Children's Home run by Upwards residential care services Ltd in Kingston upon Hull

Inspection report for children's home: 2800508 1 Registered provider: Upwards Residential Care Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This children's home is operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to 2 children who may experience emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home. One child recently moved on from the home. The inspector spoke with both children.

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Information about this children's home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in January 2026. This is the home's first inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The responsible individual listed is no longer in post. They have not formally informed Ofsted of this change.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2800508 2

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Summary of findings

Staff have helped children to make some progress in relation to health, education and sleep, but routines in the home do not support this consistently. Care planning for children has been ineffective and has resulted in one child leaving the home without an alternative place to move to. Children do not have positive relationships with staff and have been unable to identify staff that they trust. There have been changes in senior leadership that have impacted the oversight of the home. While the registered manager is a source of support to staff and has knowledge of key incidents in the home, this has not addressed the shortfalls. Overall, the home requires improvement to be good.

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improvement to be good

Moves into and out of the home have not been effectively managed. The children moved into the home in an unplanned way that impacted relationship building between staff and children. The registered manager served notice to the local authority for one sibling, despite a 'Together or Apart' assessment saying that the children should live together. The notice period was extended to enable a new home to be found for the child. However, during the extension period, the registered manager gave immediate notice. This meant that one child left the home without having a new home to move to, and the child has commented that they feel they were made homeless.

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improvement to be good

Children have been unable to personalise their bedrooms. Damage to the home has been reported to the maintenance team but not scheduled for repair. One child's bedroom has holes in the wall and broken furniture. Children are encouraged to eat meals together in a large dining room and have been spending increased time in communal areas.

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improvement to be good

Relationships with people who are important to children are promoted. Staff communicate regularly with people who are important to children and support them to spend time together. Family members have visited the home and felt welcomed by staff. Family members said that, at times, they were not given privacy during these visits and described 'feeling watched' by staff.

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improvement to be good

There is an inconsistency in the recording of children's records. When staff complete key-work sessions with children, it is evident that there are meaningful conversations taking place. While some records are written factually, others include language that is not helpful or meaningful to children.

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improvement to be good

Sleep routines for children are poor. Children are often awake until 3am. A sleep consultant has met with staff, but the strategies have not yet been implemented consistently. There has been progress relating to children sleeping in their own bedrooms. Inspection report for children's home: 2800508 3 Staff understand the children's health needs. Staff help children to visit a doctor and to eat a more balanced diet. Staff have adapted their approach to meal planning with children, taking on board their views. Children comment that the best thing about the home is that staff cook for them.

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improvement to be good

Children's attendance at school has improved. Staff regularly take children to school and communicate effectively with education providers. Staff attend meetings about children's education and are knowledgeable about their plans. Staff have had meaningful conversations with children about the importance of education.

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improvement to be good

Children are unable to identify staff who they trust or who they would ask for help. When temporary staff have been used, one child was unclear about who was in their home and did not feel safe, which meant that they only left their bedroom for meals. Staff have not formed positive relationships with children. Children have told professionals that they are 'scared of some staff' and have demonstrated through their behaviours that they are feeling unsettled.

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improvement to be good

Plans for managing children's behaviour are incomplete. This means that staff have not adopted a consistent approach to behaviour management. Staff have, at times, raised their voices to children, which has impacted the relationship building.

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improvement to be good

Incidents and physical interventions are not recorded accurately. When physical interventions have been used, they are the least restrictive option to ensure the safety of children. The records for incidents and physical interventions lack detail, meaning that it is not always clear how incidents are resolved. The registered manager has oversight of all incidents in the home and offers post-incident discussions to staff and children.

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improvement to be good

Consequences are not recorded clearly and do not have consistent management oversight. When a consequence is used, it is unclear how long a restriction may be in place for. Children have received significant financial consequences for non-attendance at school.

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improvement to be good

Medication administration procedures have been revised following an incident. The registered manager adopted a learning approach and promptly strengthened the medication administration process to help keep children safe when medication is given to them.

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding training has supported staff's knowledge of safeguarding responsibilities. Staff take action to help keep children safe. When a vape was identified in a child's bedroom, staff removed this. Staff are aware of how to respond if children go missing or make an allegation. Inspection report for children's home: 2800508 4

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The provider has not submitted key information to Ofsted through the correct channels, which has impacted regulatory oversight. This means that Ofsted has not appropriately been notified of a change in responsible individual or about allegations against staff. The independent person is completing visits to the home monthly. The reports do not contain consultation with children, are not routinely reviewed by the registered manager or senior leaders, and the systems are not in place to submit these to the regulator.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

All staff are unqualified and are not enrolled to complete the relevant qualification. While staff have received the provider's mandatory training, there are gaps in knowledge that are impacting children receiving consistent care. The registered manager has discussed with the local authority social worker a model of care that staff are not trained in. The social worker was led to believe that staff had received training and were applying this approach consistently.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager does not have auditing tools in place to monitor the home. This means that there are no systems in place to identify trends, patterns, progress or concerns for children's care. The fire risk assessment has also not been reviewed in the specified timescale. There has been a change in responsible individual, meaning that their oversight and scrutiny of the home have not been sufficient. The registered manager is receptive to feedback and demonstrates reflective skills. When shortfalls have been raised, she has taken action to implement some changes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Children know how to make a complaint and have had appropriate access to an advocate. One child has made a complaint but did not receive a response from the home in the timescales set out in the children's guide. The investigation into the complaint has concluded, but the registered manager and staff have not been informed of the outcome. As a result, they are unable to implement the recommendations into practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Safer recruitment processes are in place. Staff have an induction process where they complete training and shadow experienced staff. During the probationary period, staff receive more frequent supervision sessions. Staff feel supported by the registered manager and receive regular supervision sessions and team meetings, which they find helpful. Inspection report for children's home: 2800508 5

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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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child's behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child's relevant plans. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)) 30 June 2026

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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 home's day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child's health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)(d)) 30 June 2026

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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 30 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2800508 6 promotes their welfare.

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child; and

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(e)(g)(ii)

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)) 30 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child's behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used; 30 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2800508 7 the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to the clear recording of consequences, physical interventions and guides used by staff.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39(1) (3)) 30 June 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 an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 30 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children's home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and 30 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2800508 8 The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person's report to—

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,' page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2800508 9

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Upwards Residential Care Services Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Suite 1 4th Floor, 1 Wilsons House, Wilsons Park, Monsall Road, Manchester M40 8WN

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Inspector

Ali Owens, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2800508 10 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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Inspector

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