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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2664883 1 Registered provider: Hull City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a local authority. The home and manager were both registered with Ofsted in January 2022. The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. This is the first inspection of the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Children stay at this home in a variety of circumstances; on an emergency basis at times of crisis, for planned breaks from their family home or longer term, while a new permanent home is arranged. This flexible provision means the type and duration of care is individualised dependant on what each child needs.

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Information about this children’s home

This home accommodates one child only. It is part of a three-part wider service, which includes an outreach service for children and families in their own homes. This also includes another separately registered larger home where multiple children have respite away from their families.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there was no child was living there. The bed was reserved for a child who was missing from home to use when they were found.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2664883 2

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2664883 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Due to the short-term nature of children’s stays, there is rarely time to personalise the premises. However, the care provided to each child is responsive and individualised to their needs and vulnerabilities. Each child arrives in the home in different circumstances, and this is considered when staff plan how best to support and promote the progress and safety of the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

For children who stay more than a single night, the staff know them well. This is evidenced by the ease with which they summarise and describe the plans for each child. Although children do not live in the home long enough for any progress to be wholly attributed to their care, their experience while there can be evaluated. Feedback from professionals and from children themselves is that this experience is a good one.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff foster effective relationships with other professionals and appropriately share information. This helps educational, social care and health workers to work collaboratively. They support family members to promote change and achieve better outcomes for both parents and children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff build trusted relationships with children. This helps children to spend time with staff and sometimes share their worries and concerns. This shows the skill of the staff in achieving this, especially with their limited contact with the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is effective use of mental health practitioners to advise on how best to support children. This results in children only moving on within a timeframe that takes account of their anxieties. They are not rushed to move into their new home. There is also highly effective liaison between staff in this home and the new home to ensure that children have consistent support when they move on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

For those children who stay long enough, there is an opportunity for them to provide formal feedback and express their opinions. These conversations are well recorded and include a response from the manager. Children’s requests are met when possible. This helps children to feel they are valued, and that their opinions count. For example, one child asked for a Sunday roast, but because his stays were on a Friday, it was decided to cook a Friday roast instead.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend their time with staff doing things they enjoy. Although staff regularly carry out focused work with children on known risks to help them be safer, they also recognise the need for children to have unstructured time. This helps children to feel relaxed, safe and secure. Inspection report for children’s home: 2664883 4

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff demonstrate a sound understanding of the risks to children. Records clearly reflect this and have relevant mitigating strategies for staff to implement. Where risks are linked to peer groups or community-based activity, there is evidence that this is managed within a wide multi-agency forum. This promotes children’s safety.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There have been no incidents of children going missing from care when staying at the home. Staff have provided outreach support to schools and families to search for children who have gone missing under other circumstances and when not staying at the home. Staff work quickly and effectively to achieve a safe and swift return. Plans show evidence of regular reviews and updates to ensure they remain fit for purpose.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Where children have specific risks that need broader oversight or specialist intervention, the manager ensures this is provided. Where risks could impact on other children, including those placed at the sister home, this is considered and appropriate action is taken. This helps to ensure that unhealthy friendships are not established or maintained as a result of being in the home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Processes relating to medication and recruitment are safely arranged, and records show evidence that they are followed. There have been no allegations about staff, no use of physical restraint and only two safeguarding incidents, neither of which relate to activity within the home. This shows that children’s risks and behaviours are effectively managed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is newly registered but has benefited from the considerable experience of the manager and staff in the long-established sister home. The manager is clear about where this solo-bedded home fits into the wider service. Staff also share that understanding. This ensures children only move in when staff are confident they can meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home fulfils a specific purpose in promoting family resilience in difficult times. It gives children an opportunity to have a break from difficult dynamics within their family and offers a place of refuge in emergency situations. The managers are protective of this model, which ensures only children who will benefit from the service have access to it.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children mostly stay for only a short time, but despite this, the manager is clear that meeting health and education needs should not be deferred until they move to a permanent place. Hence, she has advocated effectively for services to be put in place at the earliest point. This ensures there is no disruption to the progress of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they are well supported. They receive regular reflective supervision, and team meetings are held regularly. Both are well recorded. This ensures staff have the opportunity to discuss children and share knowledge. Training records show that Inspection report for children’s home: 2664883 5 staff have the skills and knowledge to meet children’s needs. When children have particular vulnerabilities beyond the recent experience of staff, clinical discussions and refresher training ensure staff feel confident and able to deliver good quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are welcomed to the home in a sensitive and structured way. This ensures their stay is safe and enjoyable. Staff recognise the fears children may have about coming to the home, sometimes at very short notice, and offer reassurance and nurturing care. This helps children to benefit from the time away from stresses.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s views and wishes are central to their care, and the manager is focused on achieving positive outcomes for them. The team promote tolerance. This is embedded into the culture of the home, evidenced by the consistent messages given by the staff to children about appropriate beliefs and attitudes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff are held in high regard. One professional said they could not do their job without the team. The manager challenges others effectively and has high expectations for children. This helps them to benefit from the care and move to their next home having had a positive experience. Inspection report for children’s home: 2664883 6

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2664883 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Kingston upon Hull City Council, The Guildhall, Alfred Gelder Street, Hull HU1 2AA

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Louise Taylor-Deville

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Inspector

Rachel Ruth, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2664883 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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