Children's home run by Underley Schools Limited in Bolton

The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

children and young people since the most recent full inspection. This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness . The home is currently being led by an acting manager who has been in post for only a short period. The manager has been recruited to the permanent position and is in the process of making an application to the regulator for registration. The manager has worked in the home for seven years and has experience and knowledge which make him suitable for the post. There have been further changes in the management structure with the appointment of an additional deputy manager and a care coordinator. Although these changes need time to embed, initial indications are that the home is being well managed and the staff team well supported. Young people at this home report positively of their day-to-day experiences. Their

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

individual needs are identified and well planned for, and they have positive relationships with staff who are familiar to them and understand their needs and communication methods well. A number of young people have additional health, learning, physical and communication needs. The care staff work closely with the therapeutic team to ensure that young people’s needs are fully understood and that they are supported to make positive progress. The therapeutic team includes learning disability nurses, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and psychologists. This diverse team covers the range of needs presented by the young people and ensures that their needs are met in all areas. The joined-up care delivered by the care and therapeutic team is a significant strength of the home and some work is innovative and highly advanced. Young people make very good progress at this home. Examples of this include

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

successful weight management, reduction in anxiety for young people with anxiety issues, improved behaviour and communication and increased attendance at education. Recording of progress is detailed, and is shared with parents and placing authorities via monthly progression reports. Education is provided within the on-site school for most young people, with others attending external provision to provide them with continuity from their home or previous placement. Positive communication on a daily basis with school staff enables young people’s education to be supported at all times. This includes care staff supporting young people to complete homework. Transitions into and out of the home are well managed and carefully planned. When young people are coming to live at the home they have the opportunity to visit, sometimes on several occasions, prior to their admission. A wealth of information is gathered in respect of the young person’s care needs and likes and

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

dislikes so that a thorough impact assessment, care plan and risk assessment can be completed before a young person’s placement commences. There are good systems in place to keep children safe. Any incidents that occur are dealt with swiftly and robustly. Where allegations are made against staff there is a full investigation with a clear outcome. The home involves other agencies appropriately, such as placing authorities and the local area designated officer in respect of safeguarding issues. Restrictive physical intervention is used with some young people. While staff and managers can articulate how they evaluate the use and incidents of intervention, and how they discuss patterns and trends for young people, this is not evidenced within the records. A recommendation is made in respect of this to ensure that evaluation and monitoring is evident and transparent and to show what the home is doing to reduce the number of times that physical intervention is used.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

Communication with parents is a strength of the home. Staff often offer support and advice to parents who are struggling to manage their child’s behaviour or maintain a routine while they are at home on contact visits. Some staff have supported young people to enable them to have a holiday with their family, and others plan to offer support to enable a young person to have supported family contact on New Year’s eve. Staff report that they are well supported by the management team. They are supervised regularly and have access to informal supervision at their request. They feel valued in their role and feel that the home is a happy place to work. Some staff who have worked at the home for a number of years have not yet completed their level 3 diploma for residential childcare. A requirement is made to ensure that all staff have obtained the qualification by the relevant date. Managers at the home have a good understanding of the home’s strengths and

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

weaknesses. There are processes in place to monitor the quality of care and professional practice that young people receive. Managers are able to identify and prioritise areas for improvement, which has a positive impact on young people’s experiences at the home.

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Information about this children's home

 The home may only provide care and accommodation for up to 48 children.  The home is privately owned.  The home may provide care and accommodation for children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties or learning disabilities.  The home must reduce the number of children by the number of people aged 18 and over for which it also provides care and accommodation.  The service is also registered with the Care Quality Commission for young adults accommodated on site post-19 years old.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 13/10/2015 Full Good 18/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 17/12/2014 Full Adequate

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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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only employ an individual if the individual who works in the home in a care role has, by the relevant date, attained the level 3 diploma for residential childcare. (Regulation 32 (4)(a), (5)(a) and (b)) 10/02/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 59)

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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 ‘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

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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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