Children's home run by Hull City Council in Kingston upon Hull, City of

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034706 1 SC034706

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Kingston upon Hull City Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children and/or young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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This monitoring visit

The home was last inspected in August 2019.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was conducted remotely with a view to exploring the safeguarding practice at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff build positive relationships with children and young people. This provides the children and young people with a sense of belonging and stability. One young person said, ‘Staff are always there for you.’

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This monitoring visit

Children and young people spend individual time with staff to share their wishes and feelings. Open and honest discussions take place between the staff and the children and young people. This supports the children and young people to have a better understanding and awareness of the issues that have an impact on their well-being and safety.

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This monitoring visit

The staff team understands the children and young people’s individual vulnerabilities and risks. Good risk assessments and safety plans provide the staff team with strategies to follow. These help the staff to focus on the children and young people’s support needs and their risk-taking behaviours. The manager has met the requirement from the previous inspection relating to missing-from-care plans. However, one young person’s safety plan did not show it had been reviewed following two serious incidents. This has not impacted on the staff’s actions to care for and support the young person. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034706 2 Staff access specialist support and advice to help them to better understand and meet the individual needs of the children and young people. This is in addition to the support and encouragement that they give to children and young people to access specialist help. This means that the staff and the children and young people are

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This monitoring visit

aware of the issues that may impact on their emotional health and well-being.

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This monitoring visit

When children and young people have not returned home at the agreed times, the staff team refers to the individual missing-from-care-protocol. The staff search and make attempts to locate the children and young people to return them to the home safely. Incidents of children and young people going missing have reduced. The manager has met the requirement raised at the previous inspection in relation to ensuring consistent staff practice.

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This monitoring visit

Good communication with professionals and regular meetings ensure a multi-agency approach in supporting the children and young people. One professional said, ‘The staff are proactive, they manage difficult situations and don’t give up on young people.’

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This monitoring visit

Face-to-face training for the staff team during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has not taken place. Alternative online training has supported the staff in their understanding of their responsibility to keep children and young people safe.

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This monitoring visit

One requirement and one recommendation from the previous inspection relating to staffing and recruitment records were not reviewed during this monitoring visit, these will be carried forward to the next inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 08/08/2019 Full Good 21/11/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/04/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034706 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d)(e)) 26 February 2021

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to–

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review processes to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to one young person’s safety plan not being reviewed, dated and signed following two serious incidents. 26 February 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034706 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person should maintain good employment practice, as set out in regulations 31–33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision, and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. Specifically, ensure that recruitment records are available for inspection, that these include proof of identity and demonstrate that any gaps in the employment history of staff are explored. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards', page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: Kingston upon Hull City Council

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Children's home details

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

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Inspector

Sue Hatton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034706 5 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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