Children's home run by Hull City Council

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2598205 1 Registered provider: Hull City 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 by a local authority. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties or have a learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2024.

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Inspection date: 6 March 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 6 March 2025

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: 2598205 2

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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

One child left and one child has moved into the home since the last full inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff provide empathetic and nurturing care, particularly when children experience critical health needs. They ensure that the child attends medical appointments. The staff listened to the child’s views and changes to their medication plan occurred as a result. This has seen a reduction in times the child refuses to take their medication.

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Findings from the inspection

There is a clear medication plan for the child. Staff know the specific medications and the reasons for their use. Staff record when the child takes their medication or when they decline. Staff know when to seek medical attention if the child declines. Senior staff and managers complete medication audits to identify if there are any patterns or potential errors.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are supported effectively when significant events occur. This includes managers ensuring that staff have access to counselling support. One member of staff said: ‘It is a testament to the team how we support each other. We utilise different skills sets and strengths.’ Staff feel valued and in turn provide warm and supportive care to the child.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff, including those who are casual, have a good understanding of the child’s specific needs and risks. The child has an up-to-date safety plan that provides staff with information about known risks, such as substance misuse and peers who give cause for concern. The plan guides staff on how to manage and reduce risks. When the child goes missing from the home, staff take quick and effective action to locate the child and return them to the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The need to hold children is rare. When used, physical interventions are proportionate to the level of risk present. However, after a hold, the child is not spoken to by an authorised person other than those involved in the hold. When the manager is involved, no one reviews the incident to scrutinise the manager’s own practice. This prevents the child having independent advocacy and may lead to poor practice being overlooked.

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Findings from the inspection

The child’s liberty is deprived as ordered by the court. Staff have developed a stepdown plan aimed at helping the child to safely live without restrictions. Currently, the order permits external doors to be locked. All other areas of the home are accessible to the child. The provider has taken steps to ensure that increased fire hazards are addressed, in line with an up-to-date fire risk assessment being completed.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff benefit from regular supervision sessions. These discussions focus on staff well-being, development and the needs of the child. Furthermore, staff access the Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2598205 3 provider’s essential training. The provider is open to exploring more specific training to further enhance staff skills, specific to the child’s current needs.

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Findings from the inspection

The child is not accessing education currently. The manager advocates and requests for the child to have an identified educational provision. However. this is not yet in place. The child’s education, health and care plan is significantly out of date and there is not effective escalation to update it. In the absence of formal education, staff provide limited opportunities for the child to engage in educational activities, tasks or routine. This hinders the child’s preparation for when they can attend school again.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager’s monitoring systems help to identify areas that need to be actioned. However, this has not led to ensuring that all regulations are met. For example, the review of the premises, including consultation with partner agencies and the home’s statement of purpose, does not include staff qualifications.

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Findings from the inspection

Requirements made at the last inspection under regulations 6, 12, 25 and 33 and two recommendations are met. One requirement under regulation 13 and one recommendation about education remain. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2598205 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/05/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/06/2023 Full Good 28/03/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/01/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2598205 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

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

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 and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements to the quality of care provided in the home, including the home’s development plan and the review of premises. 20 April 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2)) 20 April 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2598205 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff play a role in supporting children in line with their personal education plan or education, health and care plan, and any recommendations from education and health professionals. In particular, the registered person should ensure that personal education plans are advocated for and completed as required. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 26, paragraph 5.3)  The registered person should ensure that children are encouraged to add their views and comments to a record of restraint. Children should be offered the opportunity to access an advocacy support to help them with this. In particular, the registered person should ensure that there is independent oversight of restraint records and independent discussions with children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 50,

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Recommendations

paragraph 9.60) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2598205 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 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: 2598205 8 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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