Children's Home run by North East Lincolnshire Council in North East Lincolnshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2594189 1 Registered provider: North East Lincolnshire Council 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 local authority. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties and/or have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced manager, who registered with Ofsted in November 2023. The deputy manager led the inspection due to the short- term absence of the registered manager.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2594189 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/06/2024 Full Good 26/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2594189 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child who no longer lives at the home was spoken to during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children well and are committed to providing a positive, nurturing environment for them to live in. Children speak fondly about living in the home, and one child said they would not be where they are today without the staff’s support and care. Children enjoy living in the home, which enables them to build trusting and secure relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to express their views and are consulted regularly. They are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms and take pride in the home. The children are encouraged to use all areas of the home and can choose to spend time in their rooms or access all communal areas. The home is warm and welcoming, with personal touches that reflect the individuality of the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A wide range of activities are offered, enabling children to build positive memories and develop new skills. Staff create memory books that capture these experiences, supporting children in reflecting on their time in the home. These opportunities contribute to the development of social skills and strengthen relationships between children and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Learning is prioritised, and children are encouraged to engage in education. Staff are ambitious and advocate for children to receive an education package that meets their individual needs. Staff work in collaboration with education colleagues to support children’s learning. Achievements are celebrated, which helps children recognise the importance of learning. One professional commented on how well staff communicate and support children to attend and settle into the education provision.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Independence planning is strong in the home, and staff work alongside children to help them plan for independent living. For example, they help children learn about food preparation and budgeting. When children leave the home, they continue to receive support from staff. This helps them manage the transition better and ensures that they receive advice, guidance and support. It also reduces the likelihood of isolation. Children are encouraged to maintain contact when they leave. One child talked positively about the continued support they receive from staff and how it has benefited them and made them feel cared for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children in staying physically and emotionally healthy. Staff ensure that routine and specialist health appointments are prioritised. Where children have additional health needs, staff work closely with specialist providers to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to meet them. One professional praised the responsiveness and supportiveness of staff in promoting a child’s health. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594189 4 Children are encouraged to spend time with family members and those who are important to them. Family relationships are valued and promoted. Staff maintain effective communication with those important to children, sharing information in a timely and sensitive manner. This helps to maintain consistency and strengthen familial bonds. A family member spoke positively about their relationship with staff and the responsiveness shown.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Information is provided to children that helps them understand what it is like living in the home and how to raise complaints. The children’s guide is shared with children when they arrive at the home, and information is also displayed in communal areas of the home. The complaints process is clear, but the registered manager should share information with children about how to contact the Children’s Commissioner.

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

Children feel safe living in the home and are confident in identifying trusted adults they can speak to if they have any concerns or worries. Staff spend meaningful time with children, offering opportunities to discuss any issues or risks they may face. These conversations help children reflect on their experiences and develop strategies to reduce potential vulnerabilities.

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

Staff understand the children’s risks and vulnerabilities and keep them under review. Risk assessments are in place and are reviewed regularly. They identify what staff should do in given situations to help protect children. All staff have received safeguarding training, and this is reviewed and monitored by the registered manager. Although no children have gone missing since the last inspection, staff are knowledgeable about the procedures to follow should such an incident occur.

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

Staff spend time talking with children about potential dangers in the home, in the community and online. Children are supported in taking age-appropriate risks as they grow older and move towards independent living.

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

Staff know the children well, and they help them understand what might trigger certain behaviours. If children are upset, staff encourage them to talk about how they are feeling and develop their own strategies to manage their behaviours differently.

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

Positive behaviour is actively promoted and celebrated. Staff are trained in behaviour support and benefit from regular consultations with a clinical psychologist who provides guidance on de-escalation techniques. Incidents are recorded and reviewed by the registered manager, and children are provided the opportunity to reflect on what happened. This approach helps children feel safe, supported and understood.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced and suitably qualified registered manager who provides effective leadership and oversight. The manager works alongside a dedicated Inspection report for children’s home: 2594189 5 team of staff who share high aspirations for the children in their care. Together, they create a culture of ambition, warmth and stability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team regularly monitors children’s progress and outcomes, enabling them to identify shortfalls and implement improvements. Feedback is actively sought from children, families, carers and professionals to inform service development. The registered manager has shown a commitment to continuous improvement by positively responding to the regulator’s requirements and recommendations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The culture of the home is characterised by high expectations and aspirations for the children. The physical environment of the home helps children feel safe, secure and cared for. Staff have a high regard for the registered manager and feel supported in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective partnership working is a strength of the home. The registered manager has developed strong relationships with external professionals, resulting in clear communication and coordinated care planning. Professionals report timely and effective joint working, which benefits children and ensures consistency in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are offered a range of training opportunities that are tailored to working with the children who are in the home. Staff training and development are prioritised to ensure high-quality care. Some staff have not yet completed their level 3 qualification within the expected time frame; they are enrolled and actively working towards completion. There are also several non-permanent staff who have worked at the home since the last inspection and have not achieved their relevant qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External monitoring has taken place since the last inspection by an independent visitor. Some of the reports lack quality and content and do not reflect any feedback from family members or professionals. The reports have not routinely been sent to the regulator within necessary time frames. This limits the effectiveness of external scrutiny and oversight. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594189 6

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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 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, have achieved the level 3 diploma for residential childcare, as specified in regulation 32 (4), within the relevant time frame. 30 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

when the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

the independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

HMCI. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a) (7)(a)) 30 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2594189 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children understand their rights in the home. Children should be informed how to contact the Office of the Children’s Commissioner for advice and assistance about their rights and entitlements. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.19)

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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: 2594189 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North East Lincolnshire Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Municipal Offices, Town Hall Square, Grimsby, South Humberside DN31 1HU

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Inspector

Lisa Richards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2594189 9 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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