Children's Home run by North Lincolnshire Council in North Lincolnshire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472449 1 SC472449

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Registered provider: North Lincolnshire Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run and managed by a local authority, it can provide care for up to six children who may have social and emotional difficulties. This includes up to one child with a physical disability.

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Information about this children’s home

The home does not have a registered manager. A manager has been appointed and has submitted their application to Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Four children were living in the home at the time of the assurance inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

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: SC472449 2

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Findings from the inspection

Three children were seen and spoken to during the inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are making progress and have positive relationships with staff. One child who came to live at the home earlier this year is no longer using dangerous substances. One child is being supported to search for family members and is now taking part in positive activities and maintaining peer relationships. Two children said staff are ‘good’ and they feel ‘safe’.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s views are valued. Staff seek out the child’s voice to involve them in their plans and decision-making. For children who use English as a second language, an interpreter is used. This means children can overcome language barriers to fully participate. The manager has ensured that there is a consistent interpreter who has developed a trusting relationship with the children. One child told me they trust the interpreter to share their views and explain information of which they are unsure.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s risks are understood by staff. Children’s risk assessments are regularly updated and include guidance for staff to follow if there is an incident. Staff prioritise the safety of the children and follow their plans.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are skilled at de-escalation, and the use of physical restraint is a last resort. This has resulted in minimal incidents requiring a physical intervention. Children and staff are provided with an opportunity to reflect on what has happened, and this promotes learning about what could be done differently in the future. The opportunity to reflect is not always completed within an appropriate timescale, which means there is a delay in the possible learning which could have an impact on actions taken in any future incidents.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager is reflective when reviewing incidents. Any shortfalls in practice or protocol are identified, and the manager implements challenges and changes where needed. Internal monitoring is used to improve experiences for children and ensure safety. After reviewing one incident of harmful behaviour in the home, the manager ensured that a multi-agency response was instigated to protect a child.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff act to ensure the safety of the children. Procedures are in place to inform staff how to respond to an identified concern. There is a lack of consistency in the procedures which support staff. This could result in important actions to keep children safe being missed. On one occasion, there was a delay in the manager being notified of an incident which resulted in a delay in a notification to a partner agency. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472449 3 At the last inspection, the care planning requirement was raised. This was not reviewed and is therefore restated. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472449 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/05/2024 Full Good 23/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/08/2022 Full Good 08/11/2021 Full Outstanding Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472449 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 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 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 that arrangements are in place to

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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

In particular, the registered person must ensure that for any young adult living in the home, care planning considers the needs of the young adult living in the home and the impact this will have on them and the other children who live in the home.

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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

In particular, the registered person should ensure that following any use of a measure of control staff are provided with a debrief to support their learning and welfare and all 28 Feb 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472449 6 debriefs are recorded and signed by staff who have used the measure. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472449 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North Lincolnshire Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Church Square House, 30–40 High Street, Scunthorpe DN15 6NL

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Inspector

Kate Jackson, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472449 8 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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