Children's Home run by Upwards residential care services Ltd in Kingston upon Hull

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2800508 1 Registered provider: Upwards Residential Care Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider operates this children’s home. 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, one child was living in the home. One child recently moved on from the home. The inspector spoke to the child living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in January 2026.

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Inspection date: 3 September 2026

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 3 September 2026

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, 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. The inspector has 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: 2800508 2

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Findings from the inspection

An assurance inspection was completed following the ‘requires improvement to be good’ judgement at the full inspection in April 2026.

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, the manager has worked with senior leaders to address the shortfalls and improve practice in the home. Consistency of care has been achieved through the stability of the staff team. The manager has reflected on feedback and implemented plans based on this. The manager now seeks additional feedback from professionals visiting the home. Team meetings and supervision sessions have been helpful to staff. Staff reflect on their practice and have undertaken additional training, which has improved the care in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have built meaningful relationships with children. Through training and reflective discussions, staff have a greater understanding of trauma and how this can impact children’s relationships. Staff have invested time with children and enjoy spending time with them. The child in the home has identified staff they trust and would ask for help and support. The child feels that staff know them well and respond to them in a helpful way.

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Findings from the inspection

Moves in and out of the home are well supported. The manager communicates effectively with the placing authority to support moves. Advocacy support is sought appropriately to help children contribute to their plans. When children move into the home, a transition plan is developed to help them to settle in. The manager has created a digital version of the children’s guide and ‘meet the team’ document, which is shared with the child before they move to the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, there have been no allegations or complaints. The systems relating to complaints and notifying Ofsted of allegations have been reviewed. This includes contingency planning for when the manager is on annual leave. There is an improvement in the submission of notifications to Ofsted. However, independent visitor reports have not been consistently received.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff understand the risks for the child living in the home. The child has made progress in relation to their emotional wellbeing. The social worker described that this was due to the ‘immediate safeguards in place’ provided by staff when the child moved into the home. When incidents have happened, there has been a kind response from staff, effective management oversight and communication with the placing authority.

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Findings from the inspection

Consequences are now used infrequently. When staff use consequences, they clearly record the reasons why and discuss these with the child. The consequence used has been appropriate to the behaviour and has supported the wellbeing of the child. The Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2800508 3 record of the incident does not detail clear review points, making it difficult to understand how long a consequence is imposed for. The child living in the home described the rules as being fair.

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Findings from the inspection

The risk assessments lack detail and are difficult to read. Some areas of the risk assessments are ambiguous, and there has not been consideration of how the risks could be impacted by the environment. Some records about incidents contain unhelpful information for the child. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2800508 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/04/2026 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2800508 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 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 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; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished, and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health; (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly relates to the manager forming clear plans for staff to follow in relation to support around emotional wellbeing and vaping. The home should be assessed in line with the child’s presenting risks, and steps should be taken to make sure the home is safe. 30 November

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

HMCI. (Regulation 44 (1) (7)(a)) 30 November

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact and opinion. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. When consequences are recorded, the review of restrictions should be recorded. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2800508 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Upwards Residential Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 1, 4th Floor, 1 Wilsons House, Wilsons Park, Monsall Road, Manchester M40 8WN

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Inspector

Ali Owens, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2800508 7 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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