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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034313 1 SC034313 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

The home is run by a local authority and can provide care for up to six children who may experience emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Four children were living at the home at the time of the inspection. The inspector spoke to three of the children.

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This monitoring visit

An assurance inspection was carried out on the 21 January 2025 due to an increase in safeguarding notifications. Ofsted identified several regulatory breaches, which impacted the children’s safety and welfare.

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This monitoring visit

In response, Ofsted issued compliances notice under regulation 12, the protection of children standard and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit was carried out to look at the action taken to meet the steps in the compliance notices. A case review was held on 14 March 2025, where it was confirmed that the compliances notices had been met.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has returned from a period of absence. Staff say that they feel well supported and have seen positive improvements. Staff describe an improvement in staff morale and confidence in the leadership of the home. The staff are committed to an improvement journey alongside their manager.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has improved monitoring systems to raise standards in the quality of care provided for children. For example, staff complete safeguarding logs throughout the day. This enables the manager to have swift oversight of any incidents. The Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034313 2 manager has amended supervision records to include reflective discussions and direct work with children. This helps staff to develop their skills and knowledge.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have refreshed their training around safety planning, missing-from-home procedures and recording serious incidents. The registered manager has used mock incidents to help staff learn how to respond to incidents to keep children safe. The practice-related discussions help staff to confidently respond when actual incidents occur.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has reviewed children’s records to ensure that they are accurate. Updated plans help staff to identify the needs of the children and how to support them. This strengthens staff knowledge and skills and creates valuable connections for the children. Staff learn from specialists and stay up to date with best practices. For the children, becoming familiar with these agencies can help develop their trust in professional support.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has completed a review of the fire risk assessment and staff have completed training in fire safety. This helps to ensure that the home is a safe environment.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has refreshed her knowledge around allegation management and concerns around staff practice. She has attended external training, which has increased her confidence. The manager has effectively addressed shortfalls in staff practice. However, the manager has not helped staff to refresh their knowledge around allegations and whistle-blowing procedures. Without regular updates and training, the manager cannot be assured that staff have the knowledge and confidence to report concerns.

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This monitoring visit

Children say that they feel safe at the home. Children can identify trusted adults who they can speak to for support. Children understand why staff are trying to keep them safe. Staff understand risks that children face both inside and outside the home. They use their positive relationships to speak to children about sensitive topics. However, the manager does not monitor whether staff are speaking to children about specific risks that children experience. These conversations are vital in helping children to understand how to stay safe, recognise potential dangers and know what to do.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements under regulation 12, the protection of children and regulation 13, leadership and management have been restated. The other requirement and three recommendations were not considered as part of this visit. Therefore, they have been restated. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034313 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/04/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/06/2023 Full Good 22/03/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/09/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034313 4

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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 with the given timescales.

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff have educative discussions with children to help to reduce the risk of harm. 9 May 2025

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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— 9 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034313 5 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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff have sufficient knowledge of allegation and whistle-blowing procedures.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must have sufficient oversight of staff supervision and training to recognise when this is no longer in date and ensure that it is completed in line with the home's policies. 9 May 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all areas of the home, including the child’s bedroom, are safe and regularly maintained to provide a homely and nurturing environment. In particular, the registered person should replace broken furniture in a timely manner and help children to store personal items safely. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that staff record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that children feel safe and are safe in the home. In particular, the registered person should ensure that there is record of visitors in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including

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Recommendations

the quality standards,’ page 43, paragraph 9.9)

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034313 6 The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under The Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034313 7

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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

Cat Makel, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034313 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 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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