helping them to take part in activities with them. Staff enjoy taking part in the themed nights and have in place various planned activities.

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

The young people are supported by the staff team through restorative practice. This enables the young people to reflect on their actions and make better choices, and this has led to the reduction in sanctions. The young people’s successes are celebrated in a monthly newsletter which is shared with the young people and displayed proudly in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inspection report children’s home: SC033326 5 The managers and leaders of the home are accessible to the staff team and the young people. They are focused and know the strengths of the home and areas for development. They role model positive practice, and this is evident in how the staff work with the young people. The staff deliver relationship practice, and this enables the young people to have structure, routine and positive boundaries to enable them to achieve and make positive progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers have good oversight of care and pathway planning. There are monitoring tools to enable them to oversee the progress and developmental needs of the young people. Managers are reflective and ambitious for the young people and offer good support to the staff team through supervision, alongside clinical supervision. This enables the team to access support from external agencies to develop its members’ practice so they become therapeutic practitioners.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

One member of staff described the management and staff team as being ‘like a family unit’ and that they are ‘there for each other’. They are supportive, and this is reflected in the care provided to the young people, as it offers them consistency of care and the help that they need to thrive and make positive progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals confirmed that staff are excellent at working in partnership and that they are able to challenge and advocate effectively on behalf of the young people to ensure that their needs are being met. Communication with professionals is effective, and young people are included in decision-making about their care plans and the general running of the home, utilising a comments board and celebrating their achievements in a monthly newsletter. Inspection report children’s home: SC033326 6

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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: SC033326 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Kirklees Metropolitan Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Centre 3, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD1 2EY

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Inspector

Noel Cooper: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC033326 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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