Children's Home run by East Riding of Yorkshire Council in East Riding of Yorkshire

Assurance visit report: SC035543 1 SC035543

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Information about this children’s home

A local authority operates this home. The home provides care and accommodation for up to six children and young people. The aim of the home is to prepare children and young people for independence. Where appropriate, staff support children and young people to return home or to foster care.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since March 2007.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 22 October 2019

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Sustained effectiveness

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children's social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit. Assurance visit report: SC035543 2

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The care of children

Staff have built trusting relationships with children and young people. Children and young people can speak with the staff about any concerns and worries they have.

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The care of children

The staff team has supported the children and young people to maintain some family time during the COVID-19 pandemic, where appropriate. This has been facilitated through the promotion of different technology. As the restrictions have relaxed, staff have supported the children and young people to have more face-to- face time with their family. This has promoted children and young people’s close bond with the people that are important to them, while providing some emotional stability.

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The care of children

Not all children and young people have engaged in the formal learning opportunities that have been offered by the staff and education professionals. The staff team has worked hard to engage the children and young people with informal learning opportunities and activities, such as art and crafts, drone flying in the countryside and visiting local attractions.

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The care of children

Children and young people share their wishes and feelings with the staff through link-work sessions and everyday conversations. Staff engage the children and young people well in age-appropriate discussions. This enables children and young people to have a better understanding of issues that impact on their lives.

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The safety of children

Individual crisis management plans and risk assessments are comprehensive. Staff understand the known risks associated with the children and young people. The risk assessments identify strategies for the staff to help them to reduce and manage children and young people’s risks effectively.

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The safety of children

Child-friendly visual and written information about COVID-19 has been shared with children and young people. The staff team has helped the children and young people to understand the issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The safety of children

Incidents of going missing from care have reduced. The manager and staff team refer to the missing-from-care protocols in the event of a child or young person going missing. However, not all of the missing-from-care plans provide an accurate reflection of the risk specific to the young person it relates to. This can lead to a generic response from staff to all children and young people.

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The safety of children

Staff respond to children and young people’s behaviour through the appropriate use of sanctions. However, when sanctions are used, the records made by the staff do not consistently capture the children and young people’s views. This means that children and young people’s thoughts and feelings about their sanctions are not always understood or evaluated. Assurance visit report: SC035543 3 Children and young people’s access to the kitchen has been restricted over recent months. This was deemed as a high-risk area for infection by the manager. On the day of the visit, the front lounge was also locked, and the children and young people’s computer was locked away in a cupboard. This does not provide children and young people with free access to the home and its amenities.

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The safety of children

Face-to-face training for the staff team during the COVID-19 pandemic has not taken place. Alternative online training has been offered by the local authority, which staff have completed. This has supported the staff to have a better understanding of their responsibility to keep all children and young people safe.

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Leaders and managers

An experienced and established manager runs the home. He is supported by a staff team who has the children and young people’s best interests at the heart of their practice.

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Leaders and managers

The manager provides regular supervision to the staff team. Staff speak positively of the manager and said they are well supported during these unprecedented times.

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Leaders and managers

Good use of technology has ensured meetings with professionals and partner agencies have taken place. This has provided the opportunity for multi-agency work to continue. Children and young people’s needs have been met with joined-up responses from professionals.

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Leaders and managers

The comprehensive location assessment identifies the potential risk posed to children and young people in the local area, and how staff can reduce this. However, there was a significant omission in identifying the multiple risks associated with being in close proximity to the sea. Children and young people have not been made aware or educated about the dangers associated with the sea. This could have a significant impact on children and young people’s safety and well-being.

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Leaders and managers

Independent visits have taken place remotely and on site during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there has been considerable delays in the submission of the reports to Ofsted. This means the regulator has not had an overview of the outcomes for children and young people or how the home has been managed.

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Leaders and managers

The requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection have been met.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person must comply within the given timescales. Assurance visit report: SC035543 4

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises— is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home; is necessary and proportionate; is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure children and young people have access to the computer, front lounge and the kitchen. 30/10/2020

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to— HMCI. (Regulation 44 (7)(a)) 30/10/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year, taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the dangers associated with the sea. 30/10/2020

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Recommendations

 Children must be consulted regularly on their view. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11) This is with particular reference to ensuring the views of young people are sought following a sanction.  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. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) This is with particular reference to missing protocols being individualised for each young person. Assurance visit report: SC035543 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: East Riding of Yorkshire Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Room AF97, Goole Council Offices, Church Street, Goole, East Riding DN14 5BG

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Inspectors

Sue Hatton, social care inspector Rachel Ruth, social care inspector Assurance visit report: SC035543 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

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Inspectors

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

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