Children's Home run by Leeds City Council in Leeds

Inspection report for children’s home: 1223201 1 Registered provider: Leeds City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is operated and managed by a local authority. It provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties. The home uses a therapeutic model of care to support children.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since February 2022. An acting manager is overseeing the care of the children and has applied to become the registered manager.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1223201 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/08/2021 Full Outstanding 03/04/2019 Full Good 14/08/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 06/06/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 1223201 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive care from a consistent staff team, which helps them to build trusting relationships. Children spoken to described the care that they receive as ‘good’, ‘perfect’ and ‘brilliant’.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide a therapeutic model of care, which helps children to make progress from their starting points. Children choose their own goals and their successes are celebrated in the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children learn practical skills, such as cooking and how to budget. This helps moving on from the home to be a positive experience for them. Children value staff’s support and remain in touch after they have moved on. Maintaining these valued relationships adds to their support network.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to achieve educationally. Staff work closely with schools and colleges. As a result, attendance improves. Staff use their knowledge of children’s strengths to encourage learning and identify resources which meet children’s needs. This has helped one child to engage positively with education and be proud of their achievements.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are met. If children need the additional support of specialist services, this is accessed for them.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time with people who are important in their lives, in line with their wishes. Staff communicate well with family members, and one parent acknowledged how their child has been helped by staff to make positive changes.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children participate in hobbies and activities which reflect their interests. For example, they go to football matches, the gym and visit nearby attractions.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is comfortably furnished. Children’s rooms are welcoming. Some areas require redecoration and minor repair, as they detract from the overall appearance of the building. Steps were taken by the manager to address these during the inspection.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to express their wishes and feelings. Their views are listened to by the staff. When children move in, they are given information about the home. This helps to reduce any anxieties or fears that they might have. Some of the language used could be more child friendly to help children to better understand what living at the home will be like. Children are given information about how to make a complaint and how to access an advocate. However, the children’s guide does not explain the role of the independent person. Inspection report for children’s home: 1223201 4

p.3

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

The staff have a clear understanding of the potential risks to children. Plans to support children to be safe clearly identify what steps staff need to take. Plans are updated so that they reflect when children’s identified risks increase and when they reduce.

p.4

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

The manager works with other agencies to provide a robust response if children’s behaviour is placing them, or others, at risk. This multi-agency approach has been particularly effective for one child, whose unwanted behaviours have reduced significantly through collaborative work with the police.

p.4

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

When an allegation is made, the manager ensures that children and staff are supported while the matter is investigated. If there are no concerns, restorative work is carried out with children to rebuild any damaged relationships.

p.4

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

Children are not held to keep people safe. Staff use their skills to de-escalate situations. Children understand what is expected of them. Consequences are not used. Instead, a token system is used to reward positive behaviour. One-to-one and group sessions are used to help children to reflect on any unwanted behaviours. Children are supported to develop strategies for managing situations that they normally find difficult.

p.4

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

Children learn about potential risks and what they can do to keep themselves safer. For example, they learn about risks associated with the use of social media and how to respond to peer pressure, such as engaging in substance misuse or criminal activity.

p.4

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

Staff take steps to ensure that the home is a safe environment. For example, they enforce rules around not smoking. Room searches are carried out if there are concerns that a child may have access to harmful items. These are carried out in line with good practice guidance.

p.4

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

Each child has a plan which identifies what actions staff must take if they go missing from the home. On an isolated occasion, there was a delay in staff carrying out some of the agreed steps to help a child to be located quickly.

p.4

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

The manager evaluates incidents, and discussions with staff and children are used to identify learning. Not all significant incidents that relate to the welfare and protection of children have been notified to Ofsted. This means that the regulator is not able to be assured that children are receiving appropriate support and that staff responses are appropriate and proportionate.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been a change of management as the registered manager has moved to a different role in the organisation. The acting manager is committed to providing high-quality care to the children and leads by example. Staff enjoy their work and Inspection report for children’s home: 1223201 5 speak highly of the support that is provided by the acting manager. The knowledgeable staff team delivers care that is in line with the statement of purpose.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a diverse, permanent staff team. Staff rarely leave. This is a testament to their level of job satisfaction. Safer recruitment practices are adhered to. Staff receive an in-depth induction and regular, reflective supervision. This includes discussion about the children and also includes the well-being of staff.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When there have been issues with staff following a child’s plan, the manager has addressed these through supervision. This has ensured that the shortfall is not repeated.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive all the training that they need to meet the children’s needs. Team meetings and team-building days are used as additional opportunities for learning and staff development.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although children are regularly consulted, their views are not included in the six- monthly review of the quality of care provided to the children. This limits the acting manager’s ability to evidence how the children’s views are considered when evaluating the care that they receive.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff do not consistently use language that is helpful to children. The use of clinical terminology relating to the therapeutic model of care does not reflect the homely feel that the manager strives for. Inspection report for children’s home: 1223201 6

p.5

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.6

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)) 1 May 2023

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.6

Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

p.6

Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

p.6

Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

p.6

Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

p.6

Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

p.6

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 1 May 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 1223201 7

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s guide is accessible and helps children to understand the care that will be provided to them. The children’s guide should also help children to understand the role of the independent visitor. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraphs 4.21 and 4.22)  The registered person should ensure that all records are written in child-friendly way which helps children to understand their journey. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should have a system in place which allows them to monitor the matters set out in regulation 45 at least once every six months. The registered person should ensure that the review of the quality of care includes the children’s views on living in the home and how these impact on the care that they

p.7

Recommendations

receive. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)

p.7

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: 1223201 8

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Laura Grundy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1223201 9 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9