Children's home run by Cascade (Banks House) Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2532131 1 Registered provider: Cascade (Banks House) Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private organisation. It provides care for up to six children with learning disabilities and/or autism. At the time of the inspection, five children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a connected school, which has a provision on site that can offer education to children who live at this home. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2021.

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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 good

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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: 4 February 2025

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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: 2532131 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/02/2025 Full Outstanding 03/10/2023 Full Outstanding 01/11/2022 Full Good 10/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2532131 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children have exceptionally close relationships with staff. The sensitive and nurturing care offered by staff supports the children to have enjoyable experiences living in this home. Staff are committed to the children and enjoy spending time with them. The children presented as relaxed in their home and were enjoying exploring all the varied play areas in the home and garden.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff know the children extremely well and understand their individual ways of communicating. Staff encourage the children to share their views by using ‘talking boards’ and social stories that help children understand their daily care. This individualised care helps the children to make and sustain exceptional progress in all areas of their physical and social development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff and managers support children to have their health needs met. They research food suppliers to source the most nutritious food. Staff support and encourage children to prepare their own food and sensitively ensure that children with complex health needs have access to suitable and quality nutritional feeds. The sensitive support from staff helps the children make significant progress around enjoying mealtimes and eating a varied diet.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Some children are making exceptional progress with their education. Staff understand the importance of education for children. They work closely with education professionals to overcome any barriers that children may face. The on-site education provision allows children to access individualised education, until they are ready to transition to the main school. A social worker said, ‘Since [Name of child] started living in the home, they have started to attend education and are trying different foods.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff and managers are aspirational for children and ensure that children receive different opportunities to develop their independence, and social and personal self-care skills. They assist children to independently carry out elements of their basic care, including the preparation of food and the completion of laundry with staff support. A social worker said that the home offers a caring environment, where the children can thrive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff support children to access a variety of activities in the community and at home. The children enjoy going to the zoo, to parks, soft play and playing in a football team. Staff enjoy spending time with the children doing art and craft activities, spending time in the sensory room and using climbing equipment in the garden. These opportunities help children to have fun and develop their social skills. One social worker said, ‘[Name of child] is taking part in activities that they previously found challenging.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Two young adults experienced a very positive and highly individualised move on from the home. The managers and staff worked together with adult services and researched how Inspection report for children’s home: 2532131 4 best to combine elements of best practice from both services. These highly individualised move-on plans helped reduce any potential anxieties for the young adults. Moves into the home are well planned, at a pace that is suitable for children. Staff travel to meet children and spend time getting to know them before their move. One social worker explained how the support offered by staff helped reduce the child’s anxieties.

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

The children were observed to have close and trusted relationships with staff. Routines are well established and the quality of interaction between staff and children is very good. The children appeared relaxed and responded positively to the sensitive and nurturing care offered by staff.

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

Staff have an exceptional understanding of the risks to individual children. Risk assessments are detailed, providing staff with information about potential risks for children and any possible triggers and behaviours. Additionally, children’s plans are detailed and highlight the children’s needs and the actions for staff to take to keep the children safe.

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

Staff offer the children clear boundaries about safe and acceptable behaviour. The manager has systems in place to help staff share any concerns regarding the children. Additionally, the manager monitors events and has systems to record and understand any injuries to children. These systems help the staff and managers understand any patterns of events and behaviours. This helps towards keeping children safe.

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

The use of physical intervention is proportionate and only used when all other interventions and de-escalation techniques have been exhausted. Staff consistently demonstrate creativity and patience in their practice, using distraction and diversion strategies to guide children into safe spaces.

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

On one occasion, leaders and managers failed to ensure a child was carefully matched with suitably skilled staff. This resulted in a staff member carrying out an unauthorised hold to ensure the child’s safety. Since this incident, leaders and managers took action and strengthened systems to ensure that children consistently have skilled staff, who are suited to the child’s individual needs.

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

Leaders, managers and staff understand the procedures for escalating and sharing concerns regarding staff practice. Leaders and managers demonstrate that responses and investigations into staff practice are carried out. However, the systems are not robust, gaps in records mean it is not clear that timely actions are in place to mitigate any potential risk while investigations are ongoing. Leaders and managers offered assurance that suitable actions are taken to ensure children’s welfare. However, gaps in records did not highlight clear managerial decision-making. Additionally, on occasions when incidents have occurred in the school, gaps in systems have resulted in a delay of sharing information with significant parties, such as parents, social workers and Ofsted. Inspection report for children’s home: 2532131 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager knows the children extremely well, she is highly committed and has high aspirations for the children in her care. Staff are equally committed to the children and go that extra mile to ensure that children have positive experiences and live in a safe nurturing environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is strong management oversight of the home with clear reflective and effective oversight of incidents. The registered manager identifies actions that staff should take to improve the quality of care to children. For example, reminding staff to ensure children with complex health needs are provided their food in a space where they feel safe. Leaders and managers meet frequently and embrace learning opportunities and identify areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff have access to a high level of team support, including fortnightly team meetings and well-being meetings. This support promotes team discussions around children’s care, which helps develop the quality of care to the children. Additionally, the registered manager uses this time to encourage staff’s contribution to the home’s development plan. The highly supportive and inclusive approach helps staff feel significantly valued and motivated to embrace development opportunities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Additionally, staff have access to highly reflective, good quality supervision. These sessions provide staff with the opportunity to discuss the children’s needs, their well- being, professional practice and development. Furthermore, well-being sessions and arranged events, such as ‘march outdoors’, support staff to strengthen team relationships and engage in enjoyable activities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff training is comprehensive, and additional training is offered that is tailored to the individual needs of the children. The registered manager is qualified to train staff in the provider’s behaviour support model and therapeutic approaches. This provides staff with an additional level of support and helps ensure that the children receive the best possible care and experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home presents as very homely and welcoming and has all suitable facilities for children to have fun and enjoy a high level of quality care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2532131 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 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

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that their systems support the effective reporting, oversight, and recording of actions taken in accordance with the provider’s allegation management policy. 30 January 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have suitable and appropriate skills to meet the needs of the individual children in their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.57)  The registered person should ensure that they notify significant others, including Ofsted, of significant safeguarding incidents or welfare incidents relating to the children. (‘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: 2532131 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cascade (Banks House) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2, Therm Road, Hull HU8 7BF

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Inspectors

Gina Lightfoot, Social Care Inspector (lead) Cath Sikakana, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2532131 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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