Children's home run by Calderdale Council in Calderdale

Inspection report for children’s home: 1236540 1 Registered provider: Calderdale Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a local authority. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2025.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 11 November 2024

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1236540 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/11/2024 Full Outstanding 17/10/2023 Full Outstanding 29/11/2022 Full Good 07/12/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 1236540 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is clean, warm and welcoming, with photos of the children displayed around the house. The home is maintained to a high standard. The kitchen is set up well for socialising, where staff and children come together daily to have home-cooked meals. The communal living room and games room are inviting and well furnished, encouraging children to relax, play games and have a pleasant alternative space to their bedrooms.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children enjoy a wide range of activities in the home and local community. Staff encourage children’s personal interests and create positive, age-appropriate experiences, such as sports car track day. There are plans for children to go on holiday over the summer to a location they have chosen. There are lots of photos that showcase all the activities children have participated in throughout the year, capturing memorable moments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are settled and happy at the home. Staff consistently engage with children in a child-centred and proactive way. Planned weekly chats and open discussions throughout the day provide a platform for children’s voices to be heard. Staff make purposeful decisions that are central to children’s quality of care. One parent said that staff at the home ‘really care’ for their child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are flourishing from their starting points. For example, they are no longer attempting to access inappropriate websites on the internet, are engaged in school, achieving well, and regularly receiving rewards for positive behaviour, such as day trips.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Managers and staff know the children exceptionally well and are creative and forward thinking in identifying when children need support and guidance. For one child, the managers and school have collaborated to devise a bespoke post-16 education package. A professional working with a child describes their progress as ‘brilliant’. Children receive continuous educational support. The staff have established great relationships with schools and other professionals, ensuring communication is open and proactive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff work closely with the therapeutic team. This helps staff to have more understanding of children’s experiences and presenting behaviours, contributing to children forming strong attachments and trusted, secure and lasting relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are proactive in supporting children to understand their health needs. Staff are forward thinking and demonstrate creativity in how they engage with children.

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

Children’s risks are well managed. Staff are diligent and responsive when managing children’s safety and keep risk under regular review. Children are safer because of the Inspection report for children’s home: 1236540 4 excellent care and support that the staff and managers provide. Staff and other specialists, such as the Youth Justice Service, talk to the children about their vulnerabilities, which increases children’s resilience and awareness of risk.

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

Staff work in line with an agreed model of care that aims to always create physical and emotional safety in the home. Staff highly respect children’s views and opinions. One parent said that they like how the staff encourage their child to get involved with decision-making and planning.

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

Staff are highly trained in de-escalation and restraint techniques, and their use of restraint is rare. When restraint is considered necessary, it is used proportionately and is well documented. Management oversight also helps to ensure that restraint techniques are only implemented as a last resort.

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

Children do not go missing from the home, but there are clear plans in place should this become a risk. Staff take preventative measures to enable children to regulate their emotions, such as walking with staff at a safe distance, which proves effective in children not leaving the home without notifying staff.

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

Key-work discussions are planned, regular and tailored to children’s needs. Discussions cover a wide range of topic areas, such as daily routines, online safety and stranger danger.

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

Children show high levels of engagement, supported by staff who encourage a strong sense of partnership and shared decision-making. As staff are aware of children’s views, they can proactively support them by offering advice and flexible, tailored assistance when in the community. Staff keep parents well informed about their child’s progress. Parents collectively said that communication with staff is consistent, and that they are confident their children are cared for and kept safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leadership and management of the home is highly effective. The registered manager’s child-centred approach is reflected in a highly committed, resilient, stable and well-skilled staff team. Leaders and managers show innovative thinking around children’s well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers have high aspirations for children. They ensure that staff have the knowledge they need to nurture and care for children to a high standard. Staff are offered a wide range of specialist training opportunities. The depth of knowledge is helping staff to be more purposeful in all aspects of their care for children. Staff say that they feel supported by managers and that they value this highly. One staff member said that the home’s induction process is ‘comprehensive’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers have effective oversight of the home. Managers use monthly audits which contribute to comprehensive reviewing and monitoring systems. This plays an important part in helping to ensure that there is only high-quality care for children, as any shortfalls are addressed quickly. Children’s care is individualised. This personalisation Inspection report for children’s home: 1236540 5 is extensively seen in training, team meetings and staff supervision records. Leaders and managers support staff to maintain child-focused practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The care in the home is well structured with clear expectations of staff. Staff engage in monthly supervision sessions. They reflect on their practice and the quality of care and safety for children. Staff also discuss their well-being and development opportunities. Records show consistent partnership work between management and staff, and staff confirmed this was the case to the inspectors. Inspection report for children’s home: 1236540 6

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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: 1236540 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

Rachael Lewis, Social Care Inspector Rachel Ruth, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1236540 8 regulates 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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