Children's Home run by Kirklees Council in Kirklees

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2788278 1 Registered provider: Kirklees 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 run by a local authority. The home 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 were living at the home, and all three children were spoken with.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. ’

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Information about this inspection

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2788278 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Children say that they have positive experiences in the home and have good relationships with staff. Indeed, staff are aware of the support that the children need, particularly through the festive period. Notably, the responsible individual has delegated an important and meaningful task for one child to carry out that is aligned to this child’s career aspirations.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are creative around supporting children’s awareness to better navigate typical teenage issues associated with adolescence. Furthermore, any risks or worries associated with the children’s lives are meaningfully considered. As a result, children’s risk assessments are succinct and easy for staff to be guided by.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have pride in their home. Tellingly, the children have made a significant contribution to trimming the home for the festive period. Furthermore, children have added their personal touches to their bedrooms. Children also understand the need for staff support when their bedrooms become unreasonably messy.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have a clear plan that they are pursuing that will better enable staff to consistently care for the children. As a result, staff will be embarking on additional training. It is envisaged that this investment will influence better outcomes for children.

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Findings from the inspection

Although leaders and managers keep staff informed of important staffing issues, staff are not guided around having a narrative to explain their colleague’s absence to children. This oversight risks children becoming unnecessarily confused around why people that are important to them are absent from the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff and the manager take appropriate action following concerning events that involve children. However, in one instance, a significant event was not reported to Ofsted. Therefore, the regulator was unable to objectively evaluate the manager’s response to the event in a timely manner. Although appropriate action was taken to safeguard the child in this instance, failure to report significant events to Ofsted could have potential implications on the welfare of children.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager does not have consistent oversight of the children’s written records. Consequently, there are examples of contradictory or inaccurate information that risks misleading staff in their decision-making and care of the children. Furthermore, the manager does not effectively use the systems that are in place to monitor and better evaluate the quality of the children’s care.

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Findings from the inspection

As this was an assurance inspection, not all aspects of the children’s care were considered. Therefore, the requitement and two recommendations raised at the full inspection will be restated. ’

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Findings from the inspection

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2788278 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/06/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/02/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good ’

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2788278 4

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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 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 work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they have effective oversight of all important documentation in the home, such as incidents and any documents relating directly to the children, ensuring that all information is current. 1 February 2026

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)) 1 February 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 1 February 2026 ’

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Requirement Due date

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2788278 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure any consequences used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature. This is to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)  The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs19 and 20). The

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Recommendations

plan should detail the process for managing staff absence from the home. In particular, ensuring that staff have a narrative to better support the children’s understanding of staff absence. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8) ’

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Recommendations

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2788278 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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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Martin Steele, Jodi Thompson

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Inspector

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2788278 7 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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