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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2599994 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

The home is run by a local authority. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties or a learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

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 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: 2599994 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

The child living in the home has strong and trusting relationships with staff. The team is established and committed to giving the child consistent care. Furthermore, staff speak of the child with warmth and positive regard. This has helped the child to share their worries and concerns with adults, who offer empathy and guidance.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff advocate for the child’s wishes and needs. The manager escalates any concerns that he feels are not addressed sufficiently. This has resulted in the child accessing a more suitable education provision. In addition, activity and education plans help the child to have focus in their day-to-day arrangements.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have regular conversations with the child about significant matters in their life. Staff are often sensitive in their approach and tenacious in revisiting important topics to promote the child’s safety and understanding of risk. However, some records contain language that is stigmatising or blaming in nature, which is not an accurate reflection of the care offered.

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Findings from the inspection

The child’s risk assessment and care plan are robust and provide information about their risks and complex vulnerabilities. Risk planning is discussed in regular team meetings and staff are instructed to read risk assessments. However, there is a lack of evidence of staff having read and understood plans. This prevents the manager from being assured that staff have the right information to maintain consistent safeguarding strategies. On a couple of occasions, casual staff did not follow parts of the safety plan, which led to an avoidable incident.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager works effectively with external professionals and ensures that all members of the care team are regularly updated. He maintains close links with the child’s social worker to effectively review and assess risk. Risk management meetings take place regularly. Although this has not led to a reduction in the child’s risks, it ensures that multi-agency intervention considers the child’s changing needs.

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Findings from the inspection

When serious incidents occur, the manager notifies all relevant professionals, including Ofsted. However, notifications made to the regulator sometimes lack detail about how incidents are responded to, including strategies to prevent similar incidents occurring in the future. This prevents the regulator from having a full overview of the actions taken to safeguard the child.

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Findings from the inspection

The home is tidy and clean. However, parts of the home are in need of maintenance and redecoration. In addition, the loft hatch outside of the child’s bedroom is locked with large hasps and padlocks. This gives an industrial impression and detracts from the homely environment. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2599994 3 Most requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection have been met. However, the manager has not reviewed the policies for the protection of children to ensure that they include information about whistle-blowing.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/04/2025 Full Good 12/08/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/04/2024 Full Inadequate 08/08/2023 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2599994 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 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

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must assure himself that staff have read and understood risk management plans. 28 August 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that as part of the policies for protection of children, they include information about whistle-blowing, with clear procedures for how a staff member should report to an appropriate authority any concern they have about a child within the home being either at risk of, or already experiencing, significant harm. The policy should reflect the principles set out in the Francis review ‘Freedom to speak up’. In particular, ensure that information is shared with partner agencies, such as the police. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.15) This recommendation has been restated.  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

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Recommendations

Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2599994 5  The registered person should notify Ofsted if there is an incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living in the home that the registered person considers to be serious. The notification should clearly describe the actions being taken to safeguard the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10)  The registered person should ensure that the home provides the child with a homely, domestic environment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2599994 6

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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

Mark Cryer, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2599994 7 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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