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

Unique reference number SC431696 Inspection date 19/08/2013 Inspector Angela Whiteley Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 06/02/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

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Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making good progress .

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Progress

At the last full inspection in February 2013, the overall judgement was good. Since then, the service has demonstrated continued improvement in the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people. There was one requirement and five recommendations made at the last inspection, the majority of which have been addressed by the Registered Manager.

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Progress

The Registered Manager maintains effective leadership of the home and is supported in her role by a former Registered Manager who has recently returned following a long period of planned absence. A competent senior worker and highly experienced and skilled staff team ensure children and young people continue to enjoy high standards of care. The Statement of Purpose is a working document, which the organisation has recently reviewed to provide up-to-date staffing details. A further review of the document is to take place to ensure it continues to reflect the aims and objectives of the home. A review of the children’s guide has taken place. A pictorial version ensures the information is accessible to all service users. The Registered Manager plans a further review of the guide, to produce a DVD with the children and young people who use the service, which will assist in planning admissions.

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Progress

Monthly supervision is arranged for staff and fortnightly sessions are in place for new staff. They confirm they receive good support from the management team and are kept updated with new developments. Written records are prepared for all supervision sessions. However, these are not consistently signed by the supervisor or member of staff and there is no record of the length of the supervision session held.

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Progress

Children and young people at this home have limited verbal communication skills; staff are adept at ascertaining their views and wishes. Staff use observation skills and their understanding of subtle cues from body language and facial expressions. This ensures children and young people’s views carry weight and their needs are central to the smooth running of the home.

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Progress

Children and young people seem happy, safe and content in the home; their parents and other professionals involved in their care confirm this. An independent reviewing officer said, ‘staff work closely with parents, it’s a very welcoming culture.’ As a result, children and young people are achieving positive outcomes in many aspects of their lives. There are excellent examples of partnership working with a broad range of specialist health workers whose contribution is valued by staff and parents. Children and young people are enabled to participate in a broad range of activities and visits. This helps them socialise and build self-esteem and confidence.

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Progress

The Registered Manager has introduced a more robust care planning approach by introducing new procedures and paperwork for transition planning for young people and ‘eligible’ care leavers. The introduction of a new checklist and planning documents will ensure the home has relevant documents on young people’s files and allow timely decision-making meetings to take place with social workers and family members to provide a smooth transition to adult services.

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Progress

The Registered Manager has established an effective system for monitoring matters within the home. Plans are in place to record and evaluate consultations and regular positive feedback received from parents and placing authorities. This will better capture data for inclusion in monthly quality assurance reports. The Registered Manager is enthusiastic and demonstrates a clear vision for the home. However, a written development plan is not yet in place to drive forward further improvements. The Registered Manager is addressing this matter with urgency.

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Progress

The Registered Manager has an organised and proactive approach to managing the home. As a result, staff deliver a strong, child-focused service that helps children and young people with complex health needs broaden their experiences and develop their potential. The effective measures in place ensure the standards within the home remain high and continue to improve.

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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 registered person has a written development plan in place, reviewed annually (NMS 15.2)  ensure that written supervision records include the length of each supervision held and that the record is signed by the supervisor and the member of staff at the end of the supervision. (NMS 19.5)

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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 progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection.

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