Children's home run by City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council in Bradford

Unique reference number SC431696 Inspection date 01/12/2011 Inspector Nicola McEvinney Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 10/06/2011 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the Inspections of children’s homes – framework for inspection (March 2011) and the evaluation schedule for children's homes.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : a service that significantly exceeds minimum requirements Good : a service that exceeds minimum requirements Satisfactory : a service that only meets minimum requirements Inadequate : a service that does not meet minimum requirements

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Brief description of the service

This local authority children's home is registered to provide a short-breaks service for up to 10 children and young people with a learning and/or a physical disability, and many of whom have other very complex health needs, including sensory impairment.

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Brief description of the service

The service operates from a building which has been specifically adapted to meet the needs of children and young people with disabilities. Accommodation is on one level with two separate sensory rooms and a hydro-therapy pool. The home is equipped with hoists, adapted bathroom and toilet facilities.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be outstanding .

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Overall effectiveness

This service has recently been relocated to this provision. It was previously judged as being outstanding and has maintained this judgement.

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Overall effectiveness

Children and young people benefit immensely from having individual placement plans clearly setting out their specific needs with clear guidance on how these needs are to be met while they attend this service. These plans are drawn up in conjunction with parents or carers and the nursing staff to ensure a consistency of practice. Although the majority of young people have no verbal communication, staff are adept at ascertaining the wishes and feelings of the children and young people, promoting their well-being.

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Overall effectiveness

Children and young people benefit from the caring, nurturing and stimulating environment ensuring that they have a good time when they come for a stay. Children and young people are protected from all forms of abuse by staff who have an excellent awareness of safeguarding issues that may affect child and young people with disabilities.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are outstanding .

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Outcomes for children and young people

This service provides an invaluable service to the children and young people who come here to have fun and experience a range of activities. It also offers a much needed break to their families. The children and young people who use this service have some profound disabilities. The majority of them have no verbal communication, are wheelchair users and many have some very complex health needs that require 24 hour care.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people benefit from their health needs being met by attending a well-equipped home with a highly skilled staff team who are trained in a range of medical interventions; for example, gastrostomy feeding, aspiration, the administration of midazolam and oxygen use. Staff are very knowledgeable about how to manage individual children’s medical needs. For example individual protocols are in place for children with epilepsy. These identify how a child or young person may present pre-seizure; what intervention is required during the seizure and how they present and are to be cared for after the event. Health issues are discussed at team meetings and nurses provide regular support and advice ensuring children and young people are cared for appropriately. Medication procedures and records are excellent ensuring children and young people are administered their medication correctly.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people are provided with healthy and nutritious meals. Care plans outline how each child or young person is to be fed. Those individuals who are gastrostomy fed have a specific plan on how this is to be undertaken to promote their health and well-being.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Parents oversee the education of their children, however, staff fully support children’s education during their stay. They have strong links with schools and communicate effectively through a home school diary ensuring any issues affecting children’s care or education are shared. Files contain personal education plans and records of achievements to ensure the home is aware of the abilities of the child to ensure they reach their optimum.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The home has recently re-located to this site and has established good links with the community by inviting them to an open day and participating in the local community group. This helps to build tolerance and understanding within the community.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Although children and young people attend the home for only a couple of nights each week, parents are encouraged to make telephone contact with the home to reassure them how their child is getting on.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding .

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Quality of care

Children and young people enjoy warm and nurturing relationships with the staff. Although the majority of them have no verbal communication, staff are able to ascertain their wishes and feelings to enable them to have a say in how they spend their time. Staff constantly communicate with the children and young people letting them know what is happening; this promotes young people’s well-being.

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Quality of care

Children and young people benefit from having detailed care plans in place; clearly setting out their individual needs with clear guidance on how these are to be met. These plans are regularly reviewed to ensure that they continue to be effective. Some young people have palliative care plans ensuring, at this most difficult time, they are cared for to ensure their optimum comfort. Children and young people benefit from accessing a range of services to help meet their very complex health needs. For example, they have good access to the learning disability nurse to support and guide staff and assist in drawing up care plans. Other services include dieticians, paediatricians, consultants and physiotherapists. Occupational therapists are accessed to assist in training staff on how children and young people's sleep systems are to be installed, ensuring that they have a comfortable nights sleep.

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Quality of care

Children and young people enjoy a range of activities both inside and outside the home. Staff are proactive in accessing facilities that are accessible for children and young people while offering them good life experiences; for example, a zoo where the children and young people can experience a sensory environment; Blackpool to see the lights; the cinema;, bowling; and trips to the local garden centre, where the children and young people were involved in choosing items for the internal garden. The home has a range of activities for young people including a hydro-therapy pool and sensory rooms.

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Quality of care

Children, young people and their families benefit immensely by having a staff team that reflects the culture, heritage and ethnicity of the children and young people. This is particularly important as there is a lot of communication with families many who do not speak English. Having staff with the language skills promotes cohesive relationships and trust with children’s families. Festivals such as Eid and Christmas are celebrated with children and their families joining in; this promotes a good understanding of different cultures and religions. Staff are vigilant in ensuring that same sex carers deliver personal care promoting young people's dignity. Young people are encouraged to reach their potential and not let their disability prevent them from accessing services and activities. Staff are accessing disability equalities training and they advocate on behalf of the children and young people.

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Quality of care

Children and young people benefit from attending this wonderful new home. There is plenty of space for them to move around and enable the service to accommodate children and young people with a range of behaviours and disabilities which minimises the impact on other young people. It is well equipped and has excellent wheelchair access. All areas of the home are child-centred, exceptionally well decorated and furnished to a high standard. Children and young people sleep in beds that are able to provide them with a safe night’s sleep.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is outstanding at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people are safeguarded by a staff team who have an excellent awareness of safeguarding issues, in particular issues that may affect children and young people with disabilities. They have attended training on safeguarding children with disabilities; disability and anti-bullying and awareness of child abuse and neglect. They are vigilant and take suitable action to promote children’s safety. Children and young people benefit from having staff that challenge practice that they see as potentially abusive; for example, children or young people who require holding or restraining to ensure they have their medication. They take suitable advice from medical professionals and develop alternative strategies ensuring children and young people get the help they need and at the same time are protected from potential harm and distress.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people are protected by robust recruitment procedures ensuring only suitable people are employed in the home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people are kept safe at all times. The use of electronic surveillance is agreed in children’s care plans and promotes and safeguards children’s the well-being.; for example, for children and young people who have regular seizures, those with breathing difficulties or those at risk of vomiting and choking. This also gives parents peace of mind knowing their children are in a safe place. There are hoists sited in each of the bedrooms, bathrooms and pool area to ensure children or young people are moved safely. All the necessary risk assessments have been updated to reflect the new environment, identifying potential hazards with strategies in place to minimise the potential risk to children and young people.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are outstanding .

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Leadership and management

Children and young people have benefited by the relocation of this service to a modern and well-equipped environment. They are excellently cared for by a dedicated, well-established staff team who are extremely well managed and supervised ensuring children and young people's welfare is promoted. The Registered Manager has an open style of management and empowers her staff to enable children, young people and their families receive a comprehensive service.

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Leadership and management

Although a new service, already there are plans in place to extend the provision to accommodate more able-bodied children with health needs that prevent them from accessing other services in the city.

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Leadership and management

The Statement of Purpose is a comprehensive document clearly outlining what the service has to offer to families in the city. The children's guide is in an appropriate format that helps children and young people to understand what they can expect when they come for a stay.

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Leadership and management

There are highly professional monitoring systems in place to ensure the home runs effectively promoting the welfare of the children and young people who use the service.

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Leadership and management

Children and young people benefit from being cared for by a well trained staff team who have the necessary skills to meet their very complex needs. As well as the specific training for the health needs, staff have also attended training, for example, on moving and handling, infection prevention and control, equality and diversity and communication skills in social work.

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Leadership and management

Children and young people benefit by the careful matching process. This ensures none are left vulnerable, whether by the more boisterous children or by the high level of need of some children, which could leave other children or young people not having a lot of staff attention. Staffing levels are organised appropriately ensuring that there are always sufficient staff to meet the needs of the children or young people attending the service.

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Leadership and management

Children and young people's records are in excellent order, containing all relevant information and are easy to follow. When a child or young person leaves the service a memory book is produced to enable families to have a record of their time at the home.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is outstanding .

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