Children's Home run by East Riding of Yorkshire Council in East Riding of Yorkshire

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2808298 1 Registered provider: East Riding of Yorkshire Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This home is owned and managed by a local authority. It provides care for one child who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

One child was living in the home at the time of the inspection. The child was spoken to during the inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The registered manager was absent, and the inspection was led by the acting manager.

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Information about this children's home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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'. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2808298 2

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Findings from the inspection

An assurance inspection was conducted in response to an escalation in safeguarding notifications received by Ofsted and concerns arising from these.

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Summary of findings

The registered manager and permanent staff have been absent from work. Leaders and managers have not provided effective oversight of the temporary staff working in the home and the child has received inconsistent care.

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Summary of findings

Temporary staff have not built positive and trusting relationships with the child. This frustrates the child and affects their sense of wellbeing. Staff do not plan meaningful activities or engage with the child to help build these relationships.

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Summary of findings

The home is in a state of disrepair and has boarded-up windows and doors. Graffiti is left on some walls and ceilings conveying negative messages from the child.

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Summary of findings

Staff do not understand and follow missing-from-home protocols for the child and the appropriate time to report a child missing. Despite appropriate staffing levels staff have not noticed when the child has left the home unsupervised. This is in contravention of the Deprivation of Liberty order (DOL) in place.

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Summary of findings

Incident records are not well recorded and do not give a full picture of significant events. Oversight of these records from leaders and managers has not been timely and learning has not been shared effectively with and understood by staff working in the home.

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Summary of findings

Staff do not understand the child's needs and vulnerabilities or follow strategies to support them. Staff are not confident to take positive risks with the child to enable them to develop and learn. Staff's approach to care is restrictive and they regularly lock internal doors. This is not in line with the DOL order.

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Summary of findings

Staff working in the home do not have the skills, knowledge, and experience to meet the child's needs and are not suitably qualified. Staff are not able to de-escalate the situation when the child becomes distressed and staff rely heavily on police to intervene and support the child.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers have not provided staff with effective support and advice in a timely manner, particularly out of hours. This leaves the child and staff vulnerable.

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Summary of findings

Managers have not provided staff with clear guidance on how to support the child effectively through accurate and up-to-date plans. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2808298 3 Leaders have appointed a temporary manager who is new in post. She understands the challenges of the current situation and has plans to address them. She is child- focused and committed to the child. The child has a positive relationship with her and trusts her.

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Summary of findings

The child feels safe and expresses that this is their home, and they are positive about the early signs of permanent staff returning to work, who they do have positive relationships with.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/04/2026 Full Good 10/06/2025 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2808298 4

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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 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'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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)) 11 October 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 staff— 11 October 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2808298 5 understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vi)(b)

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children's home's overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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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

understand and apply the home's statement of purpose; ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child's needs, as recorded in the child's relevant plans, taking account of the child's background;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child's relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a) (2)(a)(b)(iv)(vii)(ix) (c)(i)(ii)) 11 October 2026

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Requirement Due date

The children's views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them; engage with them. 11 October 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2808298 6 take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children's care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— a child protection enquiry involving a child — is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 11 October 2026

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any court order which routinely deprives a child of their liberty is followed and kept under review. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 50, paragraph 9.63)  The registered person should ensure that staff are provided with a clear, medically approved protocol to guide in the administration of medication. In particular, medications which can be considered to be a chemical restraint. For medicines with a variable dosage, there should be clear guidance, including the timing of medication and on what basis the decision to administer is made and what actions staff should take if refused. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 35, paragraph 7.15) Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2808298 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: East Riding of Yorkshire Council

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Cross Street, Beverley HU17 9BA

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Inspector

Carol Jagger, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2808298 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 children looked after, 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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