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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2599994 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 is a local authority run home providing care for one child.

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Information about this children’s home

There is not a registered manager currently in post. The interim manager is in the process of applying to become registered and also led 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 requires improvement to be 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: 31 October 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2599994 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/07/2022 Full Inadequate 01/02/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 01/09/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2599994 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff tailor the care provided specifically around the child’s needs. This has helped the child to make significant progress. Staff have offered the child many new experiences which enable them to learn and develop.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff understand the child well and care about them. Staff actively demonstrate their care by listening to the child, who, in turn, is building trusting relationships with staff. The child feels valued by staff and they are actively involved in decisions made both in the home and about their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are nurturing and supportive and the child is supported to see their family. A family member said, ‘I can see the progress my child is making, and the team have become like an extended family.’ The child looks to the interim manager for support and a warm trusting relationship exists between them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is provided a reduced education timetable, which is not school based. This prevents the child from being able to access the full curriculum. It also makes it difficult for them to make friends and build relationships. The child wants to attend school and learn, and it is important for them to have opportunity to achieve the fullest potential possible.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff and child are redecorating the house to make it lighter. The child has upcycled furniture which they have in their bedroom. This creates a pleasant environment for the child, where they have their belongings around them. The house is full of plants which the child has chosen and cares for. However, the back garden area of the home contains rubble and broken equipment. It is currently unsuitable for the child to use safely and restricts the child to the inside of the home.

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

The staff complete comprehensive risk assessments for the child and have a clear understanding of current and emerging risks that the child experiences. Staff review risk assessments regularly and after incidents. They discuss as a group how they will try to address any risks in daily handovers. Staff also discuss the risks directly with the child and involve the child in their own care plans.

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

The interim manager and staff support positive risk taking for the child. A child had restrictions placed on them previously. Staff work with the child and follow a clear step by step plan to give them more free time. The child is trying new activities in the community and is enjoying them. Staff work closely with the child to understand the risks connected to relationships and certain activities, and how to keep themselves safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 2599994 4 Staff put appropriate boundaries in place to help the child feel secure. The child has had greater freedoms in the home and community and there has been a slight increase in incidents. These are reviewed, learned from, and built on. Staff use physical intervention as a last resort only. Staff reflect with the child after incidents, and this helps them recognise the effects of behaviours on others and supports them to understand their feelings.

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

The child can discuss concerns with staff and can suggest ideas that they can use themselves to manage their emotions. The child’s family and professionals spoken with recognise the positive work being carried out to help the child become more independent but also learn to stay safe. A professional said, ‘They [staff] do everything they can to make the child feel safe.’

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

The child said they feel safe in the home and are happy. They are feeling more positive about the future and express their hopes and aspirations about education and friendships. The playful and empathetic approach that staff use in the home helps to engage the child positively. It promotes a sense of well-being and helps them to see themselves more positively.

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good

The registered manager has left after a period of absence and there have been temporary arrangements for management cover in the home for several months. This has meant three managers have covered the manager role during the period. The interim manager has not yet registered with Ofsted. This does not provide consistent leadership for the staff and the child in the home.

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good

There is currently a reliance on temporary staff on most days. There are gaps in the training of permanent staff. This impacts a small number of staff, but as the team is small, this means on some days that staff supporting the child are not adequately trained.

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good

Recruitment is ongoing and suitable safer recruitment practice is in place. The interim manager carefully places experienced staff with newer staff to upskill them quickly.

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good

The interim manager is part of a strong multi-agency team working closely with the child. The focus of the group is risk management and to ensure that an appropriate balance of independence and supervision is achieved. Professionals visit the child in the home and regular case reflection with the staff team guides their practice, leading to a consistent approach from staff, which helps increase a feeling of safety for the child.

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good

The interim manager recognises the strengths of the team. Staff have regular supervisions and feel well supported by the interim manager. The interim manager leads by example and is respected by the professionals involved. Professionals recognise the positive changes that the interim manager has developed over the past months. Inspection report for children’s home: 2599994 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person must take to meet The Care Standards Act 2000, The 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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must appoint a registered manager. 30 September

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that the child has suitable education arrangements in place. 30 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2599994 6 The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff training is kept up to date. 30 September

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Recommendation

 The registered manager must ensure that children’s homes are nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. The garden should be a safe and suitable environment for children to access. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 2599994 7

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Children’s home details

Registered Provider: Kingston upon Hull City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Guildhall, Alfred Gelder Street, Hull HU1 2AA

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Inspector

Carol Jagger, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2599994 8 regulates and inspects 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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