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 requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Partnership working, risk assessments and case planning are all elements of practice that have improved since the last inspection. These aspects are now underpinned by a specific model of parenting and intervention. This helps staff to set clearer targets with young people, understand and respond to risk better, and involve young people more in the care planning process.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This approach has also served to ensure that the requirements and recommendations, set at the last inspection to develop some of these areas of practice, are now met. This demonstrates that managers learn from inspection activity and wider research, and improve the service accordingly.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All of this has impacted positively on young people and has improved the quality of care that they receive. It supports young people to make good progress from often very challenging starting points on admission to the home. All young people are now engaged in education. Some are ambitious to go to university and others are finding success and enjoyment in more practical vocations. This gives them every prospect of finding employment in the future.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s health outcomes continue to improve through eating a balanced diet, engaging with psychological support services and having the skilled help of staff. The current group of young people are settled and busy in getting on with their lives. In spite of uncertainty about the future in some cases, young people behave well and actively seek the guidance and support of staff, who are strong advocates on their behalf.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people rarely feel the need to go missing from the home. When this occurs, staff implement agreed protocols to ensure that young people return home quickly and safely. Incidents of concern have been managed well and have now significantly reduced.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Currently, there are no concerns that young people are at risk of child sexual exploitation, but staff are alert to the behaviours that may indicate such risks. There have been no physical restraints since the last inspection and, although young people may have their ‘moans and groans’, there have been no complaints.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Transitions in and out of the home are managed well. Young people are given good support, both when they first arrive and when they are preparing to leave to live independently in the community. Effective links with other agencies help to ensure that young people continue to get the advice, guidance and support that they need when they move on from the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager’s monitoring of the home has improved, particularly the manager’s six-monthly report, which is now clearer and identifies areas for improvement better. The independent visitor continues both to support and to challenge the home to do better, but the visitor’s report takes several weeks to reach Ofsted. This prevents the regulator from taking prompt action, should this be necessary, on any concerns that emerge.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager is now successfully registered with Ofsted. She continues to provide effective leadership to the staff team, particularly through supervision. She also demonstrates a strong commitment to placing young people’s needs at the centre of practice, and strives for continual improvement.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/07/2016 Full Requires improvement 17/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 13/07/2015 Full Good 21/01/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Make best use of information from independent monitoring to ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24) Specifically, ensure that the independent visitor’s report is sent to Ofsted before the end of the month that follows the month in which the visit took place.

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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 0300 123 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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