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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC477428 1 SC477428 Registered provider: North East Lincolnshire council

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a local authority. It provides care for up to two children with learning disabilities and physical disabilities or emotional and social difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home. The inspectors spoke with both children.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2025.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC477428 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/10/2024 Full Good 19/03/2024 Full Good 12/12/2022 Full Good 05/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC477428 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are settled in the home and are making good progress. Children enjoy positive relationships with staff, who know them well. These trusted relationships support children to develop a sense of belonging. One professional said that this is the most settled that they had seen the child, who has recently moved into the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are confident to share personal information about themselves and any worries that they may have with the staff. Staff have supported one child to explore and change aspects of their identity. Another child has shared personal details of their life experiences.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use a range of communication methods to listen to children and to seek their views. Staff understand children’s specific communication needs and ensure that the children are supported to make decisions about their care.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to engage with their learning. One child is being encouraged to prepare for exams and explore college opportunities to achieve their future goals and aspirations. While one child has significant gaps in their learning, staff creatively provide the child with practical and relaxed learning opportunities. These activities and experiences help children develop skills and confidence to support a positive attitude towards learning.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move in and out of the home, the plans are managed with care. When children move into the home, their needs are assessed as well as the needs of children already living in the home. This approach helps children experience positive moves and reduces the risk of children needing to leave in an unplanned way.

p.3

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

Staff understand how children may present when they are distressed and how they should respond to this. Staff know how to de-escalate situations effectively, which is why there has only been the need for one physical intervention since the last inspection. Children’s plans are kept up to date and include actions for staff to take.

p.3

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

Staff manage all incidents in the home well. Children who go missing from home are well supported by staff who know and understand their individual plans. When incidents take place, children are encouraged to participate in restorative resolutions. Their views are heard and recorded and there is clear planning for next steps.

p.3

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

The registered manager has good links with partner agencies who know the children well and decisions are made collectively. Effective information-sharing takes place and professionals are notified of incidents in a timely manner. Inspection report for children’s home: SC477428 4 Children’s access in the home is restricted in some areas by the locking of doors. Children do not have safe and immediate access to an exit route. This does not support children’s safety and welfare.

p.3

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

Medication is given in accordance with individual children’s protocol and is stored safely. In accordance with one child’s risk assessment, there is a clear plan in place to ensure that medication cannot be accessed by children. This includes visitors to the home being asked to lock away any medication on their person. One child has an allergy which could lead to serious health issues if not managed effectively. This allergy is not always clearly highlighted on records and visible to staff.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered person has a child-centred approach and knows the children well. Managers speak about the children with warmth and understanding and are invested in the children’s progress and well-being. The management team advocates for children and challenges partner agencies where required.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a positive culture embedded in the ethos of the home. Staff and professionals speak positively about the management team and staff say that they feel supported. There is a strong sense of working together that is modelled and led by the management team.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safer recruitment processes are in place and new starters receive a clear induction plan. The training offer to staff is good and staff have access to training relevant to their role. However, not all staff have the appropriate qualification to care for children and, for some staff, this is out of the required timescales.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff supervision sessions are inconsistent and do not support reflective conversations for staff about children. There are missed opportunities to reflect with staff around their well-being following difficult situations encountered at work. The supervision sessions afforded to the management team are reflective and supportive.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team has effective monitoring systems in place to track incidents and overall progress for children. Comprehensive audits are completed monthly to improve the service and care provided to children. These audits identify a clear plan of actions to implement further development. There is a focus on the views of the children and how these views are being heard and responded to. However, these systems have not highlighted discrepancies whereby further management oversight is required, particularly in relation to documents about children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The statement of purpose is inaccurate and incomplete. The registered manager has not ensured that a current and accurate statement of purpose is available. As a result, key information about the care and services provided to children is not known. This limits transparency and does not support effective oversight or accountability. Inspection report for children’s home: SC477428 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

p.5

Requirement Due date

provide adequate means of escape from the home in the event of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(b)) 3 December 2025

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications, and skills to meet the needs of each child; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1) (2)(c)(h))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that relief staff have the appropriate qualifications or are working towards these.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must also ensure that there are effective management monitoring systems in place to identify any shortfalls in practice.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must also ensure that the statement of purpose is accurate and kept up to date. 3 March 2026

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that medicines are administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Any medication allergies a child has should be well Inspection report for children’s home: SC477428 6 known and visible to prevent any medication errors. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person should ensure that all staff receive supervision sessions that allow them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children they care for. Additionally, staff supervision should allow reflection on their well-being relating to their role. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 61, paragraph 13.2)

p.5

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: SC477428 7

p.6

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspectors

Kate Jackson, Social Care Inspector (lead) Mel Turner, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC477428 8 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.

p.7

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8