Children's Home run by Leeds City Council in Leeds

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1223201 1

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Leeds City Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a local authority and provides care for up to four children. The home provides multi-systemic therapy using the Family Integrated Transitions Model. Placements are for up to 12 weeks. The staff deliver an intensive dialectical behaviour therapy programme. The manager registered in October 2018.

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This monitoring visit

Due to the restrictions in place relating to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, this visit was carried out off site. The purpose of the visit was to explore potential breaches of regulations, following information being shared with Ofsted in notifications that indicated a potential risk of harm to the children. The visit included a review of documents, discussions with the manager, staff members and social workers.

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This monitoring visit

The home has not had a full inspection since April 2019.

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This monitoring visit

Staff support children to learn how to regulate their emotions better and use coping strategies that reduce the risk of harm. Children develop skills such as communicating with others and self-awareness. Staff help children to use their new- found skills, which enables them to reintegrate back into a family home.

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This monitoring visit

Children have a say and are actively involved to make decisions about their lives. For example, when one child’s care plan changed, staff sensitively helped the child to understand the reasons for the change and explored what support she needed for a future move. The social work team manager said, ‘Staff are taking a leading role in supporting the child’s transition.’ The support and guidance from staff helped to better prepare the child for her move to a new home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1223201 2 The manager was quick to gather information and put a plan in place to help settle a child who arrived at the home at short notice. This was helpful as children do not normally arrive at the home in an unplanned way. A safety plan was quickly implemented, which provided the team with the strategies needed to reduce the risk of harm. The social work team manager said, ‘Lots of planning has occurred, the

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This monitoring visit

child has been stabilised, and he felt listened to.’

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This monitoring visit

The individualised risk assessments set out the care and support provided to the children. These records provide staff with a clear overview of the children’s needs and the strategies needed to reduce the risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Staff feel supported and are aware of their roles and responsibilities. The manager provides good oversight of the day-to-day care and is a visible leader in the home. Staff also have regular supervision and training, which provides them with the skills and knowledge needed to care effectively for the children at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Planning for children who are referred to the home is well thought out. However, impact risk assessments lack managerial evaluation and do not describe the actions needed to enable the children to live together. This could potentially result in staff not having the required strategies in place to keep children safe when they first arrive at the home.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements from the last inspection have been met.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 03/04/2019 Full Good 14/08/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 06/06/2018 Full Outstanding 01/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1223201 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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Recommendation

 The registered manager should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. In particular, the registered person should ensure that risk assessments used for matching children fully evaluate the identified risks and describe the strategies in place to reduce the risk of harm. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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.

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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 address: Leeds City Council, Civic Hall, Calverley Street, Leeds LS1 1UR

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Inspector

Aaron Mcloughlin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1223201 4 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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Inspector

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