Children's Home run by Flourish Children’s Services Limited in Kirklees

Inspection report for children’s home: 2745862 1 Registered provider: Flourish Childrens Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It offers care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home. Since the last full inspection, one other child has lived at the home; however, they moved out in February 2025.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded, and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor, and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2745862 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/05/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2745862 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

There are serious concerns about how children are supported and protected. The leadership and management of the home are ineffective, which has affected children’s overall experiences and progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child has high levels of staff support and supervision. Despite this staff routinely pat down the child to determine whether they have anything in their possession that could be used to harm themselves. There are no clear plans around this so that such intrusive action can be carefully reviewed and monitored to ensure that this is proportionate and necessary.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff sometimes lock internal doors, and this is not kept under review. This restricts the child’s access to certain areas of their home without a clear reason for doing so. In addition, this does not contribute to a nurturing and homely environment for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child’s bedroom is not personalised to their taste. Staff fail to address any damage promptly, resulting in the child having a dirty and unkempt bedroom. This does not show good care and does not help the child to feel valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

When children move into the home, they have clear introduction plans. This enables them to have a well-supported and positive experience of moving in. The child has developed some positive relationships with staff, and they say they are happy living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Currently, the child does not attend any local educational provision. Staff offer informal educational opportunities and encourage the child to participate at their pace. The manager is exploring in a timely way the possibility of home tuition for the child together with relevant partner agencies.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child’s health needs are being met. The child is active and enjoys participating in activities of their choice. They are in good physical health, and staff encourage them to attend all health appointments.

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

Staff do not always safeguard the child well. This results in the child causing harm to themselves. Staff have allowed a child to access vapes without knowing what these contain. Furthermore, managers and staff have failed to take effective steps to prevent a child from accessing harmful material online.

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

Staff do not always follow the child’s care plan and guidance set out to manage and reduce risk. As a result, staff do not always provide the necessary level of supervision to ensure the child’s safety. For example, on two occasions, a child has set fire to items in Inspection report for children’s home: 2745862 4 the home. Despite the necessary number of staff being present, it is unclear how one of these incidents occurred.

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

Staff do not demonstrate that they have good de-escalation skills when the child is struggling with their behaviour or emotions. Staff will therefore physically hold or guide the child without first using other strategies to help keep them calm.

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

There is a mixed response when children make allegations of harm and disclosures of abuse. Some allegations are investigated thoroughly, and the child is informed of the outcome. However, one allegation has not been investigated at all. In addition, on the occasions when disclosures are investigated appropriately, there is no urgency by managers and staff to ensure that children always receive a prompt and timely response. This does not help children feel heard and reassured.

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

When children leave the home without permission, staff follow them to ensure their safe return. Children are offered the opportunity to discuss their experience with someone independent of the home.

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

Staff use natural consequences to help the child understand when their behaviour is not acceptable. These are clearly documented, and the manager tracks them to ensure that they are proportionate and having a positive impact on the child’s behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Shortfalls in leadership and management do not ensure that staff protect children from harm. This is due to the lack of preventive measures that are required to keep children safer. This has resulted in children suffering harm inside and outside of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has not challenged staff when they have knowingly put a child’s health at risk. For example, staff have taken the child to locations where they can obtain used vapes and allowed them to use these in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Serious incidents have happened in the home. The manager has not always demonstrated professional curiosity or questioned how these incidents occurred, despite the need for a high level of supervision for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The child’s file is missing important documentation that would assist with care planning and support for the child. The manager’s oversight of records is mixed, and she does not always assure herself that staff have followed up on the actions that she has set for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is insufficient staff to meet the needs of the child. This means that some staff are working excessive hours, and this cannot be safely maintained.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff receive regular and reflective supervision. Team meetings are held on a regular basis and provide staff with the opportunity to discuss the child. Staff said that they feel supported by the manager. However, the impact of this positive practice is yet to help Inspection report for children’s home: 2745862 5 the child receive good safe care. In addition, despite staff receiving regular training that covers areas specific to the child’s needs, this is not equipping them with the skills to meet these needs effectively. Inspection report for children’s home: 2745862 6

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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 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

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

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)) 15 June 2025

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Requirement Due date

* The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; 15 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2745862 7 ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iii)(vi)(vii)(ix)(c)(i)(ii)) 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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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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 22 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2745862 8 and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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)(c)(d)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2745862 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Flourish Childrens Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Phoenix House, 96 Blacker Road, Birkby, Huddersfield HD1 5HN

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Inspector

Angela Ross, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2745862 10 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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