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

Unique reference number SC059635 Inspector Pauline Yates Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council Registered person address City Hall Centenary Square BRADFORD West Yorkshire BD1 1HY Responsible individual Julie Jenkins Registered manager Elizabeth Perry Date of last inspection 05/03/2014 2 of 10 Inspection date 17/12/2014

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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 good Keeping children and young people safe good Leadership and management good

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Overall effectiveness

The majority of young people have close and trusting relationships with staff that are underpinned and developed by a committed and motivated staff team. They make progress in all aspects of their lives and staff make the young people aware of their high aspirations for them to succeed. Young people speak positively about the care and relationships that staff offer and this view is shared by other professionals. Staff provide focused and individual care taking into account the young people’s backgrounds and diverse needs. Young people achieve in education and all young people have full attendance. When there is temporary refusal to engage in education, problematic areas are responded to by the staff in a timely manner and successfully resolved.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are provided with clear boundaries and positive experiences that provide a nurturing environment for them to develop the skills required to positively manage relationships and their own previous life adversities.

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Overall effectiveness

Leadership and management arrangements are strong and effective. The manager is proactive and provides good direction to the staff. The recent change to the physical proximity of managers for both young people and staff ensures they are readily available and integrated into daily events. The manager demonstrates good insight into the areas of development for the home and there is a realistic and achievable 3 of 10 plan in place.

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Overall effectiveness

Safeguarding procedures are well-managed and robust plans are in place to keep young people safe. Staff demonstrate good insight into individual plans and young people’s vulnerabilities and triggers. There is effective and continuous liaison between partner agencies to minimise and reduce incidences of missing from home.

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Overall effectiveness

One requirement has been made as a result of this inspection. This relates to the system that is currently employed by the home to ensure a written record is made in a volume relating to sanction and restraint. The system used does not meet the requirements of the regulation. There are two recommendations made, one of which relates to the maintenance of the building. This in regard to replacement of floor coverings in certain parts of the building, improved damp proofing in one specific area and re-grouting of bathrooms. A recommendation is made that relates to the shortfall in assessment and documented progress of independence skills for the young people. This shortfall limits insight into the needs of the young people and their making optimum progress in their transition into adulthood. 4 of 10

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Information about this children’s home

This children's home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to eight young people who may be experiencing a range of social, emotional and behavioural problems. It is run by a local authority.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/03/2014 Interim good progress 22/11/2013 Full good 04/03/2013 Interim good progress 28/11/2012 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

17B (2001) The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of any measure of control, restraint or discipline in a children's home, a written record is made in a volume. 28/02/2015

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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

 Children receive care which helps them to prepare for and supports them 5 of 10 into adulthood, so that they can reach their potential and achieve economic wellbeing.  The home provides a comfortable and homely environment and is well maintained and decorated, with particular attention to carpets, grouting in bathrooms and damp control in the dining area. 6 of 10

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people make good progress in their educational pathways. For some young people this progress has been particularly marked. An educational stakeholder commented, ‘X has made exceptional progress in education since previous placement, X has had to face many problems …. (but) has made great progress educationally in terms of punctuality, commitment and 100 per cent attendance.’ All young people have suitable educational provisions and are supported and encouraged to attend well. Although attendance for short periods can be varied, these fluctuations are speedily addressed by staff.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people enjoy warm and receptive relationships with staff. As a result young people make good progress in positively managing their responses and behaviours. The longevity of placement for some young people has resulted in substantial positive outcomes. For example, some young people had previously engaged in high levels of anti-social social behaviour, drug mis-use, gang culture and had no contact with family members. These factors are no longer prevalent in their lives and they are now embarking on successful transition into adulthood. A placing social worker for another young person commented that, ‘I am more than happy with this placement for (them) and I think (they) view this as their home. X is as happy as any child can be in care’.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

In line with their care plans, all young people benefit from staff who are committed to promoting positive contact with family members and, for some young people re- establishing contact. This enables the young people to understand their cultural links and build relationships which will sustain them into independence.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

For those young people whose behaviour is assessed as unsafe, there has been a reduction in missing from home incidences and an increasing willingness to share safeguarding information with staff. This in turn improves further the measures staff and other agencies put in place for their protection.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people benefit from active lifestyles and are encouraged to eat healthily. This is further complemented by young people being actively engaged in community based activities. Some young people are involved in contributing to the local authority’s children in care council, which builds upon improving their self-esteem and supports expression of their views. Other community activities include ice-skating, cinemas and attending the gym.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Some young people directly benefit from the specialist support which the Child and Mental Health Services provide. This support is offered in a timely manner. All young people also benefit indirectly from the regular consultation and close liaison which staff have with this service. The contact with this service provides opportunities for 7 of 10 young people to strengthen their emotional resilience and manage adversities experienced in their lives in a positive manner. One placing social worker commented, ‘X has a very good relationship with (their) keyworker and although (they) refuse CAMHS input X gets emotional support from (their) keyworker’. Another placing social worker commented upon the ‘brilliant’ progress made for one young person with regards to their sleeping patterns and reduction in incidences of self-harm.

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Quality of care good

All the young people enjoy warm relationships with staff and for the majority of them, these relationships are characterised by significant levels of trust. Due to their shorter length of time living in the home, this level of trust is still developing for some young people. The nurturing and respect which is offered to the young people provides the positive relationship role modelling which facilitates young people’s positive self-regard. Staff demonstrate good insight into young people’s vulnerabilities and have a passion for wanting them to achieve good outcomes. Individual planning and negotiation with young people ensure that the care offered meets the unique needs of each young person. Staff have a reflective approach to the care they provide and this is a particular strength of the home.

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Quality of care good

The staff develop strong and sustained relationships with other agencies such as CAMHS, police, children’s social care and youth offending services. This cooperation ensures that young people enjoy care which is responsive and regularly reviewed in line with their changing needs. The openness of staff to advice and collaborative working provides holistic care that helps the young people overcome barriers and manage previously negative experiences. The CAMHS liaison worker commented that, ‘They are thoughtful and reflective about the children and they own their role. They are ready to listen and reflect to help young people regulate themselves.’ Most young people speak highly of their keyworkers and considered they are supported to attend school, manage relationships and maintain contact with significant people.

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Quality of care good

The staff set clear boundaries for the young people and establish positive routines which support educational attendance. Although attendance can fluctuate for individual young people, staff work well in motivating and re-establishing their commitment. There are clear individualised behaviour management strategies in place which underpin the approaches that support young people to manage relationships, develop and sustain motivation and negotiate the challenges of adolescence.

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Quality of care good

The home has a warm and welcoming feel and other professionals concur with this view. The home is reasonably maintained and there has been recent and substantial improvements made to the quality of fittings and accessories creating a more homely feel. Some aspects of the home, due in part to its age and period of build, require further improvement. 8 of 10

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people say they feel safe and are able to identify staff with whom they have developed a trusting relationship. Young people feel able to talk to staff any time about concerns they may have. They understand how to make a complaint should they wish to do so. Any incidences of bullying are robustly responded to and addressed by staff and managers. There are both individual responses and a restorative group approach taken in order to resolve and manage such behaviours. The firm and consistent boundaries combined with the nurturing approach employed by staff have resulted in self-harm incidences reducing significantly in both frequency and severity.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The safeguarding of young people is given a high priority by all staff. There are clear individualised risk assessments in place and staff have a good understanding of young people’s vulnerabilities and behaviours that are given careful and considered oversight. Any incidences of missing from home are actively responded to and there are clear safeguarding procedures in place which are followed. Some young people’s behaviour present particular challenges to staff and these are addressed in a multi-agency manner. This results in missing from home episodes being minimised and over time reduced. There is a strong and well established link between the staff and the police liaison officer. Any concerns regarding missing from home and anti-social behaviour is sensitively and actively joint worked and there is robust, timely and appropriate information sharing.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff utilise the relationships they have built and individual approaches to young people in order to encourage and maintain appropriate and positive behaviour. This provides positive role modelling in conflict resolution and alternative solutions to expressing dissatisfaction, disappointment and frustration for young people. Young people are offered positive messages about themselves which build their resilience and their abilities to manage their emotions in an acceptable way.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff are trained in de-escalation techniques and conflict resolution and as a result, physical intervention is rarely used. When it is employed there is oversight and monitoring by the manager. The current system utilised, that of scanning the documentation onto the local authority electronic files, is not completed within the required timescales to meet the regulation.

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Leadership and management good

9 of 10 The Registered Manager has been in post for one year and is suitably qualified and experienced. The manager demonstrates good insight into the young people’s needs and backgrounds and highly committed to continuously improving standards of care. The progress of young people is actively monitored and can demonstrate the progress that they make across a spectrum of needs.

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Leadership and management good

Since being appointed the manager has embarked on a number of developments within the home such relocating herself so that she is both accessible and visible to the young people. She employs an ‘open door’ practice which allows young people to easily approach her and it facilitates direct observation and involvement of care that is offered to young people. The young people’s guide has recently been re-designed into a colourful and personalised booklet.

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Leadership and management good

The home is very well regarded by other professionals and families. One parent wrote, ‘All staff at the home do an excellent job and work in difficult circumstances and situations. I feel that X receives excellent care and all (their) needs are met.’ The manager leads a highly motivated and experienced team of staff who are committed to achieving the best outcomes for the young people. Staff report good levels of support and access to relevant training. They receive regular and good quality supervision that occurs both formally and informally.

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Leadership and management good

The strengths of the staff are further enhanced by the recent development of key areas of responsibility for individual staff, such as sexual health and independent living skills. These areas of responsibility facilitate in-depth understanding that can then be disseminated and shared amongst all the staff. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management good

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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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