Children's Home run by Care Hubz in Leeds

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686949 1 Registered provider: Care Hubz Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private provider. Care is provided for one child aged between 11 and 17 years.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in December 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s position has been vacant since October 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector spoke with the child who was living at the home during the inspection.

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Inspection date: 04 January 2024

Date of last inspection: 3 and 4 May 2023

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Inspection date: 04 January 2024

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 04 January 2024

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, 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. The inspector looked closely at the experiences and progress of the child, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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: 2686949 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of the child at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

No children have moved into the home since the most recent inspection. The child who lives in the home says that they feel happy and safe. The child has a say about how their home is managed through regular chats with the staff. This includes choosing the leisure activities that they wish to participate in, such as go-karting.

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Findings from the inspection

The child benefits from a committed and stable staff team. This helps the child to receive consistent care from individuals who know the child well. One staff member attends meetings with external agencies on their days off. This provides continuity of information sharing that helps to promote safe and effective care planning.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have received training on using the electronic recording systems. This enables them to access the necessary documents that they require so that they can care for the child effectively.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support the child well with their relationships. The staff have forged positive relationships with the child’s family members and friends. The staff enable the child to spend time with their family, and the child’s friends will often visit the home and stay for meals. This helps to improve the child’s safety and helps to create a sense of belonging.

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Findings from the inspection

The staff encourage the child with their education. The child is keen to attend school although is unable to do so as education providers are conflicted in their accountability for this. However, the provider supports the child to make progress by providing private tuition. Staff are also pro-active in the escalation of requests to the necessary authorities to provide an educational placement for the child.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support the child well to volunteer at a local farm. This helps to give the child a routine and a sense of purpose and allows them to contribute positively to the local community.

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Findings from the inspection

The risks for the child are reducing. When the child has been exposed to risk and unsafe decision-making, the staff discuss what has happened with the child and help them reflect so they can learn from it. This is because of the strength of the trusting relationships that the staff have developed with the child. One professional commented that staff go ‘above and beyond’ to help the child to stay safe.

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Findings from the inspection

When allegations are made in respect of staff, the provider investigates them in a timely manner and follows the relevant safeguarding procedures. This helps to improve the child’s safety. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686949 3 The provider keeps an accurate record of staff’s training. This helps the provider to be satisfied that the staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to provide safe care to the child.

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Findings from the inspection

The home does not have a manager. The provider is actively recruiting for this post. In the interim, managers from the provider’s other homes visit on a weekly basis to support the staff. The responsible individual also liaises regularly with the staff to ensure that the child is safe and their needs are well met.

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Findings from the inspection

There is limited management oversight of documents that record significant events such as incidents, consequences and room searches. This prevents the provider from being assured that the staff are following the provider’s policies and are keeping accurate records.

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Findings from the inspection

The child’s risk assessments are updated regularly. However, the child’s behaviour management plans do not reflect that the staff are expected to check the electronic devices of the child, who is known to be at risk of criminal exploitation. This results in an inconsistent approach and means opportunities to further support the child’s safety are missed.

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Findings from the inspection

The staff have devised the child’s care plan. This details the relevant information that the staff need to provide safe and supportive care to the child. However, the document has not been shared with the child and does not reflect the child’s views in line with the provider’s policy. This is because staff are uncertain if the child has knowledge of all the information contained in this document. This prevents the child from contributing to their care planning.

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Findings from the inspection

The provider also does not have a policy for informing His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of serious incidents in line with regulations. This results in an inconsistent approach and a delay in notifying Ofsted of serious incidents. This prevents the regulator from being assured that staff are helping the child to stay safe.

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Findings from the inspection

The child’s views are not consistently captured in line with the provider’s policies. This includes after a room search has taken place, a consequence has been issued or an incident has occurred. This prevents the provider from being assured that the staff have helped the child to understand the reasons for decisions that have been made or actions that have been taken.

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Findings from the inspection

The provider does not have an escalation policy in place unless the concern is related to safeguarding. Consequently, the staff do not escalate concerns to external agencies when they are not provided with the necessary information, for example a child’s annual medical report. This prevents the provider from being satisfied that staff can fully meet the child’s health care needs. It also prevents the staff from escalating concerns about external agencies’ inaction. This hinders the child’s progress. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686949 4 The independent visitor has not consulted with the child and they have failed to recognise the shortfalls that this inspection has identified. This has prevented the provider from making the necessary changes to improve the management of the home. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686949 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686949 6

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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 registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if— there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)) 15 February 2024

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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; and

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 15 February 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. 15 February 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686949 7 A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s record of significant events includes a clear description of the action taken and the outcome of any resulting investigation. In particular, the registered person should ensure that the incident log clearly reflects all known information regarding what happened prior to, during and after an incident, in line with the provider’s policy. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 63, paragraph 14.14). This recommendation is re-issued.  The registered person should ensure that the children are encouraged by the staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ that supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. In particular, the registered person should ensure children are able to access and contribute towards their care plans in line with the provider’s policy. (‘Guide to the

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Recommendations

Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 58, paragraph 11.19). This recommendation is re-issued.  The registered person should ensure that the staff continually and actively assess the risk to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. In particular, the registered person should ensure that there is an effective plan in place that allows the staff to check the mobile phones and technical devices of any child who is at risk of criminal exploitation. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5). This recommendation is re-issued.  Regulation 5 sets out overarching requirements that run across all of the Quality

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Recommendations

Standards. To meet the aspirations embodied in the Quality Standards, children’s homes need to connect with and be part of the wider support system for each Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686949 8 child in their care. No children’s home will be able to meet, on its own, all of a child’s needs. It is crucial that the home works in close partnership with all those who play a role in protecting and caring for the child, but particularly the child’s local authority and statutory social worker. The registered person and the staff of the home cannot force a relevant person to engage or work productively with them and the regulation does not require this. The registered person should evidence what they have done to achieve engagement, including any actions taken to escalate concerns. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.3)  The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are

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Recommendations

notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686949 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Thorpe House, 61 Richardshaw Lane, Pudsey LS28 7EL

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Inspector

Julia Hagan, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686949 10 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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