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

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is owned and operated by a local authority. The home provides care for children with emotional and/or social difficulties. 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, Ofsted imposed an emergency variation which reduced the condition of registration from four to three children. Four compliance notices were raised. A monitoring visit was completed in February 2022 which concluded that the provider had complied with the emergency variation and had met the compliance notices sufficiently. Three requirements were raised in response to regulatory breaches identified during the visit.

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This monitoring visit

This visit considered whether the provider has continued to comply with the variation of registration and how the provider has addressed the further shortfalls found in February 2022.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has complied with the reduction in the condition of registration from four to three children. The same two children continue to live at this home. The interim manager considered the children’s needs and the development of the staff team when considering a potential placement. He concluded that a new child should not move into this home at this current time. Senior leaders accepted his Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC033326 2 assessment. Both children living at this home are therefore supported to build on the progress that they have been making since the interim inspection in January 2022.

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This monitoring visit

Both children have continued to invest in living at the home. One child has enjoyed choosing and playing board games with staff. The children have also had discussions with staff about food that they enjoy eating. One child has begun to eat meals downstairs rather than in his bedroom, which is significant progress for him.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have improved the quality of their engagement with children. They continue to use an incentive scheme to encourage more prosocial behaviour. The children respond well to this. However, staff have not sufficiently developed how they support children to understand risks and resolve conflicts effectively. There have continued to be a small number of incidents where there has been damage in the house or inappropriate behaviour directed at staff. Staff have not yet helped children to learn the skills to manage their emotions more effectively to keep themselves and others safe.

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This monitoring visit

On one occasion, the waking night staff failed to supervise the children effectively. The children attempted to break through two doors to access the safe, which was in a bedroom where a further staff member was sleeping. This staff member’s colleagues did not help him quickly enough, and he consequently contacted the police for support. One child was arrested, which was not a positive experience for him. Leaders and manager have taken steps to address this matter.

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This monitoring visit

Staff supervise children inconsistently. They do not regularly perform bedroom checks to ensure that smoke detectors have not been tampered with or remove any hazardous items found. In addition, the interim manager does not ensure that children’s risk assessments are updated to reflect new incidents and establish immediate control measures to reduce risk. Staff are therefore not guided to apply consistent practice to manage how they keep children safe from risks.

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This monitoring visit

The interim manager has improved oversight following these incidents involving children living at the home. He directs staff to be more visible in communal areas of the home so that they can now respond proactively to children. This, as well as some improved ways of working, has reduced the number of incidents for one of the children since February 2022. However, leaders have not yet successfully embedded new care practice with all staff and ensured that all staff understand and follow new guidance. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC033326 3

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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 staff undertaking work with children to develop their social awareness and conflict resolution skills. 14 May 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. 14 May 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC033326 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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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 risk assessments identifying new behaviours with measures in place to keep children and others safe from potential harm.

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to staff supervising children effectively in accordance with children’s plans and direction from leaders.

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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 staff are guided to provide consistent care which improves the experiences of children living at the home. 14 May 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC033326 6

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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 7

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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 8 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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