Children's Home run by Calderdale Council in Calderdale

Inspection report for children’s home: 2704517 1 Registered provider: Calderdale Council

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Full inspection 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. It provides care for up to three children who may experience emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living in the home. One child was spoken with, and the other two were unavailable.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2704517 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/01/2025 Full Good 08/10/2024 Full Inadequate 19/09/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2704517 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know children well, including their vulnerabilities and needs. They work effectively as a team to update colleagues on changes and developments. This means that the care is individualised to each child. At this home, ‘one size does not fit all’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children build strong and trusted relationships with staff. Staff speak with genuine warmth and affection about the children. They naturally use words such as ‘amazing’ and ‘special’ to describe the children. Children feel valued and cared about, as well as cared for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make differing degrees of progress in education and health. Some children thrive, while others may withdraw and become less engaged. Whatever the position, staff provide consistent support. Delays in children being assessed by psychologists and other health professionals, or a lack of suitable education, are challenged by staff. During the long waits for assessments, staff use their skills and experience to provide appropriate care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work effectively with education, health and social care professionals to provide consistency for children and help them to achieve positive outcomes. For one child, this has led to huge improvements in their reading ability and confidence, and another child has been supported to sit their final exams.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are central to their care. Staff help children to spend time with their family, even when this is difficult to achieve. This shows that staff understand what is highly important to the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to gain the skills needed to live independently. When staff identify that children still have vulnerabilities approaching adulthood, they make arrangements to continue their support after children move out of the home. This mirrors how a family would support a young adult.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have memory books that provide reminders of their time in the home. The quality of these could be improved so that all children leave the home with a full and informative record.

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

There are fewer incidents in the home since the last inspection. There have been no physical holds of children, which is testament to the staff’s skills in de-escalating tense situations. Staff keep accurate risk assessments up to date and ensure that the seriousness of risks are properly understood. Plans to mitigate the children’s risks and manage their behaviours are clear, and staff confidently demonstrate a consistent understanding, ensuring safe and supportive care for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2704517 4 Staff follow plans and search for children if they go missing from the home. They repeat searches throughout the night and involve the police as appropriate. This promotes children’s safety as the action taken by staff helps the children to return quickly. Since the last inspection, there has been a reduction in how often children go missing.

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

Those children subject to youth justice supervision have successfully completed their obligations since the last inspection. Recent assessments of children show that their risk of being exploited by others has reduced. This is good progress.

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

Children voluntarily share their concerns with staff because they feel comfortable and safe to do this. The response from the adults around them is helpful and appropriate.

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

Managers quickly identify persons of concern coming into the children’s lives. The thorough steps that the managers take to understand the risks that these individuals pose, demonstrate professional curiosity while ensuring appropriate safeguarding. The information they gather is shared throughout the team. This means that everyone is alert to risks and can monitor and respond to them.

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

Children’s safety online is promoted through the home’s network security and by staff carrying out mobile phone checks. Importantly, the direct discussions that staff have with children help to raise their awareness. These sessions are regular and help to make the children increasingly safe.

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

If allegations are made, they are investigated thoroughly. The local authority designated officer is involved in a timely manner, and any impact on children is given due consideration. This helps to ensure that any concerns are addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers are deeply committed to helping children to be aspirational. They talk about the children as a parent would. This culture permeates through the staff team, who speak similarly and deliver high-quality care to help children thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers show an excellent understanding of children’s vulnerabilities. They advocate strongly to plan extended care and support for children, even after they move on from the home. They describe factors that can hamper progress and are creative in seeking solutions. There are abundant examples of this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff say that they feel well supported through reflective supervision, team meetings and clinical input from therapeutic services. The mechanisms in place for information-sharing are simple and effective. There is a consistent understanding and approach across the staff team. Managers’ oversight is apparent on all documentation. Leaders and managers have a firm grip on the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professional relationships are excellent. Professionals said, ‘Since moving into this home, [Child’s name] is so interested in the world around them, it is like they have been woken Inspection report for children’s home: 2704517 5 up and have gained new experiences. They now see what life should be like and they have completely blossomed.’ Others said, ‘The care has been life changing. I cannot ask for more’ and ‘The managers are brilliant and fully involved. We work so well together with open communication.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Support provided by leaders and managers around cultural needs is excellent. Children are helped to follow their faith, ensure that their diet meets the requirements of their faith and develop positive associations within the community. This is reflected throughout the children’s plans and helps children to consolidate their cultural identity.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Some practice is especially noteworthy. This includes the steps taken to help children to see their families, the professional curiosity around children’s friendships, and the leadership shown in ensuring that children’s specialist assessments are completed. This tenacity and effective practice promote positive outcomes for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2704517 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand their important role in encouraging the children to reflect on and understand their history, according to their age and understanding. Staff should keep, and encourage children to keep, appropriate memorabilia of their time spent living at the home and help them record significant life events. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5)

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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: 2704517 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Princess Buildings, Princess Street, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX1 1TS

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Inspectors

Rachel Ruth, Social Care Inspector Rachael Lewis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2704517 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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