Children's Home run by Leeds City Council in Leeds

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC033723 1 SC033723

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Leeds City Council

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and support for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Previously, the home has closed temporarily for a period of renovation. Subsequently, the home has been used for an interim period by another children’s home. This has facilitated their children’s home to undergo renovation.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been vacant since October 2022. Due to this, Ofsted placed a further condition on the registration. This set out that the local authority must inform Ofsted of their intention to admit children three months before a child commenced living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The local authority has informed Ofsted of its intention to reopen the home.

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Information about this children’s home

A manager has been appointed. They are in the process of completing an application to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was completed to ensure that the home remains safe and suitable, and continues to meet the requirements for registration. As part of this visit, the home environment was viewed and the staffing arrangements were monitored.

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This monitoring visit

Since January 2023, the home has undergone further maintenance work, decoration, and the replacement of particular furniture and fittings, after a flood in the property. The building is in good repair, decorated, furnished and equipped. Checks have been undertaken to ensure that the utility supplies and services to the building comply with health and safety requirements. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC033723 2 Recruitment is currently underway. Currently, the manager, a senior and three residential workers have been appointed. Further recruitment is planned to ensure that the home has sufficient staff to care for children.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of the monitoring visit, one child was in placement for a temporary period. The local authority has secured a permanent placement for this child to move on to. A team of staff from another Leeds local authority children’s home are currently caring for and supporting the child.

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This monitoring visit

The recommendations made at the last inspection are carried forward and will be reviewed at the home’s full inspection. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC033723 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 08/03/2022 Full Good 17/09/2019 Full Good 13/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/07/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC033723 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children have their basic needs met as any good parent would. This specifically relates to replacing items quickly in children’s bedrooms when they are damaged or unusable, and that items for children are suitable for their needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when the home has questions or concerns about a child’s medication, they should approach an expert, such as a general medical practitioner, community pharmacist or designated nurse for looked-after children. This includes when it is not clear if medication should be taken at the same time each day or if it can be taken at night. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 35, paragraph 7.15)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans. This includes if the child is ready for the specific purpose of the home of preparing children for independence. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should provide sufficient staff. This means a home having enough suitably trained staff, including someone in a management role, on duty to meet the assessed needs of all children in the home. The registered person must demonstrate every effort to achieve continuity of staffing so that children’s attachments are not overly disrupted, including ensuring that the employment of any temporary staff will not prevent children from receiving the continuity of care that they need (regulation 31(1)). In particular, ensure that there are enough staff employed to care for the children in residence as the home reopens. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 51, paragraph 10.1) Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC033723 5

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to ensure the home has safe and suitable facilities and resources to care for children.

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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: SC033723 6

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Debbie Foster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC033723 7 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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