Children's home run by Hull City Council in Kingston upon Hull, City of

Inspection report for children’s home: SC036157 1 SC036157 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 eight children who may have learning disabilities and/or a sensory impairment.

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Information about this children’s home

Six children were present during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of last inspection: 17 October 2022

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC036157 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/10/2022 Full Good 06/10/2021 Full Good 03/03/2020 Full Outstanding 29/08/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC036157 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported in the home by a manager and staff who professionals said are ‘invested in the children’. Children have trusting relationships with staff who know them well. Children are supported to see their families, previous carers, and loved ones. Good communication from staff helps children to enjoy meaningful time with people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have had positive experiences when moving on from the home. The registered manager and staff work hard to ensure the best possible outcomes for children. Sometimes, moves take place in difficult circumstances. Staff continue to support the children during these times. This helps children to prepare for change and say their goodbyes in a positive way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are keen to capture the children’s views and are persistent in seeking these out. The home has won awards from the local authority for gathering children’s wishes and feelings. Children have positive relationships with staff, which means that they can talk about things they may find difficult.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to pursue their interests whether that is live music events or local groups. They go on group holidays with staff. Children’s memories are captured in photo books which they keep when they leave the home. Staff are attuned to children’s likes and dislikes and offer them choices that fit with these.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s bedrooms are decorated to reflect their tastes and are personalised with their favourite belongings. Communal areas are clean, and the decor is neutral. Other areas display photos of the children having fun and framed certificates that they have been awarded. This creates a calm, homely and welcoming space for the children.

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

The registered manager and staff promote an open culture and act as good role models to the children. Their focus is on children’s safety and well-being, and they talk openly following any incidents regarding safety as opposed to using consequences. Children say they feel safe in the home.

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

The registered manager and staff understand and act on their safeguarding responsibilities. If an incident occurs, the registered manager shares detailed information appropriately with other agencies. The registered manager and staff act quickly to put measures in place to protect children in these circumstances. This helps to reduce any risk of harm to children.

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

Staff have a positive approach to physical intervention and only hold children as a last resort and to keep everyone safe. Staff prefer to focus on ways to help children Inspection report for children’s home: SC036157 4 to manage their own emotions. After any incident, leaders and managers support the staff and children in an appropriate way to share their feelings, reflect and learn. They also explore what may contribute to incidents and involve appropriate professionals to reduce the chance of this happening again.

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

Staff know what to do if children go missing and respond appropriately. However, children’s records vary in quality. This has not affected children’s safety, but records do not all contain sufficient, clear information and guidance for staff to follow.

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

Known risks to children are identified in their assessments and plans, which are reviewed after incidents. One child’s records contain conflicting information regarding what strategies staff can use to keep them safe. This is potentially confusing for staff and could lead to inconsistent care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is respected and liked by staff, professionals, families and children. He has a clear vision for the home, which is centred around the children and their welfare. He has created an open culture and is therapeutic in his approach. The registered manager addressed all concerns raised during the inspection immediately. This encourages accountability and trust in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported by the management team, and they receive practical and emotional support from them as well as regular, individual supervision. There is good joined-up working and communication in the home. Support from the psychologist is positive for the well-being of the children and staff. This reflective practice helps staff and children to learn from incidents and is also integral to planning for the children’s futures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager challenges other professionals involved in the care of the children to ensure that their needs are met. He has worked collaboratively and gained support from health colleagues to prioritise health assessments for children. This helps children to get the support they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager recognises the strengths and areas for development in the home. He has identified and improved practice around recording in the home. However, he has not had oversight of all records, and some records vary in quality and content. Staff could not easily find an overview of records on the computerised system. This led to inaccurate information about numbers and types of incidents being shared with the regulator.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive mandatory training and keep this up to date. They also hold suitable qualifications for their roles. Some staff have not yet received training which is specific to children’s diagnoses and support needs. This could leave some staff not fully understanding children’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC036157 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 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

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

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they have oversight of children’s records and any incidents that occur in the home. 21 March 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should support staff to be ambitious for every child in the home and to gain skills and experience that enable them to actively support each child to achieve their potential. The registered person should ensure that staff understand and can meet each child’s needs, particularly with regards to specific training around children with disabilities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.5)

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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: SC036157 6

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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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Inspectors

Carol Jagger, Social Care Inspector Gail McGann, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC036157 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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