Children's home run by Leeds City Council in Leeds

Inspection report for children's home: SC406505 1 SC406505 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

The home is operated by a local authority. The home is registered to provide care for up to 12 children with learning disabilities, which may also include physical disabilities and/or a sensory impairment. Children stay at the home for short breaks or on a shared-care basis.

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Information about this children’s home

The experienced registered manager has been in post since January 2016.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children's home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC406505 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/06/2021 Full Outstanding 07/01/2020 Full Outstanding 18/12/2018 Full Outstanding 19/12/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC406505 3

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outstanding

Children make excellent progress from their starting points, benefiting from the high quality of care provided by staff. Children recognise that staff help them to achieve. They form strong, trusting bonds with adults who want the best for them.

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outstanding

The care provided in the home is highly individualised, with very good attention given to the specific needs of each child. The result of this is that the support children receive is tailored to their needs and gives them the best possible opportunities for progression and development.

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outstanding

Staff provide the children with a warm, nurturing, caring and positive environment that allows the children to feel valued, respected and loved. This promotes their confidence, self-esteem and identity. Staff have high aspirations for each child and want them to have positive experiences during their stays. Staff know the children extremely well. This helps children to feel less anxious and more able to enjoy their short breaks.

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outstanding

A great deal of care and attention is given to ensuring that all children can communicate with staff. Staff receive a wealth of training and access speech and language therapy guidance. This ensures that they can meet the individual communication needs of each child. Staff work hard to improve children’s communication skills, assisting children to use Makaton and Picture Exchange Communication System symbols and pictures. This makes certain that children can give their views, make choices and express their feelings. Extending their communication skills has an immense impact on their everyday life experiences.

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outstanding

The large building is made more intimate with murals, soft furnishings and photos. The home is clean, well decorated and furnished. The home has an array of facilities that provide children with a wide variety of activities. These include the soft play area, a computer suite, the outside play area and an arts and crafts room. The children’s bedrooms are prepared for each visit with their own artwork, family photos, soft toys and bedding, with the main focus being on ensuring that children feel comfortable with familiar items around them. This creates a safe space that supports children to settle.

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outstanding

There is a strong emphasis on providing children with opportunities to experience a wide range of activities. These activities fully engage children and help them to thrive socially. Examples include children going on trips to the cinema, visiting the park, visiting a theme park, going to the beach, visiting a fair and going to a zoo. Every effort is made by staff to ensure that children have plenty of opportunities to try new experiences and explore the world that they live in. Inspection report for children's home: SC406505 4 Parents say that their children love to visit the home, and this provides them with a positive break, knowing that their children are happy and safe. Parents confirm that there is regular contact with the staff. They receive a telephone call before each visit. Staff record information in children’s diaries about how they have been, the leisure pursuits they have enjoyed during their stay and other important matters.

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outstanding

This ensures that the staff and parents work in partnership. This makes sure that each has up-to-date information that supports each child’s well-being and safety and that contributes to a positive visit.

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outstanding

Parents and staff confirm that great attention is given to a child’s introduction to their short-break stay. After an initial meeting with parents, parents can visit the home. Great attention has been given to preparing information in a children’s guide in varying formats that reflect the diverse needs of the children. Children start their introduction to the home with teatime visits, and this builds up to overnight stays. This is completed at the child’s pace. This carefully thought-out introduction helps to reassure children and helps them to enjoy their time at the home.

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outstanding

The manager and senior team have established effective oversight of the care and safety of the children. This minimises the risks for children in the home and when accessing the community. The management team successfully monitors and reviews children’s care. There is great attention paid to the safety of the environments and the specific needs and presentation of each child. This helps to better protect children from harm.

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outstanding

Staff know each child exceptionally well. This knowledge mirrors the information recorded in the individual care plans and the risk assessments for each child. This helps to ensure that staff provide consistent care.

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outstanding

Staff receive access to a wide range of safeguarding training. This includes first aid, behaviour management, gastro therapy, medication, child protection and epilepsy. This equips staff with the knowledge and skills they need in order to better protect children from harm.

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outstanding

There have been no instances when children have gone missing. Children are rarely physically held. When interventions have been needed to keep children or others safe, low-level holds have been used, and these were for a few minutes or less. Staff proactively use distraction and diversion techniques whenever possible to support children when they become upset, feel unsafe or are extremely anxious. Physical intervention is used as a last resort. Staff practices safely support children.

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outstanding

All staff employed go through safer recruitment checks. These include having a full employment history, a Disclosure and Barring Service check and two references. This ensures that staff are suitable to work with children. Inspection report for children's home: SC406505 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and senior team are passionate about the children in their care. They model ambition and expectations of wanting the very best for the children who come to stay at this home. There is a real drive to nurture and provide excellent care that ensures all children receive individualised care that enables them to flourish.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Enormous importance is given to providing the staff team with an array of training. This includes mandatory areas such as health and safety, food hygiene and manual handling. Staff also access a wide range of more specialist training that includes autism spectrum disorder, deaf awareness, attachment, play skills, cultural awareness, advanced Makaton and management training. This makes certain that staff are highly knowledgeable and equipped to meet the needs of the children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A diverse, experienced and child-focused staff speak highly of the support they receive from managers and are proud of the great teamwork that exists. Staff receive regular formal supervision and attend routine staff meetings and daily shift handovers. These sustain and support continued good care practice, staff development and communication that provide children with consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professionals state that there is an excellent partnership working with the manager and staff. Staff attend all arranged meetings, and all other communication is appropriate and timely. Social workers and education staff said that the provision is flexible and always prioritises the needs of the children and their families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Internal and external monitoring systems are thorough and meaningful. They include the plans for children, the building and facilities, medication and staffing matters. Swift and comprehensive action is taken to address shortfalls and deficits. The workforce development plan and service improvement plan provide a detailed focus on the continued progression of the service and care of the children. Inspection report for children's home: SC406505 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: SC406505 7

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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

Debbie Foster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC406505 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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