Children's home run by Hennessy Living Group Limited in Kirklees

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1216505 1 Registered provider: Hennessy Living Group Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider owns and manages this home. The home provides care for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector observed and spoke to the three children living in the home during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1216505 2

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Findings from the inspection

No serious or widespread concerns were identified in relation to the care or protection of children during this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

The inspection was prompted by a complaint made to Ofsted, and several concerning safeguarding notifications submitted to Ofsted by the provider.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the previous inspection in June 2023, three children have moved out of the home in line with their care plans. A fourth child recently moved out of the home following a request made for a new home. This was an unexpected change of care plan for the child. Two children have recently moved in to the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager has been absent from the home since 3 October 2023. She has submitted a form to Ofsted to cancel her registration as registered manager of this home.

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Findings from the inspection

The staff have been supported by the deputy manager, who is now the acting manager. The regional manager has been providing additional leadership for the acting manager and staff team. This arrangement has minimised the impact of the registered manager leaving.

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Findings from the inspection

The acting manager is involved in the care of the children and understands the progress they are making. The staff report that the acting manager is supportive and highly visible in the home. This involvement helps the acting manager to have good oversight of the quality of care provided to the children.

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Findings from the inspection

The staff understand their roles and responsibilities in recognising and responding to safeguarding concerns. Staff feel confident in raising concerns and understand whistle-blowing procedures.

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Findings from the inspection

Emerging child protection concerns are quickly identified, and these are promptly shared with the relevant child protection professionals. This has resulted in effective multi-disciplinary action being taken to keep children safe.

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Findings from the inspection

When children go missing from home, there is a prompt and consistent response from staff. They actively search for children, get in touch with known contacts, and encourage children to return home. This helps to reduce the amount of time that children are away from the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The acting manager, along with support from the regional manager, has reviewed whether the staff can meet the needs of all the children living in the home. Together, they have identified that they are no longer able to protect one child from increased risks within the local community. The regional manager promptly reviewed the child’s needs with the local authority, which was in the best interests of the child involved. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1216505 3 Overall, the provider is good at keeping Ofsted informed when serious incidents occur. However, during inspection, the acting manager acknowledged that notifications to Ofsted do not always include a description of the action taken, or the outcome of the incident. This compromises the regulator’s ability to oversee safeguarding practice in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The requirements previously issued under regulations 6, 8 and 13 were not reviewed during this inspection. For this reason, they are restated.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/06/2023 Full Good 16/01/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/10/2021 Full Good 17/08/2021 Full Inadequate Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1216505 4

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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, The 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)) 18 December

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Requirement Due date

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

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— 18 December Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1216505 5 research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met. (Regulation 13 (1)(a) (2)(f)(g)(i))

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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

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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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 who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(v)(vii)(ix)) 18 December

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. Staff should keep, and encourage children to keep, appropriate memorabilia of the time spent living at the home and help them to record significant life events. The registered manager should consider the use of photographs to ensure that children have memories of their experiences and achievements. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 62, paragraph 14.5)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a regulation 40 notification is made, the home’s record of the event includes a description of the action taken Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1216505 6 and the outcome of any resulting investigation. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 63, paragraph 14.14) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1216505 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hennessy Living Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Rickleton 1B, Bowes Offices, Lambton Park, Chester Le Street DH3 4AN

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Goundry

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Inspector

Claire Webster, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1216505 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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