Children's Home run by Kirklees Council in Kirklees

Inspection report for children’s home: SC033367 1 SC033367 Registered provider: Kirklees Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and run by a local authority. It provides short- to medium-term 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 February 2024. At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC033367 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/03/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/07/2022 Full Inadequate 28/09/2021 Full Good 07/11/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC033367 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Following the last inspection, leaders and managers have made a concerted effort to achieve consistency from staff. They have engaged in this process and feel better equipped to care for the children effectively. As a result, children benefit as staff are consistently applying clearer boundaries around their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite significant challenges, staff keep their focus on children’s best interests. This enabled one child to have a managed move from the home in difficult circumstances. Staff have since visited the child and reinforced their relationship with them. In doing so, this has taught the child the value of keeping positive relationships through periods of adversity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Good networks are established with children’s education providers. In doing so, the children’s support is targeted effectively. This enabled one child to achieve qualifications in English and mathematics following disrupted and chaotic school attendance throughout their childhood. This child is now looking forward to accessing college.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use relatable language in children’s written records. In particular, children’s child- friendly care plans are unmistakably written for the child. Therefore, children are more likely to be more involved in decisions that influence their care as they can better understand their plan. Additionally, it gives the child further clarity on what support the staff feel that the child needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff collaborate effectively with children’s family members. Positive working relationships are harnessed, often in complicated circumstances. The manager supports the children to rekindle important family relationships, despite the distance involved. This better supports the local authority’s long-term care planning for children.

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

The manager accesses a multitude of professionals who complement the support that children and staff receive in the home. Examples include interventions from substance misuse support workers and the emotional well-being team. Although these interventions are yet to yield tangible outcomes for the children, they nonetheless form a vital part of the children’s care.

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

Staff write clear and evaluative reports following incidents involving the children. Staff reflect on their practice and their decision-making in the reports. In doing so, this shows an appetite to learn and to develop practices to support better outcomes for the children.

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

There is an insistence from the staff to learn about the children’s networks in the community. When there are concerns about individuals who may pose a credible risk to Inspection report for children’s home: SC033367 4 the child, staff are adept at working alongside other safeguarding partners to better protect the child. This involves the staff actively protecting the children in the community, sometimes in worrying situations.

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

Staff address the children’s undesirable behaviour and use consequences when required. Although the measures that the inspector was told about appear proportionate, the manager does not have a clear recording system to show these measures. Consequently, this undermines the manager’s ability to effectively evaluate the disciplinary measures applied by the staff. Additionally, it clouds practice in the home and is in breach of the regulation.

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

A fire door that was identified in the home’s fire risk assessment as requiring attention has not been addressed. This is despite the manager escalating this on several occasions. The fire door in question is also in a state of disrepair. This may hinder its capacity to prevent a fire from spreading.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have galvanised the team of staff, who have a renewed sense of purpose and effectiveness. The staff are united as a team, and they emotionally and practically support one another. The staff are confident to carry out their role. Cumulatively, these factors have improved the children’s experience of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and deputy manager have been persistent in their pursuit of consistency. An example of this is the use of flowcharts to embed practice around what staff are expected to do when responding to the children being missing from the home. This measure is no longer needed as these practices are now embedded. Successive team meetings and development days, alongside meaningful steps, such as flowcharts, have been pivotal in achieving this significant step forward.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are frequent, purposeful and inclusive of input from the staff. The manager has added development days to enable targeted interventions. Additionally, senior leaders have attended team meetings along with representatives from the emotional well-being team. Collectively, these initiatives show that staff are valued and supported to carry out their role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is no longer reliant on agency staff as they have built up a reliable bank of casual staff from around the local authority. Positively, the children have started to forge positive relationships as these staff have become familiar to them. It has also better enabled the staff to work consistently.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The daily recordings appear reflective of the work that takes place in the home. However, there have been occasions when the manager’s oversight was needed but was missing. Therefore, the manager has overlooked opportunities to apply her professional curiosity and further drive improved care practices. Inspection report for children’s home: SC033367 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

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the internal fire doors are repaired in a timely manner. 28 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used; 15 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC033367 6 the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(b) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) (b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should oversee the welfare of the children in their care through scrutinising the children’s written records and following up on any ambiguities around their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.23)

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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: SC033367 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic 3, Market Street, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD1 2EY

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Inspector

Steve Guirey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC033367 8 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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