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

Unique reference number SC063978 Inspection date 19/09/2013 Inspector Angela Whiteley Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 31/01/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This local authority children's home provides care and accommodation for eight young people who may be experiencing a range of social, emotional and behavioural problems.

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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 adequate .

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Overall effectiveness

Young people live in a caring and supportive environment and confirm they feel safe at the home. They benefit from highly personalised care packages, which take account of their complex needs; this enables them to achieve improved outcomes across most aspects of their welfare and development. Most young people build positive relationships with staff, which develops trust and social skills as placements settle. Young people say they are happy with the care and support they receive from staff and confirm they play a significant part in the running of the home, as their views and wishes are central to the care they receive. Placing social workers and other professionals have commented that staff are ‘proactive’ in their support of young people. They confirm that information sharing, planning and working together is effective in meeting young people’s needs.

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Overall effectiveness

The provider notified Ofsted in writing of the Registered Manager’s intention to take a secondment post, which is now a permanent position. The provider has appointed a temporary manager who has appropriate skills, experience and qualifications. The acting manager has completed an application to register with Ofsted, which is being processed.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people benefit from good monitoring and oversight of the standard of care. However, some areas for development are identified in relation to restricting young people’s movements within the home, for example, locking some kitchen cupboards, and downstairs rooms during the day and at night and the use of appropriate sanctions. Further areas for development are identified in respect of having sufficient staff on shift, staff supervision and annual appraisal arrangements, which the manager is addressing.

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Overall effectiveness

Other areas identified to improve practice and outcomes for young people relate to the young people’s guide and staff training. These shortfalls have not had an adverse impact on the quality of care and outcomes for young people but drive forward further improvements.

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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 that all persons employed by the registered person receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal (Regulation 27 (4)(a)) 10/12/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that no measure of control which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) is used at any time on children accommodated in the home. In particular, do not punish a group of children for the behaviour of an individual child by switching off electricity to bedrooms at night (Regulation 17 (1) and(2) (ii)) 10/11/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that no measure of control which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) is used at any time on children accommodated in the home. In particular, do not restrict children's movement in the home as a measure of control. (Regulation 17 (1)) 10/11/2013

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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 Children's Guide includes information about how a young person can contact their Independent Reviewing Officer (NMS 13.5)  ensure the overall number and deployment of staff on individual shifts, can meet the individual needs of all young people resident in the home. In particular, when groups of young people are unsettled at night. (NMS 17.1)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for young people are adequate . Young people are safe at the home and say this is a, ‘good’ place to live. They feel well cared for and respected. This helps them feel valued and increases their self- esteem and confidence.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Some young people have been at the home only a short while and require time to settle. They continue to display some of the same behaviours they were presenting prior to admission.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Despite their short time in placement, some young people make progress in some aspects of their lives. They enjoy relatively good health and learn to understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle. They have access to a broad range of specialist health professionals such as psychologists and therapists this enables individual health needs to be assessed and met. However, some young people refuse to attend health appointments despite encouragement from staff, which compromises their future health.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people develop personal care skills with the support of staff. Over time, they develop basic practical and life skills, which helps to promote a positive transition into adulthood. They enjoy a variety of healthy, nutritious meals, which they help to choose. This enhances their health and physical well-being. However, young people continue to smoke and misuse drugs and some do not attend health appointments despite encouragement from staff. This compromises their future health and well- being. Although all young people have education placements, some young people struggle to sustain regular attendance which means they struggle to achieve their full educational potential. This is mainly due to their previous placement history, lack of stability and historical poor attendance.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Most young people choose not to take advantage of the many leisure opportunities offered, despite the persistent efforts of staff, which means they can be socially isolated and very dependent on relationships with staff.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Where appropriate, young people benefit from regular contact with family and friends. This helps them maintain a positive relationship with those that are important to them. Some contacts are restricted and staff support young people to understand the reason behind this, which helps to promote their safety and welfare.

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Quality of care

Young people say they like living at this home and feel safe. They are getting along well with staff and are beginning to develop some positive relationships with each other. Young people confirm they can approach staff if they have any worries or concerns and know how to complain if they are unhappy with any aspect of their care. Young people confirm they are listened to and as a result, changes are made for their benefit. For example, choices of new furnishings for the home and a new fitted kitchen. They are frequently consulted about their care planning and attend regular residents meetings, which gives them plenty of opportunity to discuss any choices and views they may have for the home. Young people receive quality care and support from an experienced and knowledgeable staff team who have high expectations of them. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of young people’s needs. They are prepared to work hard to help young people develop their potential.

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Quality of care

They are persistent when faced with setbacks or failures and continue to support and guide young people to help them make positive choices in their lives. When young people do not engage with the staff and other professionals and put themselves at risk, staff are proactive in contacting the placing authority and reviewing the placement plan.

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Quality of care

A placing social worker reports improvements in all aspects of a young person’s development. She said, ‘staff are able to balance the support provided to (name) in a manner that is age appropriate, to provide some flexibility, whilst implementing clear boundaries and expectations.’

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Quality of care

Young people have well written individualised placement and care plans, which clearly identify their needs and show how these are met. Plans are regularly reviewed, which provides stability and permanence.

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Quality of care

For the most part, staff take appropriate action in response to incidents and are committed to helping young people achieve stability and permanence. They work individually with young people to help them understand the impact their life experiences have on the behaviours they exhibit. They help them to develop coping strategies to manage any periods of crisis and help to bring about positive change

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Quality of care

Some sanctions imposed on young people are institutional in nature; for example, turning off electricity to sockets in young people’s bedrooms at night. This measure of control is not proportionate as it impacts not only on the individual young person, but on the whole group. It also compromises young people’s welfare. Locking downstairs rooms and areas of the kitchen during the day and night as a means of control restricts young people’s movement within their home. Young people who are not subject to this sanction are negatively affected by this ‘custom and practice’ behaviour management.

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Quality of care

Staff are proactive and consistent in supporting young people’s educational achievement and attendance. Despite their efforts some young people are reluctant to engage with education and do not achieve their potential. Staff celebrate and reward all progress and achievement. Staff provide good access to health support services and respond positively to young people’s diversity and cultural needs. Staff support young people to attend their appointments, but some choose not to engage with services at this time. Young people are offered the opportunity to participate in a broad range of activities and social events but some do not wish to take advantage of the opportunities presented, which impacts on the outcomes that young people can achieve. Young people confirm they are comfortable living in the home, which is in a good location. Maintenance and repair work is being undertaken to address recent damage

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Quality of care

caused by young people, which ensures they continue to live in a comfortable and homely environment that promotes their welfare and safety.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people feel safe, secure and well cared for in the home and know how to use the home’s complaints procedures, which is set out clearly in the young people’s guide. However, they do not know how to contact their independent reviewing officer. Consequently, they do not have all the choices they should have to make their views known or to raise any concerns. The home has a zero tolerance policy for bullying issues. Any issues that do arise are dealt with swiftly by the staff team and addressed directly with the young people concerned.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Effective systems are in place to support and safeguard young people. The staff team is confident in implementing the policies and procedures if they have concerns or allegations are made about young people’s welfare and they receive regular, appropriate safeguarding training. There are no child protection referrals from this service.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Individual risk assessments are in place, which identify the protective measures necessary to promote young people’s welfare this helps to protect them. When young people do leave the home without permission, staff follow the agreed missing from care protocol, procedures and policies and act in accordance with the placing authority care plan. Actions are implemented quickly to assist a young person’s speedy return home. Staff are proactive in communicating with the placing authority and other professionals to highlight safeguarding concerns and they contribute well to strategies that help to achieve positive outcomes for young people. For example, agreeing extended periods of independence for some older young people has had a positive impact on behaviour. As young people settle into their placement, records show a reduction in them going missing from the home or being absent without permission.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The police confirm there are good links between the staff, police missing person’s coordinator and neighbourhood policing team who visit the home regularly to get to know young people and to support the staff. They say that, ‘staff provide a good positive environment for the young people living at the home.’ This demonstrates that the staff are proactive in raising any concerns about young people with other professionals to ensure their welfare and safety. Managers ensure that staff are carefully selected and vetted before starting work in the home. This helps to deter unsuitable people having access to vulnerable young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Positive behaviour is encouraged through detailed individual behaviour management plans. Staff are trained in the appropriate use of physical restraint but rarely need to use this, preferring to use humour and strategies of de-escalation, which are more effective in changing young people’s behaviour. Written and electronic records are appropriately maintained and show incidents of physical intervention have reduced since the last inspection. There is only one record of physical restraint.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people enjoy a safe and secure environment. There are good systems in place that ensure health and safety guidelines are followed. Young people are involved in fire evacuation practices so they know how to leave the home safely in the event of an emergency.

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Leadership and management

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

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Leadership and management

A suitably experienced acting manager has been in post since May 2013 and has submitted an application to Ofsted to be the registered manager. The acting manager is familiar with operational and management systems at this home, as she was previously the assistant manager. She is highly motivated to drive improvement in the home and has begun to introduce improved systems to achieve positive outcomes for young people. There is good support from a motivated and committed staff team who understand the needs of the young people in placement.

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Leadership and management

The home is well resourced. The staff team is highly experienced and qualified. There is a good balance of gender, age and ethnicity. The staffing ratio meets the aims and objectives of the Statement of Purpose. However, the deployment of staff on individual shifts is not routinely meeting the individual needs of young people currently resident in the home, particularly when young people are not yet settled in their placement.

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Leadership and management

Staff routinely undertake mandatory training including, safeguarding, first aid and team teach. Opportunities are available for additional training in response to young people’s emerging needs, such as domestic violence. This ensures that staff have the opportunity to develop their practice. However, staff have not yet completed training to help them support young people involved in sexual exploitation.

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Leadership and management

Staff say they feel well supported by their colleagues and manager. However, supervision arrangements are not consistent throughout the team as some staff have not received regular supervision and recording does not detail the time, date and length of the supervision. Additionally, staff annual appraisals are overdue, which means professional development and practices are not well monitored. These shortfalls are acknowledged by the acting manager who is addressing them.

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Leadership and management

Young people’s records are well arranged, stored securely and of a very good standard. This presents young people with a good overall picture of their experiences at the home. They are regularly involved in discussions about their care and influence the running of the home. Staff actively involve parents and other professionals in the care planning process, which ensures a consistent approach to young people’s care. The acting manager has effective monitoring systems in place, which ensures young people enjoy high standards of care and protection. She understands the strengths and weaknesses of the home and continues to strive for improvements to the service. Some recent improvements to systems and recording has improved practice and better captures data, which results in improved outcomes for young people.

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Leadership and management

The acting manager has a clear vision for the home to drive forward further improvement. A comprehensive review of the development plan intends to drive improvements for the benefit of the staff and young people. There are no outstanding requirements or recommendations from previous inspections, showing that the service is committed to continual improvement of their 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 the inspection of children's homes.

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