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

Outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceeds the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

p.2

The children's home provision is outstanding because:

- Children are safe. They are afforded high quality nurturing care in line with their complex and challenging needs. - Children make exceptional progress in all aspects of their health, education, social and emotional development. They overcome adversity and develop resilience. - Children are afforded opportunities to promote and progress their talents and interests, which they may not encounter elsewhere. A local benefactor funds swimming lessons for all children. They take part in other fun activities promoting other talents and interests. - Their involvement in fundraising and integration within their local community provides children with a sense of achievement and belonging. - Staff are committed to children achieving the best possible outcomes. They are open to new ways of working and consistently promote their learning to ensure their responses to children are appropriate. - Staff receive effective support and supervision from within their peer and

p.3

The children's home provision is outstanding because:

management relationships. Their performance and learning needs are quickly identified and addressed. - The manager is highly effective in his role ensuring stability to the staff and children. - Robust monitoring ensures the quality of care is always to a high standard and any shortfalls are actively addressed.

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Information about this children's home

The children’s home is managed by the local authority. It provides care and accommodation for up to twelve children who have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.4

outstanding

Children make remarkable progress in all aspects of their development. They rebuild trusting relationships with adults following exposure to significant harm, abuse and neglect from trusted adults within their family. This is a result of the consistent efforts and commitment of the dedicated staff team.

p.5

outstanding

The manager and staff place a strong emphasis on education and progress of children. They invest considerable one-to-one time with children. They talk about school, their interests and experiences; all the time listening to their views and helping them openly express their concerns. Children’s views are highly valued with staff involving them in the running of the home. Children actively contribute using the bright idea’s box making suggestions and request on how to make improvements. This encourages creativity enabling children to express their thoughts safely.

p.5

outstanding

Children love going to school with some achieving one hundred per cent attendance. They make sustained educational progress bringing their numeracy and literacy skills in line with their expected levels. Some children make exceptional progress leaping ahead of peers. The inspirational staff team know the specifics about each child’s ability and functioning. Their engagement with schools through attending parent’s evenings and reviews promotes this further. One-to-one support with homework and reading enables children to make further improvements.

p.5

outstanding

Children benefit from additional educational input from a dedicated visitor to the home. His continuous efforts, rewards and fun ways of learning lead to children excelling further. This results in improved self-confidence and esteem, which children often lack prior to coming to the home.

p.5

outstanding

Good access to routine healthcare leads to overall improvements in children’s health and wellbeing. Balanced nutritional meals coupled with regular exercise help children burn off extra energy while keeping healthy and active. Meals and snacks include the necessary portions of fresh fruit and vegetables, something alien to many children prior to living at the home. The friendly cook cleverly disguises the not-so-popular vegetables in some meals. He laughs saying, ‘Children always comment how much they like it…they don’t always know they have eaten peppers, broccoli or spinach.’

p.5

outstanding

A wide range of social and recreational activities enhances children’s willingness and motivation to engage. They benefit from swimming lessons, funded by a local benefactor and enjoy bike rides, long walks and trips to the coast. Summer holidays include country retreats and city breaks in Scotland and Wales. A scarecrow hunt at the village fayre involved children displaying their products across the village. Locals commented, ‘The finished results were excellent and a credit to their makers – the village looked fantastic with all the scarecrows out. It helped make the summer fayre a real success.’ Children develop a sense of belonging playing an active part in community. Their contributions to keeping the village clean and in bloom are recognised and appreciated. Comments made by Yorkshire in bloom judges include, ’The entrance to the home was especially colourful with many hanging baskets and planters around the front of the building.’

p.5

outstanding

Such integration and community spirit fills children with a sense of pride and achievement. Positive reinforcement, clear expectations and consistent boundaries help children to improve their learnt responses and behaviours. This is supported by timely therapeutic intervention enabling them to regulate their emotional responses. As a result, children develop effective personal responses to managing conflict. This enhances the likelihood of them overcoming adversity and trauma.

p.6

outstanding

Long standing voluntary work at a local cat sanctuary provides children with further therapeutic and nurturing opportunities. The decision to adopt two kittens from the sanctuary allowed them to give back to their community and brought huge smiles to children’s faces when the unexpected delivery arrived. Children have excelled in providing a warm nurturing home environment to the greatly loved kittens.

p.6

outstanding

Carefully planned and managed contact with family members and other key people allows children to develop their sense of identity. Sensitive life story work helps those children dealing with the loss of loved ones following death, adoption or separation. This helps children treasure their positive memories and understand their background.

p.6

outstanding

Children learn about diversity and different cultures and religions. They take part in church events, choirs and visit mosques helping them develop their understanding about local cultures and beliefs. Opportunities to practice aspects of their religion are encouraged but ultimately they make their own decisions within their own timescales. As a result, children learn to be more respectful and tolerant of each other. Judgement grade

p.6

outstanding

The safety and wellbeing of children is of paramount importance to staff. Robust and proactive responses to concerns ensure children are protected from all types of harm and danger at home and in the community. One-to-one supervision further promotes their safety and wellbeing. This provides children with flexibility in pursuing their individual activities.

p.7

outstanding

High levels of vigilance and interaction ensures children are seldom missing from home. Children leave the home accompanied by staff. Security mechanisms within the home prevent unauthorised access. This ensures children are safe from unauthorised adults gaining entry to the home.

p.7

outstanding

Children are not deemed at risk of child sexual exploitation, substance misuse and offending behaviours. Staff, nevertheless have robust procedures in place should the need arise. Direct work from a national charity is undertaken helping children understand stranger danger. Staff, heavily reinforce this along with further work about road safety.

p.7

outstanding

Good relationships with safeguarding professionals including placing social workers, looked after children’s nurse and the police promote children’s safety and wellbeing further. Effective communication and commitment to children enables them to adopt a coordinated response to any likely concerns. A social worker states, ‘Staff work together in the interests of children. They attend all the meetings and work in partnership with professionals. They always let me know if there is anything important.’

p.7

outstanding

Staff have an excellent understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities keeping their knowledge and skills refreshed through active reading, training and research. Individualised strategies identified in children’s risk assessments show the likelihood of concerning behaviours while behaviour management plans identify effective strategies in response.

p.7

outstanding

Staff recognise escalating behaviours and respond using creative distraction techniques and nurturing touch. These sensitive responses, designed to help children alleviate anxiety and distress lead to a sustained reduction in restraints. Clear and well-documented records show the actions and interventions from staff. This enables the manager to maintain oversight, staff a tool for recording and reflection and children, a record of their care. Judgement grade

p.7

outstanding

The Registered Manager provides effective leadership and oversight. He has several years of experience from previous residential care roles, the most recent being deputy manager at the same home. His registration with the regulator was agreed in August 2015. His qualifications include a BA honours degree in Social and Community Care, which incorporates a diploma in Care Management. Further dialogue is taking place with the local authority’s training unit to identify a satisfactory approach to the gaining a further leadership qualification.

p.8

outstanding

Children benefit from a highly motivated, experienced, stable and qualified staff team. The passionate team deliver quality services to children in line with the manager’s high expectations. Their efforts focus on consistently improving outcomes for children.

p.8

outstanding

Effective supervision and appraisal procedures ensure the identification of performance and learning needs. Developmental team meetings promote the enthusiastic staff team’s knowledge and skills further. Good quality training prepares staff to manage children’s complex behaviours and needs. Staff feel empowered to engage children in difficult conversation dealing with loss and separation of loved ones. A member of staff said, ‘Recent bereavement, grief and loss training has strengthened my knowledge and confidence to help children deal with the grieving process.’ Such sensitive practices help children develop emotional resilience promoting their life chances further. Comprehensive records, care and development plans effectively identify children’s needs and vulnerabilities. They show monthly progress highlighting achievements and future goals. The dedicated staff team involve children in reviewing their plans

p.8

outstanding

helping them to develop a sense of ownership and achievement. The high hopes and aspirations for children enable them to strive towards realising their future aims and goals.

p.8

outstanding

Established community relationships with neighbours, faith groups, businesses and charitable organisations promote further opportunities for children to integrate in their community. Staff advocate strongly with professionals ensuring the timely availability of services in line with the developing needs of children. They sustain excellent working relationships with the view to children achieving best outcomes. Placing social workers say staff are, ’Extremely committed to children, that they provide, Excellent child centred support,’ and that at review meetings the provide, ‘A great report as usual.’ One worker at the home said, ‘We want our children to achieve their full potential and we strive to get them there.’ Robust monitoring undertaken by the Registered Manager enables clarity and oversight. The independent visitor further enhances this through effective monthly monitoring. This enables the manager to predict and respond to shortfalls ensuring

p.8

outstanding

the quality of care is not compromised. The manager’s bi-annual report on quality of care effectively summarises children’s progress identifying actions and outcomes. Feedback from stakeholders adds to staff learning and further promotes placement success. In response to limited consultation with parents, the manager has developed a strategy to consult parents on a monthly basis keeping them informed about their child’s progress. Furthermore, a seasonal newsletter helps those interested monitor the progress and experiences of children. An independent reviewing officer says, ‘I enjoyed reading the newsletter – it shows how many interesting things the home puts together for children. The story about the kittens was my favourite.’

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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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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