Children's Home run by Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council in Bolton

Unique reference number SC040723 Inspector Lynn O'Driscoll Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council Registered person address Town Hall Victoria Square, PO Box 29 BOLTON BL1 1RU Responsible individual John Vincent Daly Registered manager Kathryn Louise Mather Date of last inspection 28/03/2014 2 of 12 Inspection date 22/07/2014

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness good

Outcomes for children and young people good Quality of care outstanding Keeping children and young people safe good Leadership and management adequate

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Overall effectiveness

Children and young people's wishes and feelings are central to their day-to-day care and their futures. They enjoy sound, trusting relationships with all the staff who provide excellent care and support and clear and consistent boundaries. Consequently, they feel safe, very happy and settled in this home.

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Overall effectiveness

Children and young people benefit from highly individualised care which best meets their unique and highly complex needs and personal preferences. A very experienced and stable team, good staffing ratios at all times and the timely provision of a wide range of specialist services enable all the children and young people to realise their full potentials. They are, therefore, making extremely good progress behaviourally, emotionally, socially and educationally from their individual starting points.

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Overall effectiveness

The staff team have a very good understanding of safe working practices and have established highly effective collaborative working with all relevant agencies to safeguard and protect the welfare of the children and young people.

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Overall effectiveness

The managers and staff team are genuinely committed to providing a high standard of care and are particularly strong and effective advocates. This ensures children and young people's voices are heard and acted upon if this is in their best interests. 3 of 12 The managers and staff are all very clear about the many strengths of the home and there is a challenging development plan in place to drive continuous improvement.

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Overall effectiveness

Two requirements have arisen from this inspection. They both relate to shortfalls in monitoring systems that are not sufficiently robust or effective in identifying and addressing any shortfalls in the quality of care provided. This specifically relates to consultation with children and young people, their families, social workers and staff working at the home. 4 of 12

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority children's home registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children and young people of either gender who may be experiencing emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/03/2014 Interim good progress 12/04/2013 Full good 05/12/2012 Interim good progress 29/05/2012 Full good

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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 unannounced visits by an independent person take place at least once a month and the reports demonstrate interviews with children and young people living at the home, relatives and staff (Regulation 33(8)(a)) 31/07/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure a three monthly report on the quality of care provided at the home includes consultations with children and young people, their families and social workers and is forwarded to Ofsted. (Regulation 34) 31/07/2014 5 of 12

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Outcomes for children and young people good

All the children and young people are very happy and settled at this home. They benefit from highly individualised care which bests meets their unique needs and personal preferences. This enables them all to reach their full potential. They say they trust and feel extremely comfortable discussing any concerns with staff, knowing they will be efficiently addressed.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Children and young people have a genuine choice about contact arrangements with their birth families which is actively promoted and facilitated by the staff. This helps children and young people to understand their backgrounds and maintain their sense of identity.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Children and young people live in a clean, spacious and well maintained home where their physical, emotional and social wellbeing is actively promoted. They really enjoy taking part in a wide range of meaningful activities and trips and are very excited about their imminent holiday abroad.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

They benefit from healthy homemade meals, lots of outdoor activities and regular physical exercise to keep fit and well. Comments from children and young people include, 'I like boxing, football, playing on my scooter and going for long walks with my keyworker and her dog' and 'I go dancing three times a week which I really love'.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

All the children and young people are receiving appropriate education that best meets their assessed needs. Consequently, they are making good progress from their individual starting points and they are rightly proud of their certificates of achievements prominently displayed throughout the home. Their increased confidence and self-esteem has also resulted in some young people, who were previously disengaged, studying hard to achieve their future career choices. Their comments include, 'When I am in school I am well behaved and work hard'; 'I am really good at sports and won every event I entered at my school's sports day. I got a medal and my name engraved on the school's trophy forever. My keyworker came to watch and said she was so proud of me. I also got £30 from school for doing so well'; and 'I am looking forward to working in a nursery and starting college.'

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Since moving to this home there has been a reduction in the frequency and severity of self- harming behaviours and in missing from home incidents. Children and young people are working with specialist services to try to stop smoking. The consequence of recent involvement in minor criminal behaviours has also made them realise the importance of choosing friendships wisely. One young person's comments reflect all their views, 'The staff are caring and I feel safe here. I'm not being bullied. I like everything about it. I enjoy the healthy meals, my contact with family and friends, my bedroom and all the activities.' 6 of 12 The daily life within this home enables all children and young people to gain age and ability appropriate practical and social skills needed for future successful independent living. Consequently, they gain competence in a number of relevant areas. This includes: taking more responsibility for their own good health and well-being; gaining

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Outcomes for children and young people good

the confidence to embrace community activities; and making and sustaining positive friendships. This all adds to their strong sense of belonging. Moreover, they are actively encouraged to be sensitive to others needs by taking part in charitable events and voluntary work.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Children and young people's comments include, 'My health is good. I prefer to make my own doctor’s appointments and go myself'; 'I have tried lots of activities since I moved here and have helped to raise £300 for charity'; 'I enjoy choosing my own clothes and have developed my own style'; and 'I can use public transport, go to the local shop to buy groceries and I can prepare full meals.'

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Quality of care outstanding

All the children and young people currently living in this home, their families and social workers are extremely positive about the quality of care provided. This service excels at establishing extremely positive relationships with all the children and young people and providing a particularly nurturing environment where they can experience a genuine sense of belonging and homeliness. This has significantly increased the children and young people’s self-esteem and has directly resulted in a marked reduction in challenging behaviours. As an example, everyone sits down together at the dining table to enjoy homemade nutritious meals chosen by the children and young people: these are relaxed, social occasions to which friends and family are frequently invited.

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Quality of care outstanding

Comments from stakeholders includes, 'This home provides excellent care and support to the children and the staff are always there to give support to the whole family'; 'The caring, considerate, trustworthy and consistent staff team are a strong asset to this home. They have built very good relationships with the young people and work well with other agencies. The young people enjoy a lot of the activities that are set up for them and it is a pleasure to see the enthusiasm and joy they get from them'; and 'The staff clearly care about the young people and care that they are happy. They communicate well with the young people on their level whilst maintaining professionalism. They are very flexible and communicate well with me. Staff always work in line with the care plan'.

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Quality of care outstanding

Staff have also built up young people's confidence and emotional resilience to the extent that they now all have positive future ambitions. Another significant achievement includes chairing their own statutory reviews. They also all know how to formally complain should the need arise and a few have exercised this right. The complaints were taken seriously and positively acted upon. This reinforces the fact 7 of 12 that their opinions genuinely matter and are valued, which in turn increases their self-esteem and confidence.

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Quality of care outstanding

Children and young people's wishes and feelings are always taken into account in all aspects of their care and positively acted upon. They are now all actively involved in producing and reviewing their own placement plans, behaviour support plans, missing from home plans and progress reports to inform statutory reviews: as a result, these documents are highly personalised. An independent reviewing officer described them as, 'Excellent documents.' Individual keyworker sessions are frequent and in depth and the children and young people willingly engage.

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Quality of care outstanding

Another key strength of this service is the timely provision of an excellent range of specialist services to meet the more specific and complex needs of the children and young people. Moreover, staff have established extremely effective partnership working to secure very good outcomes for all the children and young people.

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Quality of care outstanding

For example, good health and well-being is actively promoted in close partnership with the specialist nurse for looked after children. The arrangements for the storage, administration and recording of medicines are safe and effective. Recently, the home have also identified two members of staff to champion the promotion of education and sexual health.

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Quality of care outstanding

Staff have high aspirations for all the children and young people and actively challenge barriers to ensure their full participation in the local community. All the children and young people's achievements are celebrated and rewarded which increases their feelings of self-worth. Staff have proven to be very strong and highly successful advocates. Recent examples include: children and young people moving to schools that best meet their assessed needs; school placements being maintained; and constructive contact being re-established. One young person said, 'I am really happy that the staff have sorted it out for me to see my family without staff being there.' Comments from social workers include, 'My young person is doing really well at school thanks to the support of the staff and also now understands the importance of education' and 'The staff have supported a young person's successful reintegration

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Quality of care outstanding

into mainstream school both practically and emotionally.'

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Quality of care outstanding

Staff offer a wide range of stimulating and challenging activities everyday throughout the summer holidays. Individual interests and talents are always actively encouraged and supported which serves to further increase the children and young people's competencies and confidence. The staff also enabled a young person’s sibling to go with them on holiday over the Easter holidays; this gave them quality time together which they ‘loved’.

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Quality of care outstanding

This home is very well maintained and tastefully decorated and furnished. Children and young people like the recent improvements and the personalisation of their bedrooms. One young person said, 'I like the way the house has been decorated. The colours are awesome. I like my bedroom and my comfy bed and snuggly 8 of 12 blanket. It is really homely.' Regular visitors to the home report positively on the extremely warm, friendly, welcoming and homely atmosphere created. One social worker said, 'It's a proper teenager’s room. It's really lovely. The young person picked the wallpaper and colour scheme and went shopping for all the accessories independently. Staff always encourage life skills.' Currently, the young people are learning to grow their own vegetables. This demonstrates that the young people are proud of their living environment.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Children and young people are very happy and settled at this home. They feel safe, secure, well supported and part of the local community. Comments from children and young people include, 'This is my home now. I feel safe and the staff are caring'; 'I have a good relationship with all the staff, we have a laugh and I feel relaxed telling them anything' and 'I have a really good relationship with my keyworker and we have done lots of great things together including raising money for people more disadvantaged than me.'

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Social workers confirm good collaborative working to safeguard and promote the children and young people's welfare. Comments include, 'The staff are very committed to the children and young people they look after and are very nurturing in their day-to-day care which makes children and young people feel safe and secure' and 'I can’t fault this home. They work really well, following procedures to keep all the children and young people safe. They demonstrate very good multi agency working. They provide me with weekly updates and monthly reports and their input is key to care planning meetings.'

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Children and young people get on well with each other. Staff take a proactive approach to any potential bullying. One young person said, 'The staff stuck with me through some cyber bullying so it soon stopped.'

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Keeping children and young people safe good

This experienced staff team are well trained and feel very confident in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of looked after children and in appropriately managing a wide variety and complexity of needs and challenging behaviours. They work very flexibly to keep children and young people safe. Staff also have exceptionally good knowledge of the individual children and young people. They are, therefore, able to recognise potential triggers and successfully diffuse challenging behaviours. Consequently, the use of restraint is rare.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Challenging behaviours are markedly declining in frequency and duration. One social worker said, 'Some very challenging behaviours are successfully dealt with through rewards and consequences and so there has been a positive improvement in a young person's behaviour over the last six months.' One young person said, 'I still do some negative stuff but it has definitely reduced because I feel so settled here.' 9 of 12 Children and young people benefit from very clear, fair and consistent boundaries so they know exactly what is expected of them. Moreover, they are actively involved in negotiating the sanctions imposed so they feel they are always fair and proportionate to the particular misdemeanour.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The children and young people have also benefitted from targeted work to raise their awareness of risks and to explore appropriate strategies to keep themselves safe when enjoying independence in the community.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Good staffing ratios are maintained at all times. Individual risks are clearly identified and well managed. This enables the most vulnerable children and young people to take age appropriate risks as a fundamental part of growing up. One child said, 'I have started to go into town with my friends on Saturdays and to the skate park without staff. They have taught me how to cross roads safely and use public transport. I can stay out later now because it’s light as long as I stay in touch with the staff.'

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The excellent care and support provided to children and young people and the very effective joint arrangements in place with the local police has resulted in a significant reduction in both the frequency and duration of missing from home incidents. Since the last inspection, there is also a more effective system in place for ensuring children and young people have the opportunity to talk to someone independent of the home on their return. One young person said, 'I am not running away from the home. I just want to be able to stay out with my friends. I have done lots of work on keeping myself safe.'

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Keeping children and young people safe good

All the required health and safety certificates are in place and fire checks undertaken at the required frequencies. This ensures the environment is kept physically very safe and secure. Children and young people take part in at least monthly fire drills so they know exactly what to do in the event of a real fire.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff recruitment files include all the required information to evidence a safe and competent workforce. Police checks are renewed every three years as an additional safeguard.

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Leadership and management adequate

The new registered manager has been in post for six months. She has 15 years relevant experience. She has a degree in community studies, a care qualification, and is near completion of the level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management. She demonstrates a sound knowledge of good childcare practices, and possesses strong leadership and motivational skills and leads by example. Consequently, the very experienced and stable staff have been re-energised. One social worker said, 'Since the new manager came it’s like a breath of fresh air.' 10 of 12 This home is always very well staffed to safeguard and promote the welfare of all the children and young people and to meet their unique needs and personal preferences. The few complaints received about the home are efficiently resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant. Moreover, the team reflect together on any lessons learned as a means of continuously improving their practices.

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Leadership and management adequate

Children and young people are looked after by very experienced and competent staff who benefit from continuous high quality training. In addition, this service funds individuals to secure higher qualifications to enhance their individual skills and further their careers. One member of staff said, 'I am undertaking my level 5 diploma in leadership and management, which I requested, to further develop myself.' Another member of staff is supervising staff in preparation for future management roles.

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Leadership and management adequate

This staff team benefit from formal individual supervision once a month and fortnightly team meetings where there are very open and honest debates. This results in excellent consistency and continuity of care. Staff say that managers are very accessible and approachable to discuss any matters at any-time. Moreover, timely annual appraisals are undertaken to explore continued personal development and on-going training needs. This process has been further strengthened as it now includes the children and young people's views. One member of staff said, 'As a new employee all the staff have been very welcoming and supportive towards me.'

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Leadership and management adequate

The management team are clear about the many strengths of their service and can demonstrate the very positive impact living at this home has on each child or young person. A realistic, yet challenging development plan is in place to drive continuous improvements. This was recently revised in full consultation with the team so there is a strong sense of shared ownership and responsibility. It clearly sets out the future direction of the home with children and young people at the centre of strategic planning.

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Leadership and management adequate

The two requirements raised at the last inspection on 28 March 2014 have been satisfactorily addressed. Consequently, the admission and discharge register and restraint records now detail all the required information.

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Leadership and management adequate

The Statement of Purpose has been revised in line with the recent amendments to legislation, accurately reflects the current aims, policies, practices and staffing of the home. Children and young people are also given a user friendly and meaningful children's guide during the admission process so they understand the services provided.

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Leadership and management adequate

Notifiable events are forwarded to Ofsted in a timely manner. They demonstrate that appropriate action is taken to safeguard and protect the welfare of children and young people in full collaboration with other relevant agencies.

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Leadership and management adequate

Children and young people's files are securely stored and very well maintained. They provide an accurate, positive and extremely personalised account of their 11 of 12 background, progress, achievements and future goals.

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Leadership and management adequate

The manager has already made many significant changes since taking over the role. This includes improving all the required documentation to ensure it is personalised, child friendly and incorporates young people's views. It is also recognised that a number of other positive developments she has introduced are still in their infancy, so the impact cannot as yet be evidenced.

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Leadership and management adequate

Although young people are fully consulted on their daily care and support, current monitoring system do not fully satisfy legal requirements in that reports do not consistently include details of consultations with the children and young people accommodated, their families, social workers and staff working at the home. Since external monitoring visits have been undertaken by independent people there has been limited evaluation of their findings. Moreover, a three monthly report by the manager on the quality of care provided has not been forwarded to Ofsted in a timely manner. Internal and external monitoring systems are not therefore effective in improving standards at the home. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management adequate

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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Information 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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Information 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 framework of inspection for children's homes.

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