Children's Home run by Kirklees Council in Kirklees

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033326 1 SC033326

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Kirklees Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a local authority. It provides care for children with social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2013.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted judged this home as requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection in September 2021. In January 2022, Ofsted judged that the home had declined in effectiveness.

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This monitoring visit

Following the interim inspection, three compliance notices were raised due to serious concerns about the quality of care, protection of children and leadership and management in the home. A fourth compliance notice was raised regarding the registered manager’s failure to provide Ofsted with sufficient information to monitor the serious events involving children living in the home. Ofsted imposed an emergency variation which reduced the condition of registration from four to three children.

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This monitoring visit

This visit considered whether the provider has complied with the variation of registration and how the provider has addressed the identified shortfalls.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has complied with the reduction in the condition of registration from four to three children. There are currently two children living in this home. Staff continue to support one child who previously lived in this home and who now lives with a family member. Another child moved to a new children’s home after a planned transition. The two children who remain living in this home present as more settled now than at the interim inspection. There have been no serious incidents between these two children. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033326 2 Senior leaders provide improved oversight of the running of this home. They have sufficiently addressed the shortfalls identified to meet the four compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have ensured that the damage to the house has been repaired and redecorated. The house is now welcoming, comfortable and safe for the children living in this home. Staff support children to invest in the house. They help to unpack new furnishings and their views contribute to colour schemes around the home. Since the interim inspection, when there has been an incident, children have not damaged the home. This shows that children have increased investment in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff report that they feel better supported by leaders, who they describe as approachable and visible. Leaders have booked training for all staff in trauma- informed practice and record writing. A clinical psychologist now provides consultation to staff on a more frequent basis. Staff say that their confidence in caring for children has increased. Staff now use more nurturing approaches in their care, which children are responding well to. This improved engagement by staff helps them to de-escalate situations with children more effectively.

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This monitoring visit

Children engage in more positive activities together, such as quad biking. This has improved relationships between the two children. Staff also recognise children’s individual circumstances and needs. They have improved daily routines and opportunities for children. Staff took one child to the skate park despite an incident earlier that day. This provided the child with physical exercise as well as time to reflect and repair relationships with staff.

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This monitoring visit

Children are making progress since the interim inspection. There have been no missing-from-care incidents. Staff have successfully encouraged a child who went into the community to return home quickly and safely. Staff support children to re- engage with education. They liaise with appropriate professionals, such as a careers officer who is now helping one child to return to college.

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This monitoring visit

On one occasion, staff did not successfully intervene to prevent one child being hurt during an altercation. Senior leaders subsequently made decisions about where the children should live. This has improved dynamics within the home and reduced risks for children. There have been no further concerns about children experiencing sexual or emotional harm from other children living in the home since the interim inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Staff use their improved relationships with children to reinforce their appropriate behaviour. Children are responding well to recently introduced incentives and targets. However, staff do not always provide children with opportunities to reflect on incidents. Children are therefore not learning the necessary skills to regulate their behaviour. As a result, when conflicts arise, children continue to display challenging behaviour in the home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033326 3 Senior leaders have maintained staffing levels despite the reduction in occupancy at the home. Managers provide clear expectations about the level of supervision required for children. However, the inspector found that staff still do not consistently and effectively supervise children. For example, one child entered another child’s bedroom and took his computer console and placed cannabis in a drawer in the

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This monitoring visit

child’s bedroom. This placed the child at risk of harm from substance misuse.

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This monitoring visit

Staff failed to prevent a child from entering the staff office by force. On entering the office, the child was able to access a screwdriver and a kitchen knife sharpener. This placed the child and others at risk.

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This monitoring visit

Children have updated risk assessments and behaviour management plans which reflect the current risks for children. However, leaders have not provided clear practical guidance for staff within the risk assessments to manage children’s behaviour. Staff are therefore not applying consistent practice to manage how they keep keys safe to prevent children from entering the office.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have not ensured that all staff understand new guidance and alternative care practice. For example, some staff have continued to wear keys on lanyards around their necks despite an email to all staff requesting that this practice stops.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders notify Ofsted of all serious incidents and update the regulatory inspection manager with how they are addressing the home’s improvement plan. This enables the inspector to monitor progress and assess whether staff are keeping children safe effectively.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 06/01/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 13/09/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/11/2019 Full Good 10/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033326 4

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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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to ensuring that staff undertake work with children to develop their social awareness and skills to resolve conflicts positively. 31 March 2022

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 31 March 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033326 5 that staff—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to ensuring that leaders provide staff with sufficient practical guidance in risk assessments to keep children safe from potential harm to themselves or others.

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Requirement Due date

It also relates to ensuring that staff consistently supervise children.

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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 staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to leaders ensuring that consistent staff practice improves the experiences of care children living in the home receive. 31 March 2022

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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. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033326 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Kirklees Metropolitan Council, Civic Centre 3, Huddersfield, Yorkshire HD1 2EY

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Inspector

Joanna Warburton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033326 7 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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