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

Unique reference number SC033492 Inspector Parveen Hussain Type of inspection Interim 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 POST VACANT Date of last inspection 22/07/2014 2 of 6 Inspection date 25/03/2015

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Previous inspection outstanding Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

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

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This inspection

The home has demonstrated its capacity for continued progress in that the previous recommendation has been met. Individual development plans have been adapted to clearly demonstrate progress made by children on a month by month basis. This helps the manager evaluate the care they receive and together with other professionals make appropriate plans for their future.

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This inspection

The newly appointed manager has informed the regulator of the changes in management at the home. The new manager has significant experience and relevant qualifications for the position, having previously been the home’s deputy manager. The smooth internal transition to manager has minimised any potential impact for children living at the home.

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This inspection

Written records relating to physical interventions are not always available on the home’s electronic system. Written records are made immediately after the incident, however, these are not always uploaded in a timely way. this does not have any detrimental impact on children. The committed staff team use their excellent communication skills to de-escalate potentially tense situations. Their calm, sensitive and nurturing response allows for physical interventions to be used only as a last resort. Given the young age of children, the staff team’s preferred method of intervention enables them to firmly hold children, preventing further escalating behaviours. This approach also reinforces the message that staff care about children and will protect them from harm.

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This inspection

Children are happy living here. They receive a significantly high standard of care from the dedicated and aspirational staff team. This helps children develop trusting relationships with their carers despite their previous experiences of abuse and neglect at home. The provision of a highly therapeutic environment enables children to thrive from being re-parented as a result of their negative experiences. The 3 of 6 committed staff team work effectively with all agencies and in particular with therapeutic services. They advocate strongly on behalf of children ensuring the availability of services which are detrimental to children’s emotional wellbeing. One member of staff said, ‘We do this job because of the reward we get from seeing the children blossom. Watching them having fun makes our hard work and efforts all worthwhile.’

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This inspection

Children make progress in all aspects of their development. They re-integrate in schools despite some children having missed extensive periods of education. They benefit massively from excellent attendance and as a result learn to read and write. This is further promoted through the dedication and attention provided by staff and a long term commitment from an individual working for the education service that has worked closely with children over many years. This high quality, extra input supports children with their reading, numeracy and literacy skills, leading to increased confidence and self-esteem. Staff encourage imaginative play with children. They love the ‘sweet shop’ where they learn to use the correct coinage to pay for sweets. This further promotes their numeracy skills whilst providing them with little treats.

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This inspection

As a result of their extensive progress through highly nurturing care and positive parenting, children take the next steps into the home’s transition unit. This carefully planned move helps prepare children for a longer term placement in foster care. Children make successful moves which continue to be supported by staff while necessary. This minimises any potentially negative feelings of rejection for children and reinforces the message that they are not forgotten following their move from the home.

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This inspection

The manager and staff team take every opportunity to informally consult and seek the views of children in their everyday events and activities. For some this involves swimming lessons, guitar lessons, horse riding, BMX biking, walking on the moors and enjoying teddy bears picnic, having spa days amongst a host of others. Children love the wealth of arts and crafts available to them at the home. The dedicated art and crafts room displays their wonderful work. This is extended further across the home with wall displays showing children engaged in various games and activities both locally and on holiday. Pictures are included of the children dressed in their individual costumes, many of which were made by staff and the children for World Book Day. One child fashioned a space suit; his huge smile could be seen under his helmet. Children’s sense of belonging and acceptance substantially improve as a result.

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This inspection

Children benefit from volunteering opportunities at a local cat shelter which plays a therapeutic role allowing them to nurture others. The children play an active part in their community, having adopted nearby flower planters which they maintain through their horticultural efforts. They take part in the ‘village in bloom’ competitions which helps them learn to respect and take pride in their environment. The children and staff regularly participate in fundraising for others less fortunate 4 of 6 than themselves. This provides them with insight relating to poverty and deprivation across the world.

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This inspection

The manager ensures the staff team benefit from regular supervision. All staff have participated recently in an annual appraisal. This helps the home’s management address their training and developmental needs which the manager passionately pursues. Staff take part in monthly e-learning and face to face training focusing on current issues for children. Topics such as The importance of food for deprived and disturbed children; Transitions – the importance of getting it right; and Bereavement are researched by the home’s link clinical therapist who shares the learning through team meetings. This enables staff to explore issues whilst learning new strategies to understand and manage children’s complex behaviours.

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This inspection

Records maintained in the home are of a high standard and reflect children’s changing needs. The manager ensures background information is carefully recorded in their plans allowing for progress to be evaluated over time. This allows children to reflect back on their starting points and see the positive changes they make.

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This inspection

The manager has systems in place to robustly monitor outcomes for children. This enables effective evaluation of the quality of care afforded to children and allows for any shortfalls to be swiftly addressed. 5 of 6

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children's home accommodates 12 children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home has two units. The initial unit looks after eight children who are assessed and prepared for a family or alternative permanent placement. The second unit accommodates up to four, usually older children moving on from the initial unit, for whom an alternative placement has been found.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/07/2014 Full outstanding 18/02/2014 Interim good progress 12/11/2013 Full good 06/03/2013 Interim good progress

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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) 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 kept for the purpose of (Regulation 17B (3)) with particular reference to records being uploaded into the home's electronic system in line with local authority policy. 30/04/2015 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Reg. Requirement Due date

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.

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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.

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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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