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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC034313 1 SC034313

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Registered provider: Kingston upon Hull City Council

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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.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2022 and is suitably qualified.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC034313 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/06/2023 Full Good 22/03/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/09/2021 Full Outstanding 07/11/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC034313 3

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improvement to be good

The home is currently in a state of upheaval. Some children have recently moved out, and new children have come to live in the home. All these moves happened in an unplanned way, which has not been a positive experience for any of the children involved. The staff are trying to build relationships with the new children while maintaining existing ones, but this is proving to be a challenge.

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improvement to be good

The home is tired in a lot of areas, and most of the interior requires attention. There is damage that has not been repaired in almost every room. This takes away from the homely feel that the staff are trying to achieve. Children’s bedrooms are not decorated and furnished to an appropriate standard. Although plans are in place to rectify this, it has not progressed in a timely way.

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improvement to be good

There are two bathrooms that are locked and used solely for staff and for storage. This does not create a homely environment for children and excludes them from accessing parts of their home without good reason.

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improvement to be good

Some of the language used by staff, both spoken and written, is stigmatising and blames children. This does not demonstrate that staff understand the trauma children have experienced and the reasons for the associated behaviours children sometimes display.

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improvement to be good

Aside from the recent unplanned moves, there have been two successful transitions from the home since the last inspection. Both children have been reunified with their families and have settled well. Staff from the home were heavily involved in supporting the children and their families during this transition process.

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improvement to be good

Although some children have moved on from the home successfully, there has been very little planning for the recent children’s moves both in and out of the home. Planning has been ad hoc and unclear. The children themselves were not aware of the plans to move until the day it happened, which has not allowed for positive transitions to take place. Children’s care plans and risk assessments have not been shared with the staff in advance of children moving in. This means staff have been unable to prepare to welcome these children and understand their care needs before they moved in.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risk assessments do not contain all known risks to children; they are not all accurate, and they contain inconsistencies. The number of safety plans for one child is confusing and not helpful for staff who are trying to keep the child safe. Staff are not familiar with the risk assessments or the care plans for the children who have recently moved in. This does not equip staff with the correct information to provide safe care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC034313 4 Consequences are used as a way of managing some behaviours. However, they are ineffective. One child did not understand why some consequences had been used or when the consequence would end. This approach does not have a positive influence on children’s behaviour.

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improvement to be good

Room searches are carried out only when needed. This is to ensure children are safe and do not have materials or items in their bedrooms that could be harmful. However, when searches happen, children are not always informed. Children sometimes are not spoken with afterwards so they can understand why the search happened. This is a missed opportunity for staff to speak with children about risks and how to keep themselves safe.

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improvement to be good

There is industrial spiked fencing and anti-climb devices attached to the garage adjoining the rear garden. This could cause significant injury to a child should they climb the fence. Leaders and managers confirmed that these will be replaced.

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improvement to be good

There are occasions when children go missing from this home. When this happens, efforts are made to locate the child and bring them back safely. Detailed records are kept of the actions staff take. When the child does return, they are offered the opportunity to speak with an independent person. This gives the child the opportunity to discuss what happened and supports staff understanding so that risks can be reduced in the future.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not needed to physically intervene to safeguard children since the last inspection. When incidents happen, staff use de-escalation techniques and humour as ways of helping the children manage their emotions and calm difficult situations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Due to staffing issues, the manager and deputy manager have had to fulfil other roles in the home. This has affected their ability to have full and effective monitoring and oversight of the home. This is particularly evident in documents and records that lack a management footprint.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The statement of purpose for the home is out of date, inaccurate and has not been updated with the regulator since January 2023. The version that is available does not state what is the home’s procedure for children who move to the home in an emergency or unplanned way. This does not provide the correct information to stakeholders.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The guide that children receive when they come to live at the home does not contain all the information that it is required. There is no information about physical intervention, independent advocacy or the Children’s Commissioner. It also contains inaccurate information regarding staff who work in the home. This does not help children to understand what they can expect and how they will be cared for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff have not received supervision sessions in accordance with the home’s policy. They also do not receive the training required so that they can meet the children’s needs. This Inspection report for children’s home: SC034313 5 does not provide staff with the support and tools they need to carry out their roles effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers recognised that the reports produced by the independent visitor are unhelpful and do not help to enhance the quality of care provided by the staff in the home. Leaders and managers acknowledged that this should have been addressed sooner. Changes have now been made to independent visits at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager is ambitious for the home and wants to provide outstanding care to children. She is aware of the shortfalls in the home and has identified priority areas that need to be improved. With support from senior managers and staff, she is confident that the care provided to children will improve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff feel supported by the manager and deputy manager. Staff feel both managers are available when they have any issues. Managers are both visible in the home, and their door is always open should staff need support or advice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC034313 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered persons 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 persons 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; and

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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

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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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)(b)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)(vii)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the home is in a good state of repair so that it is homely and welcoming for the children. 31 May 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC034313 7 In addition, the registered person must ensure that children are treated with dignity and respect. This means they are included and informed when decisions are made about them or actions are taken to promote their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person should ensure that all staff speak about children in a positive and non-blaming way.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that risk assessments contain all known risks and that they are understood by staff so they can provide safe and appropriate care for the children.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that the garden is a safe space for the children to use, with no hazardous objects that could cause them harm.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person should ensure that when consequences are used to manage behaviour, they are restorative and regularly reviewed to ensure their effectiveness. 31 May 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

promotes their welfare. 31 May 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC034313 8 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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they have sufficient oversight of all important documents in the home.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person should ensure that they keep records of staff supervision sessions and that such meetings are carried out in line with the provider’s policies.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person should have sufficient oversight of staff training to recognise when this is no longer in date and ensure it is completed in line with the home’s policies.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s moves in and out of the home are managed and planned effectively to meet the children’s needs. 31 May 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC034313 9 The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the statement of purpose is updated, sent to the regulator within the specified timescale and details the home’s emergency admission process. 31 May 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children can access all shared areas of the home, unless there is a specific reason why this would not be possible. Any decisions made to limit access should be documented and kept under review. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)  The registered person should ensure that the children’s guide contains all of the information required and that it is regularly reviewed so the details in it are up to date. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22)  The registered person should ensure that they are satisfied that the independent person has the necessary skills and understanding to be able to competently fulfil their role. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.8)

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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: SC034313 10

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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

Gail McGann, Social Care Inspector Jo Cansfield, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC034313 11 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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