Children's Home run by Care Hubz in Leeds

Inspection report for children's home: 2874691 1 Registered provider: Care Hubz

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a privately. It provides care for up to 2 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, the child living in the home had moved out, so no children were living in the home. However, the child was spoken with during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2026

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2874691 2

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Summary of findings

The child made positive progress during their time in the home and benefited from nurturing, child-centred care that promoted their safety, wellbeing and development. Strong relationships with staff, effective risk management and consistent routines helped the child to feel safe, secure and supported. In addition, their views, wishes and feelings meaningfully informed their care. Staff also promoted the child’s education, family relationships and social development, enabling progress from their individual starting point. Leadership and management provided clear direction and support to staff, contributing to consistent care and positive outcomes for the child. However, some shortfalls were identified in the home’s environment, independent monitoring, regulatory notifications and quality assurance systems. These require strengthening to ensure continued improvement and effective oversight of the care provided in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child made positive progress during their time living in the home and developed trusting relationships with staff. Staff demonstrated patience, consistency and resilience in supporting the child to settle into their first experience of residential care. Through clear boundaries, predictable routines and nurturing care, staff helped the child to feel safe and secure. The child was actively encouraged to express their views, wishes and feelings and did so confidently. The child’s voice was consistently listened to and had a positive and meaningful influence on the planning and delivery of the care they experienced.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education remained an area of concern during the child’s time at the home. However, given the child’s complex history and previous disruptions to learning, the educational provision in place enabled the child to make progress from their starting point and engage more positively with education. Staff consistently promoted the importance of education, advocated for the child and worked proactively with relevant agencies to reduce barriers to learning and improve educational opportunities. As a result, the child was better supported to access learning and achieve positive educational progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s moves into and out of the home were effectively managed. A planned transition enabled staff to build positive relationships before they moved in. This helped the child to feel safe and secure. The manager developed a thorough understanding of the child’s needs and ensured that care was tailored accordingly. The move to a smaller home within the organisation, better suited to the child’s needs, was completed at the child’s pace and with their views at the centre of planning. Despite this further move, continuity and stability were promoted through the involvement of familiar staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prioritised maintaining the child’s relationships with their family and supported them to develop age-appropriate friendships. Family time with parents and siblings was well supported, and staff advocated for opportunities to strengthen relationships across the Inspection report for children's home: 2874691 3 wider family network. Despite the additional risks associated with peer relationships, staff managed these sensitively and effectively. Staff promoted the child’s social and emotional development by supporting them to build positive relationships, reflect on their choices and learn from experiences. As a result, the child was supported to enjoy age-appropriate experiences and develop important social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although the home is undergoing a period of transition, aspects of the environment showed noticeable wear and tear that had not been addressed promptly. This included damage to interior decoration, carpets, walls and plasterwork. As a result, the home environment did not consistently provide the high standard of surroundings expected and negatively affected the child’s overall experience.

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

Staff had a clear understanding of the risks affecting the child and implemented effective strategies to manage and reduce these. Safety plans were regularly reviewed and provided staff with clear guidance on how to respond to the child’s needs. Consistent boundaries and structured routines helped the child to feel safe and secure while supporting the development of safer behaviours. As a result, the child experienced increased stability and improved safety during their time in the home.

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

Staff effectively managed incidents, responding with calmness, patience and consistency during periods of distress. The nurturing approach by staff helped the child to regulate their emotions while ensuring agreed strategies and safeguards were followed. The manager maintained effective oversight of incidents, reviewing practice and identifying positives and any lessons learned. This contributed to a reduction in incidents from the child’s starting point and supported the child’s ongoing progress.

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

Physical interventions were used appropriately and proportionately, in line with the child’s behaviour support plan and risk assessment. Staff consistently applied de- escalation strategies to minimise the need for holds to ensure the child’s safety. The manager maintained effective oversight of incidents and confirmed that records were completed promptly and to a good standard. This demonstrated strong safeguarding practice and a commitment to supporting the child’s emotional wellbeing.

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

Staff applied consequences appropriately to help the child understand behavioural expectations and the effects of their actions. Opportunities for reflection were embedded in staff practice, enabling the child to learn from incidents and make more positive choices. Records evidenced thoughtful and proportionate responses from staff. Positive behaviour was primarily promoted through praise, rewards and incentives, supporting the child’s progress and development.

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

Safer recruitment practices are effective in ensuring that staff are suitable to work with children. Recruitment records demonstrate that thorough checks were completed, including detailed references that provided leaders and managers with a clear understanding of applicants’ experience, conduct and suitability for the role. This helps to ensure that children are cared for by appropriately vetted staff. Inspection report for children's home: 2874691 4

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Th manager is a warm and visible presence in the home who demonstrates a strong commitment to improving outcomes for children. The manager consistently prioritises children’s needs and sets high expectations for the quality of care and support provided by staff. The manager leads by example and fosters a child-centred culture within the home. Their leadership is characterised by a supportive, approachable and professional approach, which promotes a positive and stable staff team. As a result, staff are well supported to provide high quality care to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions and team meetings are meaningful and purposeful, with a clear focus on the child’s needs and experiences. They provide opportunities for staff to reflect on their individual practice and the effectiveness of the wider team, recognising strengths and identifying areas for development. Staff demonstrate confidence in discussing sensitive issues and professional challenges in an open and reflective manner. The child’s needs remain central to discussions, helping to ensure that practice continues to evolve to meet their needs effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring by the independent person did not consistently meet regulatory requirements. Visits were not sufficiently informed by the views of family members, staff and professionals, and were often conducted when the child was not present in the home. Although leaders and managers had recognised these shortfalls and taken steps to appoint a new independent person, this was a longstanding issue that had not been identified and addressed promptly. As a result, opportunities for independent scrutiny and challenge were reduced.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager notifies the regulator of serious incidents involving the child when required. However, while notifications are infrequent, most are not submitted within the required timescales or in line with regulatory requirements. This reduces the regulator’s ability to receive timely information about significant events.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring and review systems within the home are not sufficiently developed to support effective oversight. The manager relies heavily on their own knowledge and understanding of the home rather than a formal auditing framework, which increases the risk that emerging shortfalls may not be identified promptly. In addition, monitoring processes are not consistently understood or embedded across the staff and wider leadership team. The implementation of a clear and robust auditing tool would strengthen quality assurance arrangements and improve oversight of the home’s performance. Inspection report for children's home: 2874691 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(c)(e)) 27 October 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

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

the placing authorities of children. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a) (7)(c)) 27 October 2026

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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

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 27 October 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2874691 6 understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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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

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)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(vi)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that any wear and tear or damage within the home is repaired promptly and that redecoration is completed without unnecessary delay.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure they use information from internal monitoring and oversight to promote continuous improvement. The registered person should be skilled in anticipating difficulties and reviewing incidents. They are responsible for proactively implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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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: 2874691 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Thorpe House, 61 Richardshaw Lane, Stanningley, Pudsey LS28 7EL

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Inspectors

Deirdre Silkstone, Social Care Inspector (lead) Chrissie Edmonds, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2874691 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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