Children's Home run by Leeds City Council in Leeds

Inspection report for children’s home: SC033657 1 SC033657 Registered provider: Leeds City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority children’s home that provides care and support for up to five children aged between 15 and 17 years old. The aim of the home is to develop the children’s independence skills in preparation for moving on to supported accommodation or living independently.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector spoke to three of the four children who were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC033657 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/07/2021 Full Good 05/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/04/2019 Full Good 12/04/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC033657 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are well supported by skilled staff who are attentive to their needs. Staff sensitively support the children to explore their identity. Children are able to celebrate difference in a non-judgemental space. Furthermore, staff ensure that the children’s mental health and emotional well-being are given priority.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to develop skills for adulthood. Staff involve the children in meal planning and budgeting. Children undertake household chores and they do their own laundry. Staff reward the children and celebrate these achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff meet the children’s health needs. Staff use key-work sessions to help the children to process their thoughts and feelings about their experiences. Staff encourage the children to follow healthy lifestyles. There is good support for the children to have a balanced diet, attend their health appointments and exercise regularly. This ensures that the children’s health is maintained.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of leisure activities. These activities enable the children to have age-appropriate experiences and develop their self-esteem. Leisure activities include playing games in the home and visiting fun places in the community. Children are supported to celebrate differences and develop their identity. This is essential for their sense of self-worth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, there has been significant renovation carried out to ensure the home meets the needs of the children. The home is spacious, well furnished and well resourced. Children like their bedrooms and enjoy personalising them. Each bedroom reflects an aspect of the child’s personality, their interests and their hobbies. The staff have acted on the children’s suggestions to make the communal environment feel homely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s educational progress is varied. Staff recognise and promote the importance of education. For children who do not attend school or an education provision, home tutoring is provided. This ensures that the children have an opportunity to learn.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children who have moved into the home from an out-of-area home do not have an identified education provision, as there has been a delay in obtaining their education and healthcare plan. This has a detrimental effect on some children’s education progress. One child commented that they would love to continue with their education in an education establishment. However, this has not been possible as they do not have a named education provision. Inspection report for children’s home: SC033657 4

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

Children’s care records are clear and comprehensive and they provide a good overview of the children’s lives, the care they receive and the progress that they make. Children’s written plans and assessments support the staff to care for them safely and in a way that meets their individual needs.

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

Staff are skilled in supporting the children when they are anxious, worried, or upset. They use a range of de-escalation strategies to help the children when they are in crisis. This means that physical intervention is not required. When there are incidents, records are clear and provide a good overview and evaluation of what led to the child becoming upset. The staff help the children to work through any concerns that they have and they are supported to express their emotions in more appropriate ways.

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

Children who go missing from the home benefit from a coordinated response, including the staff following clear protocols to locate them. On their return, the staff welcome the children back, and they work together to look at ways to reduce the likelihood of the children feeling that they need to leave the home in the future. This has included staff being proactive in ensuring that checks are conducted on the children’s extended families, so that children can stay overnight with them. Staff update the children’s plans regularly to reflect any changes to their known risks or behaviours. This also leads to the children being able to take age-appropriate risks and enjoy time in the community.

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

The home’s location risk assessment is detailed and includes input from other key professionals and agencies. This means that the staff have a good understanding of the emerging risks in the local community that may place children at risk of harm.

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

Children benefit from individual incentives and a restorative approach to help them to manage their own behaviour. Negative consequences are rarely used. This practice motivates children to model good behaviours.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and deputy manager have developed a culture of high expectations of themselves and the staff team. They are enthusiastic about the children, think highly of them and lead by example. Dedicated and committed staff provide the children with consistent care. Staff work flexibly to support the children to ensure that they have positive experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager reflects on the quality of care in the home and across the wider organisation. He identifies both the good work that has been done and the areas he wants to improve further. The manager’s approach embodies the therapeutic ethos of restorative practice in the home, which then comes through in staff practice. Staff make use of the therapeutic social workers within the team meetings. They explore the relationships and identify consistent parenting approaches that support the children in their care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC033657 5 Safer recruitment process has been followed when appointing new staff. This reduces the risk of children being cared for by inappropriate adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported. They receive regular supervision sessions, which help them in their roles. New staff are supported with effective inductions. Staff say that they enjoy working at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most of the staff are up to date with the provider’s mandatory training. Staff receive additional training to meet the specific needs of the children, such as county lines. The manager considered the skills of the staff to ensure that there are sufficient and qualified staff to offer the children appropriate care at all times.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Parents and professionals are complimentary about the effect that the staff have on the children. The manager and staff are described by family and professionals as strong advocates for the children and child-focused in their care practice. Communication with other professionals is effective. Professionals say that the relationships with the staff are positive, and that they work in partnership with managers. Inspection report for children’s home: SC033657 6

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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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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 achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vii)(viii)(x)) 30 March 2023

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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: SC033657 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Hall, Calverley Street, Leeds LS1 1UR

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Inspector

Cherie Chen, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC033657 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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