Children's Home run by Kite Children's Services Limited in East Riding of Yorkshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2770973 1 Registered provider: Kite Children’s Services Ltd

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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 owned and managed by a private provider. The home provides care for children with social and emotional difficulties. It provides care for one child.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living in the home. The child was not spoken to during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager started working at the home in November 2024 and has applied to become registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, the proposed responsible individual was waiting for their suitability to be agreed.

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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 good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 3 September 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2770973 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/09/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2770973 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has shown some progress while living in the home and has developed good relationships with some staff. Staff know the child well. The staff set consistent boundaries and encourage routine. This helps the child to develop trust and a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has education arranged, and this offer has increased over time. There is effective liaison with the staff at the home and education providers, and there is evidence of progress for the child both academically and socially. Staff support the child to maintain their education, and their achievements are celebrated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child can share their views, and staff ensure that work is undertaken to capture the child’s wishes and feelings. The child participates in decision-making in the home and has been encouraged to personalise their bedroom. The child knows how to make a complaint and express their views, and these are listened to and taken seriously.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has access to specialist support to help them develop skills and strategies to manage their own emotions. The child is encouraged to make positive choices, and staff work alongside the child to reinforce positive behaviour and celebrate progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively support the child in maintaining close connections with friends and family, ensuring there are no unnecessary barriers to these relationships. Family members receive regular updates regarding the child’s development. Staff collaborate effectively with the child’s family to encourage safe, positive and meaningful time together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is offered opportunities to explore new activities, with staff providing consistent praise and encouragement to promote engagement and growth.

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

Staff are aware of the risks associated with the child. Risk assessments are updated regularly and shared across the team, so staff know what to do in any given situation. The manager reviews all risk assessments and any significant incidents. This ensures that there is clear management oversight. The child is supported to take age-appropriate risks, and this helps them to develop independence skills. When things do not go to plan, the child and staff are encouraged to learn from the experience.

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

There is evidence of timely information-sharing. Any child protection concerns are immediately shared with relevant professionals and the family. There is evidence that Inspection report for children’s home: 2770973 4 time is spent with the child talking about the incident. This helps the child have a better understanding of any risks and encourages them to think about and prioritise their safety.

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

Restraint is only used when necessary to protect the child or member of staff. Staff have been trained to ensure they use de-escalation techniques before any hold. If an incident does take place, there is good management oversight and the child has the opportunity to talk about what has happened with the manager or a member of staff. Staff will work alongside the child to help them understand what will trigger certain behaviours and will use alternative strategies to help the child feel calm and safe.

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

New staff have joined the home, and relief staff are used to cover some shifts. The manager has not always been able to ensure that there is a member of staff who has completed their first-aid training on every shift.

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

If the child has gone missing, staff will actively search for them and alert other professionals and family members. Following the missing-from-home incident, the child has the opportunity to share how they are feeling and discuss ways of reducing missing episodes. On some occasions, missing episodes have not been referred to the police and an independent return home interview has not been offered.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has built a new staff team and ensures that staff receive induction, training and regular supervision. Further training has been identified, and this is designed to help staff better understand the child living in the home. By ensuring that staff complete the training, this helps support consistency and focuses on the child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager monitors the quality of care. They produce a monthly audit on the home, and there is clear management oversight on plans and incidents. Staff are encouraged to reflect, both within supervision and team meetings. Staff are offered time and space to discuss any significant incidents within the home. This makes staff feel listened to and appreciated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is now resourced with staff to meet the needs of the child. Safer recruitment is in place, and this ensures that only adults with appropriate skills and experience can support the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Any significant incident relating to the welfare and protection of the child is recorded, and there is management oversight. However, not all incidents that the manager has noted as serious have been sent to the regulator for review.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A number of relief staff are used within the home. There is no training plan that ensures they have to complete the required training for staff working within a children’s home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2770973 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) 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(s) 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

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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that missing-from-care procedures are followed and staff are clear about when the child should be reported as missing to partner agencies. 5 September

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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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 31 October Inspection report for children’s home: 2770973 6 ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, all staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, must have the qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant timescale.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that at least one person on duty at any given time has a suitable first-aid qualification. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.13)  The registered person should notify Ofsted and other relevant persons if one of the situations specified in regulation 40(4)(a)(d) occurs, or if there is an incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living in the home which the registered person considers to be serious (40(4)(e)). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10)

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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: 2770973 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Kite Children’s Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Majors Chartered Certified Accountants, The Bloc, 38 Springfield Way, Anlaby, Hull HU10 6RJ

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Inspector

Lisa Richards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2770973 8 and inspects 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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