Children's home run by Hull City Council

Inspection report for children’s home: 2633602 1 Registered provider: Kingston upon Hull City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a local authority. It provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. Four children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2023.

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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 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: 17 January 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2633602 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/01/2023 Full Good 08/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2633602 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive relationships with staff who understand their individual needs and vulnerabilities. Staff provide caring and reassuring support, which helps children make progress. The quality of the children’s day-to-day experiences are improved by the attitude of the staff. Interactions are positive, with children laughing and joking with staff. This creates a sense of permanency and belonging for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Engagement with multi-agency partners is a strength of the home. The registered manager and staff work with a wide range of professionals. Children are helped at the right time, by the right people who have in-depth knowledge of the support needed. Staff work with these professionals at every step of the child’s journey. The consistent application of children’s plans has a positive impact on children’s lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Feedback from professionals involved in the children’s lives is very positive. Staff establish open communication and positive relationships with professionals, carers and families alike. Professionals describe positive, ongoing changes in the home as staff go ‘above and beyond’ to meet children’s needs. This provides a sense of stability and security for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress in their education. Staff work closely with education providers. When children face barriers to progress in their education, staff advocate loudly for the child’s needs and support educational activity in the home. Staff are ambitious for the children in their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children at the home are healthy. Their medicines, health and well-being are well managed. Each child’s needs are reviewed at least monthly between the staff and a child and adolescent mental health worker. This in-depth, child-centred review identifies any additional needs or concerns. Regular referrals for support and assessments are made. Children make progress physically, socially and emotionally.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are at the centre of the home. Their views, wishes and feelings are respected and promoted. Children participate in the activities, trips and holidays they choose and are encouraged to attend any meetings about their care. Children have pets in the home and regular access to a retired therapy dog. Staff encourage regular chats, focusing on the dog to promote calm conversations or introduce difficult discussions. Children are advantaged by living in the home.

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

Children make positive progress in their relationships with their families and each other. If there are any incidents of bullying, staff are consistent in their expectations and responses. Children are offered support and are involved in meetings and discussions where bullying is addressed. This supports children to maintain and, more importantly, mend and enhance relationships with each other. Inspection report for children’s home: 2633602 4 Children at the home have a trusted adult to whom they can talk. Children said they could speak to the registered manager at any time or contact their social worker. Children raise concerns with staff about issues that are important to them. Staff understand these concerns and manage them sensitively. Risk assessments and comprehensive plans of care keep children safe. Positive behaviour is consistently promoted in the home.

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

Staff support and manage children’s behaviour in line with the children’s individual plans. If staff implement or use measures or consequences with which the manager does not agree, these are reviewed and amended. This has helped to develop clear and consistent expectations and boundaries for children.

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

The number of times that children go missing from the home has reduced. When children do go missing from care, the staff respond effectively and appropriately to keep children safe. Staff have regular contact with professionals involved in the child’s care and their families. Risks to children are clearly documented and understood. The staff are proactive and creative in ensuring that children’s plans include input from a wide range of supportive agencies. Children at the home are increasingly safe.

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

Children do not always have access to all appropriate areas of the home. The doors to the kitchen and lounge are locked during the night and one toilet and one bathroom are locked and out of bounds for no apparent reason. Records also showed the kitchen had been locked during an isolated incident. The registered manager began an immediate review of the practice of locking doors.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is warm, homely and welcoming with the decor and furnishings being in good order. The registered manager has ongoing plans to keep up to date with the environment and they continue to make positive changes in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is new in post and a progressive addition to the home. They have good oversight of the home and the day-to-day needs and wishes of the children. The registered manager is a positive role model who has forged good relationships with the children and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff meetings are held regularly and there is a good attendance. The staff rota has been reviewed and changes made in order to encourage attendance at meetings and to promote teamwork. As with all aspects of the home, children are the focus of any meetings. Team away days have been introduced by the registered manager to enhance staff relationships and for staff to improve their knowledge and skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff participate in regular supervisions and say these are helpful. Staff feel supported to carry out their role, and feedback from staff is overwhelmingly positive about the support the registered manager offers. New staff are provided an Inspection report for children’s home: 2633602 5 induction that meets their needs. The training carried out by staff enables them to do their jobs properly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that incidents are managed appropriately. Ongoing support from outside agencies means these are consistently reviewed and responded to. This further strengthens the registered manager’s understanding of what is happening for children and the registered manager’s ability to respond. Staff know the risks posed to children and what helps the children to cope and make progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager completes regular reviews and audits of the home and relevant necessary documentation, as required by the regulations. These include an annual review of the location of the home and any associated risks that may affect children. However, documents such as the quality of care review report and the statement of purpose for the home were not submitted to Ofsted in the timescale required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff training and skills remain under review with oversight by leaders and managers. Most staff are up to date with their training. One member of bank staff had not completed their safeguarding training. All staff, including casual staff, must have the knowledge and skills to recognise signs that might indicate a child is at risk of harm. Inspection report for children’s home: 2633602 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 31 March 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. The registered person should ensure that skills in safeguarding are gained, refreshed and recorded in the home’s workforce plan. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12)  The registered person should ensure that on completion of the six-monthly review of the quality of care, the generated report is sent to Ofsted. This also applies to any updates the registered person makes to the statement of purpose. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.3) Inspection report for children’s home: 2633602 7

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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: 2633602 8

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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: Kingston upon Hull City Council, The Guildhall, Alfred Gelder Street, Hull HU1 2AA

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Inspector

Jo Cansfield, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2633602 9 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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