Children's Home run by Hull City Council in Kingston upon Hull

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034313 1 SC034313 Registered provider: Hull City Council

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is operated and managed by a local authority. It provides care for up to 6 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this visit, 2 children were living at the home. The inspector spoke with both children.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2020. The registered manager was not present during this visit, which was led by an interim manager who is registered to oversee another home operated by the local authority.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This home was judged as ‘inadequate’ at the full inspection on 30 June and 1 July 2026. As a result, compliance notices were issued under Regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and Regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard). A notice restricting accommodation was also served due to significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice and in the leadership and management of the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to assess the progress made in meeting the requirements set out in the compliance notices.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The provider has met the requirements of the compliance notice issued under Regulation 13. However, these improvements are at a very early stage and require further time to become embedded. The provider has not demonstrated that the requirements of the compliance notice under Regulation 12 have been met. Consequently, this compliance notice has been reissued, and the notice restricting accommodation remains in place. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034313 2 Children said that the home feels calmer and more settled. They report feeling more comfortable leaving their bedrooms and spending time in the communal areas. Children expressed concerns and anxieties about any changes to the dynamics of the home. They said that they do not want the process of new admissions into the home to be rushed, and they are worried about a return to the unsettled environment they previously experienced.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Children have made some progress since the last inspection. Staff have felt more able to manage a reduced number of children in the home. This has led to improvements in daily routines. As a result, children are becoming more engaged in meaningful activities and are experiencing a more positive day-to-day life.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The interim manager has carried out individual consultations and supervision sessions with all staff to develop an understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. She has spent time with the children to seek their views and understand their experiences of living in the home, ensuring that their voices inform the improvement plan. This plan is ongoing and yet to demonstrate sustained improvements in staff practice.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Clearer expectations regarding professional practice, consistency of care, communication and daily routines are starting to be established. Staff are developing a better understanding of what is expected of them, and these changes are beginning to have a positive impact on practice. However, the changes are at an early stage and require continued implementation to demonstrate improvement.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The interim manager has identified additional shortfalls in staff training and has implemented a plan to address them. Priority has been given to training that meets the immediate needs of children. Staff have received training in areas such as safeguarding, fire safety and anti-bullying. This helps to ensure that staff have the essential knowledge required to promote children’s safety and wellbeing while the wider training programme continues to be implemented.

p.2

This monitoring visit

While there have been improvements in the management oversight of the home, the significance of the identified shortfalls means that improvement plans are still in their infancy and are yet to be embedded. Staff require further support, training and guidance to ensure that they have the necessary skills to provide children with high- quality and consistent care. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034313 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/06/2026 Full Inadequate 21/07/2025 Full Good 08/04/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/06/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034313 4

p.3

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 with the given timescales.

p.4

Requirement Due date

* The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.4

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

p.4

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.4

Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.4

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

p.4

Requirement Due date

This compliance notice has been restated. 13 September

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 13 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034313 5 that staff—

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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;

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v))

p.5

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

p.5

Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii)(c)) 13 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034313 6 This requirement has been restated.

p.5

Requirement Due date

* This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

p.6

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

p.6

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034313 7

p.6

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspector

Jo Birtwhistle, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034313 8 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8