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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC034706 1 SC034706

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a local authority. It offers care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living in the home. Two children were spoken to during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2019 and is suitably qualified.

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Inspection date: 29 October 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 has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, 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: SC034706 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 A lack of adequate support for staff has impacted on their ability to meet all the children’s needs.

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Findings from the inspection

 Staff have struggled to meet the children’s behavioural needs, resulting in the police being called on a number of occasions, increasing the risk of children being criminalised.

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Findings from the inspection

 Staff have not implemented supportive boundaries for one child, leaving them with no routine.

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Findings from the inspection

 A lack of an effective strategy for children being placed at the home at short notice has negatively impacted on the children’s care experiences.

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Findings from the inspection

Senior leaders have not followed the home’s statement of purpose. This document states that no children will be admitted to the home on an emergency basis. However, since the last full inspection, one child was admitted at short notice. The staff team was not adequately prepared or supported to manage this change effectively.

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Findings from the inspection

The provider carried out a risk assessment before the child moved into the home, to determine if the child’s needs can be met alongside the other children in residence. However, it lacked detail and analysis of the children’s needs and about their suitability to live together. Managers did not identify effective care strategies to meet the children’s needs in response to the change in living dynamics. As a result, there has been insufficient support to help staff and children to adapt to this change.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager and staff understand the children’s needs and the impact of trauma that children may have experienced. However, they are yet to establish positive ways of supporting all children, limiting the help that children receive to reflect and learn from situations. One child said, ‘Staff do not listen.’ Staff are wary to implement boundaries and at times have contacted the police for support. This increases the risk of children being criminalised and prevents them from developing trust in the adults who care for them.

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Findings from the inspection

There is a sense of negativity in what staff say and in their written recordings about the children’s care. Senior leaders have not been effective in identifying or addressing these shortfalls in practice. This may have a detrimental impact on the children’s emotional well-being.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff say that they feel supported by the manager. One member of staff said, ‘She is absolutely brilliant at supporting us.’ Furthermore, the manager uses the support Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC034706 3 from emotional health support services to help staff’s understanding of the children’s needs. However, the impact of this support is not fully embedded in practice.

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Findings from the inspection

There are positive working relationships between the manager and others who support the children, such as parents and social workers. This supports children to see all those involved in caring for them working together. The manager requests additional support for children when required, such as the substance misuse service. This ensures that children have access to agencies that can offer them support.

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Findings from the inspection

Each child has a personalised care plan and risk assessment that provide staff with guidance on how to meet the children’s needs. Regular management oversight ensures that plans are kept up to date for staff to follow.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers send regular notifications to Ofsted, enabling regulatory oversight of serious incidents at the home. One recommendation from the previous inspection has been met. The requirement and other recommendations were not explored as part of this inspection and remain.

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Findings from the inspection

A case review was held on 31 October 2024, which confirmed there are serious and widespread concerns. A compliance notice was issued under Regulation 11. Requirements under Regulations 13 and 14 were also issued. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC034706 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/07/2024 Full Good 04/07/2023 Full Good 26/07/2022 Full Good 02/06/2021 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC034706 5

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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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. 15 December Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC034706 6 (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(ix)(x)(b))

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(f)) 15 December

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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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)) 15 December

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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

that staff— 15 December Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC034706 7 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, information is missing from individual risk assessments and there are some missing protocol documents that are needed so that staff know what action to take to keep the children safe.

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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

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff complete the required qualification within the two-year time frame specified in the guidance. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)  The registered person should ensure that each child’s bedroom is equipped with everything they need for the space to be private, is decorated to their taste and is in a good state of repair. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.19) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC034706 8

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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

Jess Elliott, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC034706 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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