Children's home run by Birtenshaw in Bolton

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.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people live in a welcoming and supportive home where they are highly valued and respected. Staff are extremely creative and highly successful in gaining the views of young people who have complex needs.  Staff are exceptionally motivated in promoting healthy lifestyles. Health plans are thorough and specific to individual health needs. Staff encourage young people to enjoy a balanced diet by adopting a range of sensory experiences.  Young people’s educational attendance is 100%. Staff encourage and support young people to participate in education. They work cohesively with education staff to promote educational progress.  Staff introduce a variety of leisure opportunities and experiences to young people. Comprehensive risk assessments and behaviour management plans support young people to safely engage in community activities which develops social skills and preparation for adulthood.  Young people’s safety and welfare is given top priority. High staffing levels and

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

care delivered by staff who understand and know young people’s individual risks and vulnerabilities ensures that the right action is taken to keep young people safe from harm.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Staff are highly effective in managing young people’s complex and challenging behaviour. They are consistent in their response to negative behaviour and have been successful in their efforts to help young people manage their frustrations and anxieties, which are often brought about by their disability.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Leaders and managers are highly motivated and committed to promoting the best outcomes for young people. They have high aspirations for the staff team and are focused on driving improvement to ensure that young people have exceptional individual care and support.  A collaborative approach is taken to meeting young people’s needs. Strong working links with a range of care, education, health and safeguarding professionals ensure young people receive the right level of care and support to meet their individual and unique needs.  Decision making and planning for young people’s futures is excellent. There is considerable understanding of young people’s long term needs and how consistent care is the key to them making successful transitions to adult placements.

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Information about this children's home

The home is part of a charitable organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to four young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

26/03/2015 CH - Interim improved effectiveness

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outstanding

Young people benefit form living in a nurturing and supportive home which is personalised throughout with photographs of the young people who live there. Staff support and encourage them to choose décor and posters for their bedrooms. Wherever possible staff involve families in the admission process to provide familiar belongings wherever appropriate. This process enables young people to settle into their new home, gain a sense of belonging and to make positive moves from former placements, with the reassurance from people they know well.

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outstanding

Young people have formed positive relationships with adults and other young people living there. Staff value and respect young people and spend time getting to know and understand their anxieties and frustrations. They follow individual behaviour management plans which are clear and highly successful in improving young people’s behaviour and keeping them safe. A social worker commented, ‘X’s behaviour was so challenging I didn’t think anyone would be able to manage him. The staff have supported him to manage his behaviour and this is an amazing achievement.’

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outstanding

Young people are provided with highly personalised care. Staff consult with young people’s families and placing social workers to gain a comprehensive understanding of their complex needs. They are resourceful in gaining young people’s views on their preferences and care experiences. Young people are supported in planning their personal goals through the creative use of sensory story books. This method has significantly helped them to achieve a variety of skills, such as learning to communicate and make small meals. A social worker commented, ‘I am very impressed with the quality of care provided to X since his placement. He has made excellent progress in terms of his level of independence with self-care tasks.’

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outstanding

Staff have an excellent understanding of each young person’s tolerance levels and are skilled in pre-empting potentially stressful situations. This approach enables staff to devise plans to reduce distress such as using favourite toys to lessen anxieties. Young people have accomplished significant goals such as eating in restaurants. A staff member said, ‘X couldn’t have gone into a restaurant when he arrived. He has been with his dad to a restaurant, which was a gradual process and a considerable achievement from when he arrived here’.

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outstanding

Staff have high ambitions for young people and value their education. They work collaboratively with education staff to support young people’s interests and encourage them to develop their skills and talents. The communication between the two fields is highly effective. They regularly discuss strategies and approaches which helps develop consistent responses to meeting young people’s educational needs and managing their behaviour. This approach has resulted in young people gaining AQA awards, which demonstrate the achievements young people make. For example a young person has learned to speak a foreign language.

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outstanding

Staff promote and facilitate contact between young people and important people in their lives where appropriate. They understand the importance of contact in understanding young people’s culture and identity and facilitate and support this. Individual contact plans ensure young people's contact with their families and friends is safe and a positive experience for all involved. This proactive approach affords young people consistent care and has assisted in developing relationships between young people and their families. A social worker commented, ‘Staff particularly work well with X’s family and it’s given them peace of mind that he is in the right place. The staff have been so supportive and fantastic. I can’t praise them enough’.

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outstanding

Staff give young people’s safety and welfare top priority. High staffing levels and care provided by consistent staff who know and understand young people’s individual risks and vulnerabilities ensures that the right action is taken to keep young people safe from harm. A social worker said, Staff explain things in a firm but sensitive manner so that X understands why a particular decision has been made. For example restricting internet access on the computer. X has been able to explain the reasons to me demonstrating he understands the possible dangers and risks associated with this activity’. Staff consider and plan for young people’s known risks from the point of their admission. Important information is collected in relation to young people’s behavioural triggers from their families and placing authorities. This information is used to cultivate risk and behaviour management strategies to reduce young

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outstanding

people’s levels of anxiety and complex behaviour. There are no young people living at the home who are subject to the risk of sexual exploitation. Staff have compiled individual risk assessments which identify potential risks and clearly present staff with a good awareness of the signs. If this becomes an issue of concern staff will follow the organisations procedures and liaise with safeguarding agencies. Staff are highly effective in managing young people’s complex and challenging behaviour. They are consistent in their response to challenging behaviour and successful in helping young people manage their frustrations and anxieties which are often brought about by their disability. Young people know that they can express their feelings and anxieties in a safe environment where staff will protect them from harm. A social worker commented, ‘The consistency, routines and boundaries that have been put in place since X moved in have benefited him

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outstanding

greatly. He has better control over his behaviours and is a pleasure to be around.’

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outstanding

Staff have an excellent knowledge and understanding of young people and encourage positive behaviour. Staff communicate with young people by the use of picture symbols, assisting them to manage their feelings and provide them with a calm, supportive environment. Young people know that staff will use physical restraint to keep them safe because this is explained clearly to them in the children’s guide. Records verify that on the one occasion when a restraint has been used it has been used appropriately, for the least amount of time possible and to keep young people and others safe. Young people are given sufficient opportunity to think about and understand their experiences and communicate any concerns they may have. The manager evaluates all recorded incidents to ensure the actions taken by staff are appropriate and in young people’s best interests. The home has effective links with the Local Safeguarding Children Board and the

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outstanding

local authority where the home is located. Staff work in partnership with these and other safeguarding professionals who provide guidance and support and help promote a robust and clear response when matters of concern arise.

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outstanding

The management of the home is currently going through some changes. The Registered Manager continues to actively manage the home to ensure a smooth transition takes place, pending the Registered Manager Designates registration. The registered manager designate has worked at the home for a number of years and has been effectively managing the home. He has gained the Level 5 qualification in leadership and management and has the necessary skills and experience to provide clear leadership and management to a highly motivated and committed staff team. He is well supported by a Registered Manager Designate. Managers have excellent understanding of the individual needs of the young people and together they promote an exceedingly child-centred ethos of care. The home is consistently managed and successful in meeting the aims and objectives summarised in its Statement of Purpose. Staff practice is focused on

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outstanding

young people and rooted within the home's philosophy and has resulted in young people achieving positive outcomes in many aspects of their lives. Feedback from placing authorities is highly complementary and identifies the staff’s dedication as a key strength of the home. A social worker commented, ‘The staff have an excellent knowledge and understanding of young people’s needs. ‘I am extremely pleased with the progress that X is making and this is down to the management and commitment of the team’.

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outstanding

Care and placement plans are highly individualised and methodically address young people’s needs and capabilities. Managers motivate the staff team and are effective in creating a range of sensory experiences for young people, such as swimming and a variety of foods. Staff are driven by managers to be innovative and to reflect on the work they do. Young people’s care is regularly monitored by feedback from young people to improve their care and experiences. Managers ensure that care plans are meaningful and attainable and evidence the major progress young people have made from their starting points.

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outstanding

Managers and staff have acquired positive relationships with family members and regularly keep them updated of young people’s progress and development. Family members have high regard for the managers and staff and a young person’s keyworker was nominated to receive a carer’s award. A carer commented, ‘All staff are fantastic, I can’t thank them enough for what they do for X’.

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outstanding

Young people benefit from being cared for by an enthusiastic well-trained staff team that have a comprehensive understanding of how to meet their needs, including those associated with their disabilities. All staff complete mandatory training, which is complimented by needs specific training such as understanding autism. These training opportunities ensure staff are well equipped to meet the diverse range of needs which young people currently have. Staff speak highly of the leaders and managers and say they are highly supported with opportunities to grow and develop. They have a robust induction programme with good quality supervision and annual appraisal. A member of staff said, ‘I have an excellent manager who gives me opportunities to learn and develop. We are dedicated to our young people and their safety is priority here’.

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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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