Children's home run by Hennessy Living Group Limited in Kirklees

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC482418 1 SC482418

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Registered provider: Hennessy Living Group Limited

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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 managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to four children who may have physical and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

There were four children living in the home at the time of this inspection. All the children were present during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

This inspection was undertaken to address specific concerns received by Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspectors were aware during this inspection that a serious incident that occurred at the setting since the last inspection is under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the incident were considered (where appropriate) alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC482418 2

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector(s) evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have 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: SC482418 3

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Findings from the inspection

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

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Findings from the inspection

Staff failed to follow safeguarding procedures. This includes several staff failing to report an incident of a child sustaining an injury following a physical intervention. This delayed necessary medical attention being sought. Furthermore, the manager allowed one of the staff members involved in the incident to continue to care for children at the home, while action was taken to understand what had happened. This does not provide reassurances that staff are safe to care for children, and leaves concerns about children’s safety left unaddressed.

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Findings from the inspection

The staff and manager do not always report to the placing authority and parents in a timely way when a child has been physically restrained. This delay does not provide prompt external scrutiny of such incidents.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders do not always investigate allegations made about staff. Additionally, the manager failed to notify Ofsted about an allegation, which limits the regulator’s ability to properly assess and scrutinise the safeguarding arrangements in place for children.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff sufficiency has been a challenge in recent months. The manager has made sure there are enough staff members on duty to care for the children in accordance with their needs, but to do this, the manager has had to step in to care for the children. Leaders have plans to address staffing capacity in the long term.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has not demonstrated that she has the necessary oversight of the children’s care and safety. There is poor recording by staff and the manager. This means it is sometimes hard to understand the record of events when there has been an incident.

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Findings from the inspection

Most of the children have lived at the home for a long time. Since the last inspection, one child has moved into the home. The impact on the children already living in the home was considered and the move was well planned and sensitively managed.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have some positive relationships with staff. Staff take photos of children’s time at home and collect mementos from their trips, activities, and experiences. When collating this information, staff consider children’s needs and communication preferences. This supports children with their life story work.

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Findings from the inspection

The home environment has been decorated to a good standard and is warm and welcoming. It meets the needs of the children and feels and looks like a family home. The children’s individual tastes and interests are reflected in their bedrooms, which they have helped to design. This gives the children a sense of belonging and acceptance. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC482418 4 Leaders and managers have not addressed the requirement and recommendation issued in the last inspection. As a result, these will be restated, along with two additional requirements to address the shortfalls identified in this inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

During the inspection, leaders shared an action plan outlining the steps they will take to address the shortfalls found.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/03/2025 Full Good 08/11/2023 Full Outstanding 22/08/2022 Full Good 06/12/2021 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC482418 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 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

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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is repeated. 27 June 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—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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; and 27 June 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC482418 6 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(f)(h)) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 27 June 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion, and third-party information. 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)

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Recommendations

This recommendation was raised at the last inspection and is repeated. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC482418 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hennessy Living Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hennessy Living Group, 1b Rickleton, Bowes Offices, Lambton Park, Chester Le Street DH3 4AN

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Inspector

Cherie Chen, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC482418 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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