Children's home run by Kirklees Council in Kirklees

Inspection report for children's home: SC034441 1 SC034441 Registered provider: Kirklees Council

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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 operated by a local authority. It provides care for up to 6 children who may have a sensory impairment, learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2024. The registered manager is currently not in work, so an acting manager is covering their role.

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Information about this children's home

Six children were living at the home at the time of this inspection, and the inspector spoke with them all.

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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: SC034441 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/03/2025 Full Good 20/03/2024 Full Outstanding 15/03/2023 Full Outstanding 11/05/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC034441 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have warm and trusting relationships with staff, who understand children's needs well. Staff use children's preferred communication methods consistently and children feel listened to and understood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote children's identity effectively. They respect children's culture, religion, sexuality and personal preferences from the time that children move in. Staff update children's plans promptly when needs or preferences change. Children receive care that reflects who they are, and staff support children who want to explore their identity through ongoing conversations. This ensures that care remains personalised and respectful.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff respond well to children's health needs and work well with external health professionals. This contributes to improved health outcomes for children. For some children, they have reduced the level of medication needed, and one child is encouraged to manage their medication routine independently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work effectively with professionals to support children's education. They explore a range of education provisions, and staff take time to find the right setting for each child. Children receive a sensitive introduction to school, which can include staff attending with them. Managers have created a bespoke learning package for one child that reflects their education, health and care plan outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain relationships with their family and friends. Staff encourage family time and ensure that focus is kept on children's best interests and sense of belonging. Families feel supported by staff and managers.

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

Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities. They recognise how risks may present for children. Staff know how to escalate concerns appropriately, and they receive a full response when they do. Risk assessments are up to date and reflect children's individual vulnerabilities. This includes any surveillance arrangements, such as door alarms and CCTV. Documents provide staff with clear guidance. This helps staff to respond consistently to risks.

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

The risk of children going missing from the home is low. Staff remain alert to increased risks in the community and take appropriate action to reduce road safety risks. Staff use simple tools to help children understand how to keep safer. This helps to reduce behaviours in the community that might expose children to risk of harm.

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

Children have positive relationships with each other. Staff support children to understand respectful behaviour. They explain bullying clearly and respond appropriately to Inspection report for children's home: SC034441 4 concerns. Children share positive experiences together. For example, children enjoy a peer-led reading group.

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

Staff understand children's behaviours and what upsets them. They use this knowledge together with the information in behaviour support plans to reduce incidents. Furthermore, structured daily routines help to reduce self-injurious behaviours for some children. However, staff do not always respond appropriately when accidents happen. On one occasion, staff did not seek medical advice promptly following an incident in a car. The child did not come to harm.

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

When children are held or guided by staff to keep them and others safe, these physical interventions are not always recorded. This limits the manager's ability to review practice fully. Records also do not consistently show whether managers speak with staff and children after these incidents. Managers have taken action to improve recording and review processes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The acting manager understands the needs of children with disabilities. Leaders and managers are providing stability during a period of change and uncertainty. They maintain consistency for staff. This enables staff to be consistent, which supports children's routines and day-to-day experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers monitor children's progress effectively. Children's plans include clear and meaningful goals. These reflect what is important to children. Managers review progress monthly and adjust actions to ensure that progress remains attainable.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about working at the home. They show pride in supporting children's progress. Managers empower staff to make decisions within clear boundaries. Managers challenge poor practice promptly, which strengthens accountability and promotes consistent care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers do not ensure that planning for adulthood starts early enough. For one 18-year-old, adult provision has not yet been secured. Leaders and managers have not initiated transition planning in sufficient time. While this is part of a broader system issue, this increases uncertainty and risks disruption to the care being provided. Inspection report for children's home: SC034441 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff take reasonable precautions and make informed professional judgements about risk, based on each individual child's needs and their developmental stage. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 42, paragraph 9.7)  The registered person should ensure that any child who has been held is given the opportunity to speak about their experience of the physical intervention. This should be arranged as soon as is practicable, taking the age of the child and the circumstances of the hold into account. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 50, paragraph 9.6)  The registered person should work with children's placing authorities to ensure that each child's move to the home is planned, and that each child is prepared for leaving the home both practically and emotionally. ('Guide to the Children's Homes

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Recommendations

Regulations, including the quality standards', page 57, paragraph 11.9) Inspection report for children's home: SC034441 6

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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: SC034441 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Civic 3, Market Street, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD1 2EY

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Inspectors

Vikki Thwaites, Social Care Inspector (lead) Deirdre Silkstone, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC034441 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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