Children's home run by Kirklees Council in Kirklees

Inspection report for children’s home: SC356963 1 SC356963 Registered provider: Kirklees 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

A local authority operates this home. It provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children and one young person, who had recently turned 18, were living in the home. All four were spoken with.

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Information about this children’s home

The statement of purpose states that the staff are trained to apply a specific model of care.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2018 and is suitably qualified for the role.

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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: 23 October 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: SC356963 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/10/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/05/2023 Full Inadequate 14/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC356963 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children have lived in the home for a significant period. Notably, all children, who are varied in age, have invested in their home. This can be seen from how staff have supported children to personalise their bedrooms. Additionally, communal areas are comfortable and feel homely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s parents say that they feel positive and are reassured by the care that their children receive. Importantly, parents are encouraged to visit their children at the home and stay for tea. Furthermore, some parents appreciated the efforts that staff make to support quality visits with their children and wider family members.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although children are experiencing mixed educational outcomes, the manager has established strong links with the virtual school. As a result, the virtual school are consistently engaged with children who are experiencing significant barriers associated with accessing appropriate and suitable education provision.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have improved the way that they capture each child’s day in the children’s written records. In the main, staff write with love and care. In doing so, the children are likely to connect and relate to their written records. This will be significant if children choose to read back on their written records, particularly in adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A lack of creativity associated with planning some of the children’s care undermines some of the positive experiences that children have. An example being that children are overburdened with corporate budgeting around planning activities. A further example is around uninspiring daily routines for some children. Encouragingly, leaders and managers reflected and understood that certain practices were in need of review.

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

There is good collaborative work with safeguarding agencies. Direct work with community police officers ensures that there is a joined-up approach to addressing any worries in the community associated with the children. This is strengthened through daily multi-agency risk-management meetings.

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

A psychologist frequently meets with the team to support staff practice and care of the children. Staff say that they value this input as it deepens their awareness around how the children’s experiences influence the child’s behaviour. The psychologist provides suggestions of approaches staff could adopt when supporting children through difficult times.

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

The manager makes good efforts to develop an understanding of any forming patterns associated with the children’s behaviour in the community. Furthermore, staff are persistent and active in their efforts to locate children when their whereabouts are not Inspection report for children’s home: SC356963 4 known. Again, there is good multi-agency collaboration associated with this aspect of the children’s care.

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

Staff are confident and consistent in managing risks associated with the children’s lives. This is helped through good communication in the team and children’s risk assessments being clear. However, in one instance, strategies to deter a child from smoking in the home have incurred unintended consequences on that child’s sleep.

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

Children feel safe to raise any concerns around how their care is managed. Additionally, the manager transparently deals with children’s complaints. However, the complaints process is not clear for children to easily understand. Consequently, one young person felt that their complaints were not being actively pursued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is good information sharing between the manager and children’s social workers. This is helped through effective use of the home’s electronic recording system. As a result, social workers can quickly and effectively evaluate what the children’s care looks like.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has implemented systems that better enable him to positively influence the children’s care. This has resulted in improved outcomes for children. Examples include acquiring a clearer picture of children’s networks and behaviours in the community, as well as vast improvements being made around how staff record aspects of each child’s day. Furthermore, the manager is seeking improved methods for staff to consistently undertake life story work with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have ensured that their policies enable children to reach adulthood with the best chance of succeeding. For one young person, this has enabled them to pass their driving test. Furthermore, staff are expected to ensure that children on the cusp of adulthood have bank accounts, passports and good links are made with the child’s personal assistant.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are frequent and well-attended by staff. Importantly, staff are willing and able to contribute their views on the children’s care and how the home is run. Moreover, the team meeting agenda is structured so staff are better focused and prepared.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although leaders have identified training that will promote a trauma-informed approach to care, this is in its infancy. Some staff practices do not reflect the model of care that is highlighted in the home’s statement of purpose. Therefore, this aspect of the statement of purpose is misleading.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff do not receive frequent supervision sessions or have meaningful annual appraisals of their performance. Consequently, the manager is missing a significant opportunity to reinforce reflection, learning, development and accountability. Inspection report for children’s home: SC356963 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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1) (a)) 1 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)) 1 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4) (b)(c)) 1 December 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children are aware of the complaints procedure and the process it takes. Additionally, children being regularly updated about the actions being taken to address their complaint. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.13)

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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: SC356963 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic 3, Market Street, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD1 2EY

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Inspectors

Steve Guirey, Social Care Inspector (lead) Mel Turner, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC356963 7 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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