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

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, young people have continued to make progress, which has improved their quality of life. They all attend education. Some have good levels of attendance at school but the attendance of others is inconsistent. Staff work hard with young people to help them understand the importance of attending school regularly. In addition, they work closely with head teachers to maintain young people in school who present as being disaffected and, on occasion, troublesome. Staff recognise regular attendance at school will help young people develop their social skills as well as achieve their full potential. Young people’s healthcare needs are met. They have access to the services they need to stay fit and well. Meals are varied and nutritious and young people get lots of fresh air and exercise. This supports them to meet their developmental milestones. Individual care plans are generally well written. However, there are gaps in the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

information recorded and they do not fully document the outcome of the agreed actions. For instance, the date on which one young person stopped taking their prescribed medication is not recorded. Additionally, it was agreed that a young person should be referred to the fostering team for consideration of a foster placement. Records give no indication if the referral was made and, if so, what the outcome of the referral has been. Staff are not proactive in clarifying these issues with the responsible social workers and they have not actively advocated on behalf of the young people in their care. Staff understand the needs of the young people they look after. They are aware that the behaviour they present is often a result of traumatic experiences or a chaotic lifestyle prior to their admission into the home. They are all skilled in de- escalation techniques, which helps to reduce the number incidents of challenging

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

behaviour. This in turn reduces the feelings of anxiety and distress that young people may feel. All young people have positive relationships with staff. This has helped them to form trusting bonds with the adults who care for them, which in turn helps them to feel safe and secure. Staff report that this is a difficult period at the home due to staff absence not being effectively covered or planned for. One member of staff said, ‘We’re operating with a skeleton staff team and morale is being affected.’ This was echoed in the comments of one young person that said, ‘I’d like staff to do things with me but they’re always too busy.’ Inadequate staffing levels can lead to stress and tiredness amongst the remaining staff team. In addition, young people are unable to enjoy quality time with staff or to participate in a range of activities. The home has met the requirements and the recommendation made at the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

previous inspection. Each young person has an individual risk assessment that is regularly reviewed and updated and the registered manager has written a locality risk assessment. Having a locality risk assessment helps staff to know what potential dangers there may be in the vicinity of the home and regularly reviewing and updating individual risk assessments helps to keep young people safe. The registered manager has also introduced a written log for recording the use of sanctions in the home. This will help staff to identify any patterns of behaviour and recognise which sanctions work most effectively in helping young people modify their behaviour. Internal monitoring systems continue to be reviewed. The home’s acting manager has developed robust systems for identifying any concerns and the action taken to address those concerns. This ensures that managers and staff are aware of, and committed to, continuous improvement. However, the reports produced as a result

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

of external monitoring process do not always comment on the overall safety and well-being of young people.

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Information about this children's home

This is a local authority children’s home which, is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to eight children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

03/02/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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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

The registered person must ensure that the independent person produces a report about a visit which sets out in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded and the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being (Regulation 44 (4) (a) & (b)) 31/05/2016

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Requirement Due date

13 The leadership and management standard.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, with particular reference to staffing levels, the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

The home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (2)(d)) 31/05/2016

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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

 Ensure staff play a full part in promoting the best interests of the child, proactively advocating for the child to ensure that others play their role and deliver the high quality support that is needed. Specifically, that staff ensure placing social workers follow up any agreed actions made in looked after reviews and that they encourage independent reviewing officers hold social workers to account for those actions (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 11, paragraph 2.4)

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Recommendations

 Ensure all children’s case records are kept up to date. Specifically, that all information recorded in children’s care plans and review documentation records the dates of all significant incidents. For instance, the dates of all future reviews and the date when a specific medication regime ends. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection 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

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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the 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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