Children's Home run by Kingston upon Hull City Council in Kingston upon Hull

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC034746 1 SC034746

p.1

Kingston upon Hull City Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a local authority. It provides care for up to four children whose plan is to live in a medium- to long-term residential setting.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered in September 2019.

p.1

This monitoring visit

An assurance visit was undertaken on 8 and 9 December 2020 where several breaches of regulation were found. These relate to staff training and qualifications; quality of the impact risk assessments; children’s engagement in education; advocacy and escalating issues; and improvements the manager’s quality of care review.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was completed due to an escalation in safeguarding incidents which indicated that the children may be at risk of harm, especially in respect of criminal exploitation.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Owing to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the visit was completed remotely. The children did not speak to the inspector, so their views were not gained, but positive feedback from a parent and a professional, who visits the home, provided some assurances about the staff’s care of the children.

p.1

This monitoring visit

There have been no new children move in to the home since the last assurance visit. The staff supported one young person to move to independent accommodation. The manager has updated all the current impact risk assessments with children’s known and new behaviours. This has helped her to understand the level of risk the staff team is managing and has led to a hold on any new children from moving into the home. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC034746 2 The children have good relationships with the staff and share information with the staff about any concerns. The staff have a good knowledge and awareness of child criminal exploitation, county lines and substance misuse. This helps them to recognise the signs that children may be at risk of harm. Staff share intelligence with the police, which helps to keep the children safe.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Regular, open and transparent communication between the staff, police and other safeguarding professionals provides the opportunity to share information and promotes a multidisciplinary approach to risk management. Safety plans are drawn up in conjunction with the police and other safeguarding agencies. In addition, the children’s views are sought and include them staying in regular telephone contact with the staff.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Some children continue to put themselves at risk. Staff speak to the children about these risk-taking behaviours to help educate the children about the dangers.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Children continue to push the boundaries towards independence and stay out longer than their agreed return times. On these occasions, staff follow the children’s individualised missing protocols and go out into the community to look for the children. This gives children the message that staff care for them and that their safety is paramount.

p.2

This monitoring visit

There were no new breaches of regulation found at this visit. Two of the requirements from the previous assurance visit have been met. This includes that staff follow a plan to escalate concerns in a more timely way if the placing authority is not working in the child’s best interest.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The remaining requirements are carried forward to the next inspection. These relate to staff training and qualifications; children’s engagement in education; and the quality of care review. The manager’s action plan will help staff to make the necessary changes within the timescales set.

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 04/06/2019 Full Good 21/02/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 14/05/2018 Full Good 06/03/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC034746 3

p.2

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.

p.3

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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)) This refers to all staff completing training on:  substance misuse – interventions with young people  child criminal exploitation and child sexual exploitation  supporting young people that self-harm  the impact of attachment, trauma and neglect. 31 March 2021

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months. The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (5)) This refers to consulting and obtaining feedback from families and placing authorities/professionals. 30 April 2021

p.3

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— understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(iii)) 28 February 2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC034746 4 This refers to motivating the young people to engage with their education, including in the home. Additionally, to advocate for them in identifying the most appropriate/alternative education placements. For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained— the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the

p.3

Requirement Due date

Level 3 Diploma”); or a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. The relevant date is— in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. 1 April 2021

p.4

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

p.4

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC034746 5

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Kingston upon Hull City Council

p.5

Children’s home details

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

p.5

Inspector

Tina Ruffles, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC034746 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.

p.5

Inspector

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 terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspector

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

p.6