Children's home run by Horton Establishments Ltd in Kingston upon Hull, City of

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC413678 1 SC413678

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Horton Establishments Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns the home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children or young people with emotional, behavioural and/or learning difficulties. The registered provider also runs a school that the children can attend. At the time of the monitoring visit, the child living at the home was being home tutored and did not attend the school. The current manager joined the home in January 2020 and was registered on 29 April 2020.

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This monitoring visit

On 4 August 2020, Ofsted served a suspension notice on another home operated by the same company. This unannounced monitoring visit was carried out in response to the widespread concerns relating to the provider.

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This monitoring visit

The fabric of the home and garden is looking tired, and there are some areas that require repair, re-decoration and general maintenance. Some of the damage has been waiting a number of months for repair or replacement. The preference of the management for purchasing second-hand items such as the sofa and the television gives an impression of a lack of investment in the home. This has an impact on the young people, who interpret this as a lack of investment in them.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager does not always ensure that young people benefit from effective placement matching. This has resulted in safeguarding concerns leading to disruption and the untimely ending of a recent placement. Such endings add to the trauma experienced by children in the care system and should be mitigated by robust matching processes.

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This monitoring visit

Processes are in place to ensure that the home has sufficient funds to meet the day- to-day needs of the young people. A range of resources such as games, DVDs and a trampoline are available to entertain the young people. Now that the young people Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC413678 2 are able to visit places of interest, a recent visit to Yorkshire Wildlife Park has taken place.

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This monitoring visit

Where safeguarding concerns have emerged, the manager has been proactive in alerting and consulting with relevant professionals and placing authorities. Multi- agency investigations have been undertaken, and this has helped to improve practice and has ensured that children are safe in their surroundings. The registered manager was able to cite examples when she had been proactive in pursuing and resolving concerns about the welfare of the young people. However, these were not always recorded and therefore could not be verified by Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

One young person has had 18 months of being home tutored on a part-time basis. The registered manager has been proactive in challenging the lack of a school place and has secured additional input from the home tutor during the school holiday period. However, alongside this there have been few opportunities for additional learning, and the long-term impact of being out of formal education for this protracted period may ultimately result in the young person failing to meet their full potential.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager is confident in her role, and her presence is providing more effective leadership and management. Transitional arrangements for when she will take extended leave are in place. This will provide continuity of care and support for the staff and the young people.

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This monitoring visit

The relatively new staff team reported that they have received a good induction, exposure to training opportunities and regular supervision. As a result, there is evidence of creative practice in areas such as drug misuse and administration of medication. This has helped one young person make progress from her starting point.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has not always notified Ofsted following a significant incident. This is in breach of regulations. The requirements raised at the last inspection have not been reviewed during this monitoring visit. These have been carried over and will need to be reviewed at the next inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/09/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/03/2019 Full Good 02/05/2017 Full Good 07/11/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC413678 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 maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which— include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular reference to ensuring that return home interviews are completed when children have been missing from home and the information gathered is recorded in the child’s records. 15/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 15/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to— 31/08/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC413678 4 meet the needs of each child; and enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(v)) 31/08/2020

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)) 31/08/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; (Regulation 40 (4)(b)) 31/08/2020

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC413678 5

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken by the manager and provider in relation to how well children’s needs are safeguarded and in relation to the functioning of the home.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Horton Establishments Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 372 Chanterlands Avenue, Hull, Yorkshire HU5 4ED

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Inspectors

Cath Sikakana, social care inspector Rachel Ruth, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC413678 6 to 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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