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

Inspection report for children's home: 2563216 1 Registered provider: North East Lincolnshire 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

The home is managed and run by the local authority.

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Information about this children's home

It provides care for up to 3 children who may have social and emotional difficulties or learning difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

The manager started working at the home in April 2026 and has applied to become registered.

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Information about this children's home

Three children were seen as part of the inspection. One was able to provide some feedback about living in the home and the other children chose not to speak to the inspector. All children were observed with staff.

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Information about this children's home

One child has moved out of the home since the last 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 requires improvement to be 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: 16 September 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: 2563216 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/09/2025 Full Good 11/06/2024 Full Good 10/05/2023 Full Good 25/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2563216 3

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Summary of findings

Children live in a settled and calm environment and have demonstrated progress since living in the home. Any moves in and out of the home have been planned with children's wishes and feelings considered.

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Summary of findings

Children are encouraged to spend time with friends and family and staff encourage children to gain independence skills and plan for their future.

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Summary of findings

Plans for children are not routinely reviewed and do not always contain all relevant information. This means that staff are not always clear on what to do and gaps in monitoring indicate ineffective oversight.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from positive and nurturing relationships with staff who promote and sustain meaningful connections with family and friends. Staff take time to understand the children's important relationships and encourage regular contact both within and outside of the home. Feedback from family members is positive with one noting the strong relationships with staff and the progress their child has made since moving into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are welcomed sensitively when they move in with well-planned transitions that help them to settle quickly. Staff go the extra mile to ensure children feel a sense of belonging and support them to personalise their bedrooms in line with their individual tastes and preferences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop their independence and are encouraged to make decisions about their future. Staff work alongside children to help them build practical skills and consider their next steps including planning for independent living.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's voices are central to their care. Staff advocate effectively on their behalf and ensure that care plans reflect their wishes and feelings. Interactions are warm and respectful and daily records written to children celebrate their achievements and recognise their progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education attendance and learning opportunities have not always been prioritised by staff. Staff have not always actively encouraged children to attend school on a full-time basis neither have they provided other learning opportunities as an alternative. The challenge to other professionals by staff has not been robust. This has led to children's learning and development being hampered. Inspection report for children's home: 2563216 4

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

Children are supported to take age-appropriate risks which helps them to develop independence and confidence. Staff consistently use de-escalation strategies and promote positive behaviour enabling children to feel safe and well supported. Interactions between staff and children are kind and nurturing and there has been no use of restrictive physical intervention.

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

There has been one incident of a child going missing since the last inspection. This was managed appropriately with staff responding promptly and following statutory guidance. The kept records were clear and detailed.

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

Staff understand the potential risks associated with the internet and social media and take effective steps to monitor use including implementing appropriate age restrictions.

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

Staff have received safeguarding training and are supported by clear policies and procedures enabling them to respond to safeguarding concerns appropriately. The manager has relevant experience and maintains effective oversight of safeguarding practice.

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

Risk Assessments do not always identify known concerns or vulnerabilities and are not updated following any incidents. This means that staff may not be aware what to do in certain situations or how to respond. This potentially leaves children at risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Management systems are not sufficiently robust to ensure that records are clear well-organised and effectively monitored resulting in information about children not always being concise or easily understood. External monitoring lacks rigour and does not provide the manager with sufficient challenge or assurance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There are shortfalls in compliance including a failure to notify the regulator of a significant incident and to submit an updated statement of purpose following staffing changes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staffing arrangements are not stable and the use of agency and relief staff reduces consistency of care for children. Systems to monitor the supervision and oversight of all staff including agency workers are underdeveloped limiting the manager's ability to maintain oversight of practice. Not all staff have achieved the required qualifications within timescales and further training would strengthen staff knowledge and skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager does not yet make effective use of feedback from children, families, staff or professionals to inform service development and children's views are not consistently captured. Inspection report for children's home: 2563216 5 The home environment has seen some improvements and further plans are in place; however current arrangements including staff using the office as a sleeping area do not provide suitable or comfortable facilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager took over responsibility of the home 2 months prior to the inspection and demonstrates a clear understanding of the children's individual needs, plans and progress and is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment. The children have developed positive and trusting relationships with the manager and strong attachments. Inspection report for children's home: 2563216 6

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the

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Requirement Due date

approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home's statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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 has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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; and 28 August 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2563216 7 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children's home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification, and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)) 25 September 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.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the matter; 14 August 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2563216 8 the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 40 (1)(a) (4)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must notify the regulator of all incidents that are deemed to be serious including those that are not identified as current risks for children .

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child's education and training targets, as recorded in the child's relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child's learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child's education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child's education and training and to maximise the child's achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child's education or training provider and the child's placing authority; 25 September 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2563216 9 help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible:

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child's relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(ix)(x))

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 14 August 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the design of the home provides staff who sleep in the home overnight with appropriate accommodation and facilities to do so. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 17, paragraph 3.26)  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. Professionally qualified staff employed by the home, e.g. teachers or social workers, should be provided with relevant professional or clinical supervision by an appropriately qualified and experienced professional. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 61, paragraph 13.2) Inspection report for children's home: 2563216 10

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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: 2563216 11

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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

Lisa Richards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2563216 12 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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