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

Unique reference number SC431696 Inspection date 06/02/2013 Inspector Angela Whiteley Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 25/07/2012 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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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, 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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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : a service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements Good : a service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements Adequate : a service that only meets minimum requirements Inadequate : a service that does not meet minimum requirements

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

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Overall effectiveness

Children and young people make significant progress in a supportive, calm, nurturing and stimulating environment. A placing social worker describes the home as, ‘a super place’ and a parent wrote, ‘it’s a perfect place for my daughter, it has had a huge positive impact on our family.’

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Overall effectiveness

Children and young people benefit immensely from highly personalised and well- planned care. Care plans clearly address children and young people’s specific needs through comprehensive risk assessments and detailed health plans. This enables staff to fully understand and meet the individual complex needs of those who visit this service for short-breaks. Documents are reviewed regularly through consultation with parents, carers and nursing professionals to keep children and young people safe. The dedicated staff team have a wealth of experience and knowledge. They receive specific training, which ensures they have the level of skill required to care for children and young people who have profound physical, learning disabilities, and highly complex health needs.

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Overall effectiveness

The effective application of policies and procedures underpins the knowledge and practice of staff, which helps them to safeguard and promote children and young people’s welfare. Staff promote individuality and show high regard for children and young people’s dignity helping them develop a positive self-image. They have excellent relationships with staff that they trust to keep them safe.

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Overall effectiveness

Staff support children and young people to develop new skills at their own pace, through a range of new experiences. A parent said, ‘staff are proactive in helping my daughter become more independent and she has improved a lot since she began at the home.’ Although the majority of children and young people have no verbal communication, staff are adept at ascertaining their wishes and feelings to promote their well-being. They use a variety of communication techniques, such as gestures, body language and pictures, touch and sign language.

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Overall effectiveness

The provider has recently appointed an experienced temporary acting manager. Management oversight of the home is being addressed and there is a clear commitment to an improvement agenda. The manager position is under review. There are some inconsistencies in practice in relation to minor shortfalls in the home’s auditing and quality assurance systems, the content of the Statement of Purpose and the review of the development plan. Further areas to improve practice relate to inconsistencies in supervision arrangements, young people’s preparation for independence and a review of the children’s guide. These shortfalls are mainly administrative procedures and systems. They have minimal impact on the outcomes for children and young people and do not adversely affect the quality of care. Staff act in accordance with policies and procedures, which promotes the safety and welfare of the children and young people who use this service.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the home's Statement of Purpose consists of a statement as to the matters listed in Schedule 1; in particular, the number, relevant qualifications and experience of persons working at the home and that a copy is provided to Ofsted. (Regulation 4 (1) (2); Schedule 1 (3)(4)(5)) 20/03/2013

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure the home contributes to the development of each child's care plan, including the pathway plan for 'eligible' care leavers and works collaboratively with the young person's social worker or personal advisor in implementing the plan (NMS 12.2)  ensure where a child requires it the children's guide is available in a suitable format (NMS 13.6)  ensure there is a written development plan in place, reviewed annually (NMS 15.2)  ensure staff are provided with regular supervision, in particular new staff (NMS 19.4)  ensure the manager regularly monitors, in line with regulations, all records kept by the home to ensure compliance with the homes policies. In particular, this relates to monitoring the consultations received from parents and placing authorities. (NMS 21.2)

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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

The children and young people who use this service have a range of profound disabilities and complex health needs. The majority have no verbal communication and require high levels of supervision and support. During their short-breaks, they experience a range of activities, have access to specialist health services, meet with friends and have opportunity to relax and enjoy the well-resourced surroundings. The service also offers much-needed breaks for their families.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff receive the necessary training and are competent to support children and young people with their medical equipment and procedures. They recognise and respond promptly to any health issues to ensure children and young people maintain the highest level of physical and emotional health. Detailed health plans provide clear information for staff enabling them to manage the daily needs of children and young people. Assessments are regularly reviewed. Medication procedures and records are excellent, which ensures children and young people are administered their correct medication. Staff have appropriate training and keep clear records, which are counter signed ensuring children and young people’s health and welfare is safeguarded.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The cook provides children and young people with healthy and nutritious meals that take full account of their likes and dislikes and follows their diet plans. Several children are gastrostomy fed and have specific feeding plans; others are encouraged to feed themselves or are supported at meal times, which promote their health and well-being.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff support children and young people to attend education. They have developed excellent links with school staff and regularly attend school meetings. Communication methods are always discussed to ensure a consistent approach can be used. Young people are encouraged to undertake simple tasks to develop independence and social skills that take account of their abilities and understanding. These can be significant achievements for some young people. Transition planning is complex as specific adult services are required. However, young people are not contributing to their pathway plan, as the placing authority is not preparing the document in a timely manner. There is evidence that the staff has attempted to address this matter, but plans are not in place to help prepare young people for moving to adult provisions.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff support children and young people to take part in a range of activities. Examples of this include, shopping, pamper sessions, arts and craft, walks, and visits to the park and garden centre and days out. The home has access to their own transport, which widens the opportunities available. Children and young people are able to choose the activity they would like to do, which promotes their self-esteem and confidence. The acting manager attends the local community meetings, which helps to build tolerance and understanding within the community.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people have a strong sense of identity, reinforced by their family. They attend the home for only a couple of nights a week. Parents are encouraged to make telephone contact with the home to help reassure them about their child’s stay. Similarly, telephone contact reassures children during initial stays. There is excellent communication between the home and families, which helps to inform planning.

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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 receive high quality care from a dedicated staff team that know the children and young people well. Staff constantly communicate with them letting them know what is happening and encourage responses; this promotes young people’s well-being. Although the majority of children and young people have no verbal communication, their gestures, facial expressions and sounds suggest they are happy and contented during their visits. Staff develop individualised communication techniques, which allow children and young people to express their views and feelings and contribute to the running of the home. Some are supported by staff and their independent reviewing officer to contribute to their care planning. A parent has said, ‘it’s a perfect place for my daughter, it has had a huge positive impact on our family.’

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Quality of care

Children and young people have access to a range of professionals to meet their complex health needs. These include the continuing care nursing team, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and dieticians. Staff have specialist training to manage individual children’s medical needs. Health issues are regularly discussed at team meetings and nurses provide regular support and advice ensuring children and young people are cared for appropriately.

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Quality of care

While parents directly oversee their child’s education. Staff fully support children and young people with education, health, activities and promote diversity and cultural needs through detailed planning. Inclusion is an important aspect of all areas of care planning. Multi-agency review meetings assess children and young people’s current and emerging needs, which ensures they receive continuity of care and support in all settings at a level they require.

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Quality of care

Children and young people are able to enjoy a caring, nurturing and stimulating environment. They benefit from a spacious, well-maintained living area. All rooms have specialised equipment that takes full account of their complex needs. There are two well-designed sensory rooms, a hydrotherapy pool and a thoughtfully planned, safe and secure outdoor play space, which helps to promote children and young people’s safety and welfare.

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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 who visit this home are protected from harm by competent carers who treat their safety and well-being seriously. The staff team has an excellent awareness of safeguarding policies and procedures. They receive quality training on safeguarding children with disabilities to enable them to respond appropriately to any concerns about children and young people’s welfare. Children and young people are kept safe at all times. The use of electronic monitoring systems is agreed and written into individual care plans to ensure children and young people are safe when in their bedrooms. This quickly alerts staff to medical emergencies, identifies young people who are not settled, and gives parents peace of mind knowing their children are in a safe environment. This does not replace the regular supervision and monitoring of children and young people throughout the night. There are no child protection concerns or issues of bullying at this home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Comprehensive care plans and individual risk assessments are reviewed regularly by the staff and nursing professionals, which helps to protect children and young people from harm. They are closely supervised and any inappropriate behaviour is managed sensitively. Staff are trained in the appropriate use of physical restraint, which is only ever used in the event of a young person being at risk of harm. There is only one recorded incident since the last inspection, which contains the required level of information. Sanctions are not used at this home as the effectiveness for children and young people is limited by their physical and cognitive development and complex health needs.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home implements robust and thorough recruitment and vetting procedures to assess the suitability of new staff to work with children and young people. Similarly, safety and welfare are promoted by the arrangements for checking and supervising visitors to the home. Children and young people’s safety within the home is ensured through routine testing of electrical, gas and fire equipment. Health and safety guidelines are followed and there are effective assessments in place of any hazards in the home.

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Leadership and management

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

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Leadership and management

An experienced, qualified, acting manager is in post. The acting manager is familiar with operational and management systems as she was the deputy manager for several years. She is supported by a committed and stable staff team who have a good balance of gender, age and ethnicity. Ofsted has been notified of the current management arrangements, which are a short-term measure.

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Leadership and management

Staffing ratios are high to ensure children and young people receive the high levels of support agreed in their care plans. Any shortfalls in staffing are covered by existing staff and those from a casual bank who know the children and young people well and can respond to their needs effectively. This meets the aims and objectives of the Statement of Purpose; however, the staff information is not clear and up to date. Although this does not have an impact on care delivery, it does not inform people about the experience, qualification and competence of the staff team.

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Leadership and management

Staff demonstrate good knowledge and understanding of children and young people with disabilities and complex health needs. They have appropriate qualifications and benefit from the home’s strong commitment to staff training and development, particularly in respect of health care. Staff confirm they feel well supported by their colleagues and management through regular supervision, training and team meetings. This ensures they have the opportunity to continue to develop their practice to meet children and young people’s needs. However, supervision arrangements are not consistent throughout the team, particularly for new staff.

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Leadership and management

Children and young people’s records are well organised and generally present a good overall picture of their time spent at the home. Children and young people are supported to give their views about their care and staff actively involve parents and other professionals in this process. However, this level of consultation is not being clearly recorded in the home’s quality assurance report, which is sent to Ofsted at six monthly intervals. This does not clearly demonstrate how children, young people, parents’ and professionals’ views influence the running of the home.

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Leadership and management

The acting manager shows commitment to an improvement agenda. Monthly monitoring reports review the home’s performance, children and young people’s progress and identifies areas for improvement. The acting manager demonstrates good understanding of the strengths of the home and actively addresses areas where improvements can be made. A review of the home’s Statement of Purpose, pictorial children’s guide and development plan intends to drive forward improvements for the benefit of the children and young people. The requirements and recommendations raised at the last inspection are addressed in full, showing the service is committed to improving the provision.

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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 and the evaluation schedule for children's homes.

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