Children's home run by Hull City Council

Inspection report for children's home: 2633602 1 Registered provider: Hull City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This home is operated by a local authority.

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Information about this children's home

It provides care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties or have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2023.

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Information about this children's home

There are 4 children currently living in the home, 3 of whom were seen and spoken to during the inspection.

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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: 5 February 2025

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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: 2633602 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/02/2025 Full Good 23/01/2024 Full Good 17/01/2023 Full Good 08/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2633602 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff know the children well and understand what drives their behaviour. They build trusting relationships with children and the people who are important to them. This helps children settle into the home and spend positive time with their friends and family. Most children tell their family and their social workers that they love living at this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to understand their health needs and make changes that result in improved outcomes, such as being able to reduce and stop medication. Additionally, all the children in the home have access to a child and adolescent mental health service practitioner to support their emotional wellbeing. One child has made considerable progress in managing their mental health and is now able to fully engage with education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Furthermore, some children sit their GCSE exams and successfully move into further education. When children struggle to engage with school, staff have links with the children's schools and the virtual school to review the help that children need. Professionals value the support of the staff in encouraging children with their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move on from the home, they are well prepared for independence. The manager ensures that they get the right support when they leave the home, accompanying them to visit various accommodation options and helping them work through any worries they have about moving on. Staff further support the children moving on by keeping in touch with them, providing advice and support when needed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to share their views in individual 'child's voice' sessions and during regular children's meetings. Children raise any concerns they have not only for themselves but also for the staff and the other children in the home. Children's meetings are regular and well attended.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming and has plenty of space for the children to spend time together or have privacy. Children's bedrooms are personalised and decorated to their liking. There are pictures of the children with each other and the team throughout the home, and children have family photos in their bedrooms. The children have pets that they care for, which brings them comfort and helps them learn how to care for others.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Not all areas of the home are freely accessible. The children require staff support to access the laundry, as it is locked due to cleaning products being stored there.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Before children move into the home, the manager completes an assessment of their suitability to live with the other children already in residence. One child's assessment is brief and does not give an accurate picture of their risks, which soon escalated after moving in. The manager is working closely with the child's family, relevant professionals, and senior managers to ensure that the child is as safe as possible while their needs and Inspection report for children's home: 2633602 4 care plan are reviewed. However, the effects of some of these challenges on the other children in the home have been more significant than anticipated.

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

Staff identify concerns effectively and work quickly to ensure that the children get the right advice and support to help them reduce their risks. When a specialist service is required, the manager makes a referral and encourages children to engage. Staff conduct focused sessions with children to discuss their concerns and help them understand these and reduce risk. However, records are not always recorded in sufficient detail to demonstrate the quality of these conversations.

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

When children spend time with family and stay away from the home, the manager works with the relevant professionals and senior managers to ensure that any risks associated with this are minimised. The staff follow detailed plans to ensure that the child and their family are contacted and seen regularly. The manager escalates concerns appropriately, and plans change when this is needed. Staff have worked tirelessly to build positive relationships with one child and their family to keep them safe and have encouraged the child to spend more time at the home recently.

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

The manager is aware that some children in the home find it difficult to live alongside one another. Children often raise concerns and have told staff they sometimes feel unsafe, choosing to spend more time in their rooms than wanted. The manager is taking steps to ensure that everyone feels safe in the home and that all children receive the help they need.

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

Consequences are natural and appropriate in response to unwanted behaviours. The manager maintains oversight to ensure that consequences are proportionate and helpful to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has built a home where everyone feels supported and children have confidence and trust in staff. She understands what children need to make progress, and, when this is not happening, she advocates strongly for them to have access to the right support. Furthermore, the manager has effective working relationships with a variety of professionals. This gives her a broader perspective on ways to meet children's needs and shows children that help is available from different people when they need it.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the strengths and areas of development of the team. She understands that each member of staff has their own needs and adapts her approach accordingly. When a member of staff is keen to progress, the manager identifies what additional training they need and gives them the opportunity to try new things. Practice- related supervision is regular and reflective. Staff value the opportunity to talk in-depth about the children and any other struggles they are having. However, some supervisors Inspection report for children's home: 2633602 5 do not capture the reflective discussion effectively. This may limit their ability to revisit important conversations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager recruits staff safely. New staff have a staged induction, including off-site e- learning, face-to-face courses and shadow shifts. Probationary reviews and supervision sessions are used to check their progress. Additionally, all staff have access to a variety of training that helps them to meet children's needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses a comprehensive audit tool and feedback from a variety of sources to ensure that she maintains effective oversight of all aspects of the home. She ensures that children have detailed assessments and plans that help staff to be consistent in their responses to them. Inspection report for children's home: 2633602 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that cleaning products and other hazardous substances are stored in such a way so as not to restrict the children's access to communal areas, including the laundry. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 15, paragraph 3.10)  The registered person should ensure that staff complete accurate recordings of conversations with children about their worries and how staff support them. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 43, paragraph 9.9)  The registered person should ensure that their assessment of the children's suitability to living together clearly demonstrates their analysis and evaluation of how they are satisfied that staff can meet all the children's needs. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should ensure that all staff receive supervision of their practice

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Recommendations

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. Recordings of supervision sessions should be sufficiently detailed to allow issues to be revisited later. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: 2633602 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Hull City Council, The Guildhall, Alfred Gelder Street, Hull HU1 2AA

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Inspector

Kirstie Sutherland, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2633602 8 regulates 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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