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

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people benefit from the strong trusting relationships forged by the staff which facilitates effective care being delivered.  Young people receive consistent care from a staff team who are committed to maintaining their wellbeing and safety.  Young people make progress in their lives, particularly with regard to their attendance in education, keeping themselves safe and preparing for independence.  Staff support young people to build and maintain positive relationships with their families.

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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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard. In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children’s home that— (1) (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (d) ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; (e) ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home (Regulation 13 (1) (2) (d) (e) (h)). In particular, that the home have a full senior team. 28/09/2015

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— (a) undertake appropriate continuing professional development; (b) receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)). In particular, that all staff receive supervision at regular intervals in line with the service’s policy. 28/09/2015

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months. (2) In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— (a) the quality of care provided for children; 28/08/2015 (b) the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and (c) any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (3) After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”). (4) The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

(a) supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45(1), (2)(a)(b)(c), (3) & (4)(a))

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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

 For some children who have experienced severe trauma, have mental health difficulties or have been excluded or out of education for significant periods, it may be necessary to address and work through their past experiences and present needs before they can positively participate in learning activities and formal education. Staff in children’s homes will play a key role in supporting these children in line with their personal education plan or EHC plan and recommendations from education and health professionals (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page26, paragraph 5.3) In particular, that barriers to learning are reduced or eliminated and to address such areas as child trauma and the issues relating to the travel time to school.

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Recommendations

 Ensure children are supported to understand how to build friendships with other children (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 38, paragraph 8.7) In particular, implement conciliation processes between young people experiencing relationship difficulties.  The registered person should ensure that the staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 53, paragraph 10.11) In particular, that staff receive training to further understand child trauma and for those who supervise staff, training in supervisory skills.

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Information about this children's home

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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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

10/02/2015 Interim Sustained Effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

21/01/2014 Interim Satisfactory Progress

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good

Young people have positive, secure relationships with staff. They said they get on with all staff and named particular staff members who they trusted more and would go to, to discuss more personal matters. These secure relationships enable staff to support young people to make progress and improve their childhood experiences.

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good

Young people all named staff that they trust and can talk to about concerns. They have a good awareness of how to make a complaint, and frequently raise grumbles and matters of concern with the staff, through daily interaction and at residents’ meetings. They say these are addressed satisfactorily at an informal level. As a result, young people exercise their rights and feel that they are listened to.

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good

Young people have good general health. A healthy lifestyle is encouraged, young people are supported to attend health assessments, check-ups and follow a healthy lifestyle. Smoking is discouraged; the dangers and implications to their health are explained to those young people who choose to smoke

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good

Young people are well supported to gain the independence skills they will need in adulthood. All young people attend to their own laundry and clean their bedrooms. Those who are older are learning how to budget their money and are regularly involved in cooking meals.

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good

Young people flourish from the support they receive to maintain and rebuild safe family relationships. Staff are mindful about the importance of these relationships. This ensures young people have a sense of belonging and have secure networks in place for when they leave care.

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good

Staff understand the importance of education for the young people and the enhanced opportunities it will provide them with as young adults. Young people confirm that the staff talk to them and encourage their attendance at school.

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good

Staff have built strong links with the virtual head teacher and other education professionals. These professionals say that staff actively communicate with them to improve young people’s participation in education. Consequently, this has brought increased attendance for a number of young people. For other young people, cultural, childhood trauma and other barriers exist. The home is some distance from a number of education provisions that the majority of young people attend. While young people are encouraged to use public transport to attend school, the journeys are long. This is a further barrier to achieving the goal of continued engagement in education.

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good

Young people are consulted about the care they receive and are involved in their plans about their future. A young person said, ‘We tell the staff all the time what we think. We have key work sessions and residents meetings too.’ Young people do attend their child-care reviews where they have the opportunity to express their views about their future.

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good

Young people benefit immensely from a staff team who give priority to their safety. Staff talk to young people about keeping safe. They strongly demonstrate their knowledge on the risks relevant to each young person out in the community and in the home. This reflects the written risk assessments and placement plans for each young person which are reviewed and updated regularly. Strong working relationships with the police have been established that further supports and helps to protect young people. This has brought about a reduction over time in risk taking behaviour relating to going missing.

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good

Young people benefit from living in an environment where they receive consistent care which enables them to make progress in a number of areas. This includes behaviour, school attendance, independence and a reduction in the level of missing from home. Young people know the rules of the home, the routines and clear expectations of respectful and positive behaviour. A young person said, ‘We don’t have too many rules here, we have coming in times and staff are fair with us.’ Each young person has incentives to reinforce child appropriate behaviour, attend education and learn independence skills appropriate to their age. A young person said, ‘I’ve been going to school, sat my exams and I had a treat for this, some fairy lights for my room.’ This promotes socially acceptable behaviour, which has positive results for young people.

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good

Young people explain that there is no bullying occurring at the home currently but that there has been. They say that the staff have spoken to each of them and collectively at the residents meeting. Young people and staff are adamant that bullying is not tolerated. Staff do intervene to prevent any such behaviour. Staffing levels have been increased at night to assist the monitoring of young people around the home. However, the relationship between some young people has been affected by this past bullying behaviour and not fully resolved. Judgement grade

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requires improvement

The manager has a wealth of experience working with children and young people and holds a social work and management qualification. She has been the Registered Manager of this service since 2014. A diverse staff team with a core of well-established members provides young people with stability and this enables them to form strong and trusting relationships.

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requires improvement

Staff say that they are well supported by the manager. There are regular staff meetings. Recent changes to the structure and focus of meetings bring further benefit to the quality of care and support young people receive. Staff do receive formal supervision but this has not been consistent so the opportunity to reflect on practice and identify development needs for all staff is diminished. The impact on young people is minimised as staff benefit from the manger working directly alongside them.

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requires improvement

The staffing levels are suitable, having been recently increased on the night shift to meet the changing needs of young people. The senior team has been incomplete for over 12 months. Two senior practitioners have recently been appointed. This still leaves the service without an assistant manager. Consequently, this has had a knock on effect for example the manager’s formal monthly monitoring has not been routinely undertaken.

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requires improvement

The majority of staff hold the level 3 Children and Young People’s Workforce Diploma or equivalent. This is enhanced with other mandatory training including safeguarding young people and behaviour management. Staff do receive training that equips them to undertake the majority of their duties, to care and support young people well. However, not all staff have received training in child trauma and senior practitioners have not yet received supervisory skills training that they require for their role.

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requires improvement

The independent monthly monitoring of the service ensures that a review of essential areas is thoroughly evaluated including the safeguarding of young people. Deficits are identified and recommendations to improve the care and service are regularly made. Other audits and checks take place, which include health and safety areas, case files and care of young people. The manager has not undertaken the monitoring of the quality of care of the service required by regulations in recent months and there are no written internal reviews. This does compromise the manager’s full oversight of quality of care and ability to identify further improvements. This shortfall is mitigated by the quality of independent monitoring and other internal audits.

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requires improvement

The manager has an awareness of the services strengths and weaknesses from working closely with her staff team, sharing her skills and knowledge to ensure young people are safe and their care needs are met.

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requires improvement

Young people are clear that this will be their home in the longer term and they are actively supported to develop the necessary skills to take them into the next stage of their lives. This reflects the ethos of the home’s Statement of Purpose.

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requires improvement

Young people live in an environment which is safe, with all suitable checks being undertaken relating to health and safety. The home is undergoing a refurbishment, all communal areas and bedrooms have been decorated. Young people said that they are really pleased with this. This provides young people with a environment maintained to a high standard which enhances their daily life experience, which they are proud of.

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requires improvement

The recommendation made at the last inspection has been met. The majority of young people have improved their attendance in education. Work continues to support and assist young people to recognise the importance of education and promote their engagement to improve their future life opportunities.

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requires improvement

Staff have forged strong relationships with other professionals. There is regular communication, with all relevant information being shared to support and safeguard young people. These positive relationships also assist staff to advocate for young people in pursuit of their wishes and requests when required.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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