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

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

p.1

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 22/07/2014 2 of 7 Inspection date 20/03/2015

p.1

Previous inspection good Enforcement action since last inspection none

p.2

This inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

p.2

This inspection

The two requirements made at the last full inspection on 22 July 2014 have been addressed. This has resulted in significantly more robust monitoring processes. In particular, both the independent monthly monitoring reports and the three monthly reports by the registered manager on the quality of care provided in the home both now include the views of young people living at the home, their families and social workers and the staff working in the home. The manager's reports are exceptionally comprehensive and evaluative. They provide an excellent resume of the young people's experiences and progress and identify clear actions to ensure continuous improvements.

p.2

This inspection

The registered manager regularly meets with the independent visitors who work for a neighbouring local authority, specifically to improve the reciprocal arrangements in place. This has resulted in a new recording template in line with the imminent new Regulations and quality standards. It has also been agreed that the same individual will undertake the independent monitoring visits. This enables the young people get to know them and feel comfortable chatting to them.

p.2

This inspection

One young person's file is scrutinised as part of this monthly monitoring process to ensure they include all the required information. Different independent visitors have all highlighted the excellent quality of the key documents. This includes, detailed personalised placement plans and behaviour support plans and the creative and highly individualised daily log books. These provide an accurate reflection of young people's lives in a child friendly manner. Also, all the young people now have a memory box of all the many positive experiences they have enjoyed in this home, which they can take with them on discharge. A recent example includes, learning to grow, cook and eat their own vegetables.

p.2

This inspection

To their credit, young people and staff at this home frequently get involved in fund 3 of 7 raising events for charities. For example, they hosted a garden party for family and friends, which was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone and raised £241-76.

p.2

This inspection

Since the last inspection, two young people have enjoyed an all inclusive holiday abroad. This gave them the outstanding opportunity to experience a very different culture and to try new foods. The hotel was connected to a water park with 16 pools and 20 slides which they loved. One young person said, 'We had gorgeous weather so we could go swimming everyday and we went on a camel ride.' One young person chose a city break instead, preferring to have quality time with her key worker. Her new experiences included, first class travel, a musical of her choice and a bus tour. They also ate out in different restaurants and did lots of clothes shopping.

p.3

This inspection

One young person has successfully moved into her own accommodation since the last inspection, having been well prepared by the staff and secure in the knowledge of their continued support. She said she, 'Loved it' at this home and had lived there for over a year, but always wanted a place of her own. She enjoyed daily contact with her dad which strengthened her sense of identity. She was also doing a health and social care course at college and having driving lessons to widen her career opportunities. Her father was very pleased with her care and especially the fact that missing from home incidents stopped in this placement.

p.3

This inspection

This home excels at providing a homely and nurturing environment. Consequently, new admissions settle very quickly. One young person said, 'When I came here three weeks ago I agreed to stay for a few weeks, but now I want to stay forever. They took me to a musical on my first night here. It was brilliant and it really helped me because I am studying it at school for my exams.' Another young person recently admitted, is now attending school everyday and has joined a music group. Her school also report, 'Excellent behaviour and attitude since moving to this home.' Moreover, incentives initially put in place have also been highly effective in improving punctuality. There has been no incidents of going missing, despite this being a serious concern prior to admission. She is in a very safe environment and has established positive age appropriate relationships. Consequently, specialist intervention has ceased as she is no longer deemed to be at risk. These are

p.3

This inspection

outstanding outcomes. She said, 'I love living here and like all the staff. I feel safe here and can talk to staff if I am upset or worried. I want to stay here until I am 18. I like my bedroom and my new coat staff bought me because I am going to school everyday. I then want to do child care at college.'

p.3

This inspection

All the young people continue to make exceptional progress from their individual starting points. Examples include: a cessation of self injurious behaviours and enuresis; a marked reduction in challenging behaviours and restraints; developing and sustaining positive friendships outside the home; enjoying regular overnight stays with family and friends; consistently returning to the home at the agreed time; having positive future ambitions; and, successfully learning to cook and bake. A teacher describes one young person as being, 'Much calmer and noticeably 4 of 7 maturing.' Another young person now has the ability to better manage her feelings and emotions.

p.3

This inspection

Young people's views are central to the day-to-day running of the home and in the continued development of the service. Recently they were involved in updating the children's guide and have provided feedback on each member of staff to inform their annual appraisals. They have also been involved in reviewing their own positive handling plans and agreeing the most effective de-escalation techniques to avoid physical interventions. One young person has re-designed the consultation document entitled, 'Tell us your views.' Another young person was involved in an interview panel for the appointment of a social worker in the specialist child sexual exploitation team and has been asked to be part of a group to support other victims. This demonstrates to young people that their views are genuinely listened to and positively acted upon if it is in their best interests. In turn, this demonstrably increases their self esteem and confidence.

p.4

This inspection

Staff are very happy in their respective roles and feel very well supported. They confirm good quality monthly supervision sessions and fortnightly team meetings and say they are confident to raise any issues with other colleagues or the manager. The annual appraisal format has recently been improved to clearly identify individual strengths and areas for continued personal development and future training needs. Since the last inspection all the staff have completed attachment training and gained specific strategies to best support each young person. The specialist substance misuse team have also increased the team's awareness of 'legal highs.' One member of staff can now deliver behaviour management training and is available for ongoing advice and guidance. However, not all staff have had countering bullying training or attended a child sexual exploitation course. None have had appropriate adult training to provide them with the skills and confidence to ensure young people's

p.4

This inspection

Staff have established excellent partnership working with parents and a wide range of relevant stakeholders to ensure all the young people are safeguarded and their welfare is promoted. This highly experienced team are strong and successful advocates for the young people. This has ensured, for example, that they receive the education that best meets their needs and in re-establishing and maintaining positive contact with family and friends.

p.4

This inspection

The registered manager has recently improved the consultation documents which are regularly sent to professionals and parents. The feedback is consistently very positive. Any constructive criticism is used to improve practice. For example, one parent requested more feedback, so she is very pleased to now receive weekly updates on her child's progress.

p.4

This inspection

Many responses particularly highlight the effective management of young people's highly complex needs and behaviours. Comments include, 'The staff do a smashing job looking after my daughter', 'This is a very caring environment and has a positive 5 of 7 ethos', 'Young people are very well looked after', 'This is a strong staff team who provide a nurturing environment and clear boundaries' and, 'The staff work openly with me and my young person feels at home.'

p.4

This inspection

All the young people are extremely happy and settled at this home and have lots of friends in the local community, so they have developed a strong sense of belonging. Consequently, they no longer go missing. This is despite some extremely troubled backgrounds. One young person said, 'I used to pack my bags and go and stay at a friends for three days not saying where I had gone. I don’t do that now.' This is outstanding progress.

p.5

This inspection

Young people benefit from being well cared for by a fully qualified, highly experienced and particularly stable staff team. Comments from young people include, 'I like living here and really enjoy spending time with my key worker. I love my new bike I got for Christmas' and, 'I feel safe and listened to and get on really well with my key worker. I get involved in decisions about how the home is run and have just been able to move into another bedroom which I really liked, after another young person left. I loved the photo shoot with my friends which was my birthday treat.'

p.5

This inspection

An ongoing programme of redecoration and refurbishment ensures that this home provides a particularly good standard of accommodation throughout. Young people love their personalised bedrooms and enjoy showing visitors round. This demonstrates the sense of pride they have in their living environment. Visitors consistently describe how extremely friendly and welcoming this home is, thus describing it as, 'A pleasure to visit.' Friends and family are regularly invited for meals and feel relaxed in this exceptionally homely atmosphere.

p.5

This inspection

Funding has been agreed to replace the front door. The current locking system requires young people to ask permission from staff to leave from this exit, although importantly, it does open automatically in the event of a fire. The new manager is mindful that this is a restriction of liberty and is currently seeking alternative options. Current practice is that young people are able to leave and enter from the back of the house where it is easier to supervise. However, this has not been formally agreed by parents and social workers. The home has also not demonstrated that a restriction of liberty for one young person does not impose similar restrictions on other young people who do not require this. 6 of 7

p.5

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.

p.6

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/07/2014 Full good 28/03/2014 Interim good progress 12/04/2013 Full good 05/12/2012 Interim good progress

p.6

Recommendations

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

p.6

Recommendations

 ensure that all the staff are equipped with the training and skills required to meet the needs of the young people; and in particular: countering bullying, child sexual exploitation and appropriate adult training (NMS 18.1)  demonstrate that: physical restrictions on normal movement within or from the home are not used unless this is necessary to safeguard the young people and promote their welfare and development; and, such measures, namely the locking of the front door, is agreed by parents and social workers; and, a restriction of liberty for one young person does not impose similar restrictions on other young people who do not require this. (NMS 10.4) Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.6

Recommendations

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.

p.7

What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.7