Children's Home run by North East Lincolnshire Council in North East Lincolnshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2594189 1 Registered provider: North East Lincolnshire Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a local authority. It provides care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties and/or have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living at the home. Two of the children were spoken to during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2026 and is suitably qualified and experienced.

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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: 4 November 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: 2594189 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/11/2025 Full Good 26/06/2024 Full Good 26/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2594189 3

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Summary of findings

Since the last inspection, children have moved on from the home, and children have recently moved in. Therefore, children’s experiences and progress are varied. There have been incidents of children going missing from home, which staff and managers have responded to effectively to try to keep children safe.

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Summary of findings

The manager is new in post and is building positive relationships with children and her staff team. The manager is supported by a knowledgeable deputy, and staff say they feel supported by their presence at the home.

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Summary of findings

Some staff members have not been enrolled to start the relevant qualifications, and the home’s statement of purpose has not been updated to reflect staffing and management changes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children have made good progress. Children who are new to living in the home are still settling in and testing boundaries, but they are beginning to build positive relationships with staff and each other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive education in line with their needs. When they are not full-time education, staff liaise with providers and other professionals to ensure that the children have consistency in their routine.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who have moved on from the home have been making good progress returning to their families, and they have ‘staying close’ workers or outreach support. Moving-on plans are detailed and demonstrate how well staff know the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move into the home, staff and managers make efforts to get to know them and provide personalised hampers to make them feel welcome. Moves in are well considered and planned through impact matching assessments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are captured through direct work and weekly ‘chat and chills’. The children participate in the chat and chills and express their views about the home. Direct work is on an improvement journey to become more impactful and reflective for children. Children are helped to develop skills and strategies through direct work to manage the expectations of their behaviour through developing positive relationships with staff. There are clear, consistent and appropriate boundaries for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend time with people who are important to them. Staff support with family time when necessary and help children navigate their family relationships well. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594189 4 Children experience a range of activities. They can plan holidays and other activities suited to their individual interests. Important occasions, such as Easter, Christmas and other cultural events, are celebrated in line with the children’s wishes and feelings.

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

Risk assessments are individualised, concise and regularly reviewed. They contain details of presenting and historical risks. The risk assessments identify protection, actions and help and support strategies. This enables staff to respond and recognise risks or emerging patterns of risk.

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

The home is linked with a local police community support officer and police officer to support staff training and development, particularly contextual safeguarding. They attend team meetings and visit the home when required.

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

For one child, episodes of missing from home have increased. Children are reported as missing from home in a timely manner to promote their safety. Children have up-to-date missing-from-home plans that help staff meet their needs. Staff understand the missing- from-home policy and implement it to ensure a coordinated response to children.

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

Staff are responsive to issues such as substance misuse in the home and can recognise when children are at risk of being under the influence. Staff make attempts to discuss the issues with children and offer direct work to support reflective discussions and learning. Substance misuse action plans are in place to try and help minimise risk.

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

Children say they feel safe and that staff support them and listen to them. The staff learn how to respond effectively when children are distressed. Furthermore, staff have a good understanding of children’s individual vulnerabilities and the risks they face. Staff promote children’s welfare, which helps protect them from harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that children’s plans are progressed. This includes ensuring that care plans are up to date and records are improving. The manager maintains positive relationships and multi-agency working to ensure that plans are implemented and expects high standards for the quality of care. The manager feels able to challenge other professionals to achieve better outcomes for the children when necessary.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a good advocate for the children and ensures that their wishes and feelings are responded to. The manager ensures that children’s views are captured through weekly meetings and key-work sessions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the strengths and weaknesses of the staff and service delivery and has action plans in place to support development. Staff have access to training that has a direct and positive impact on their practice. The manager and local authority provide opportunities for staff to receive specific training tailored to children’s needs through their new training system. Casual staff do not have the required qualifications. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594189 5 Staff say they feel supported by the manager and deputy in the home, describing the deputy manager as the ‘font of all knowledge’. Staff receive regular and purposeful supervision that supports their personal welfare and professional development. Informal supervision sessions take place, and staff feel able to approach their senior colleagues for support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s statement of purpose has not been updated and does not reflect the current staffing arrangements in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594189 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 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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, have attained the level 3 diploma for residential childcare stipulated in regulation 32 (4) within the relevant time frame. 14 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 14 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2594189 7

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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: 2594189 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North East Lincolnshire Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Municipal Offices, Town Hall Square, Grimsby DN31 1HU

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Inspector

Amy Sims, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2594189 9 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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