Children's home run by Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council 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:

 The home provides an outstanding high quality short-break service for young people and their families who benefit from the excellent facilities and services this home provides for them.  Young people who use the short-break service make exceptional progress across all aspects of their welfare, physical, social, emotional and behavioural development. They develop new skills and benefit from exciting and stimulating experiences that promote their learning, growth and natural development.  Young people enjoy safe and secure relationships with staff who support them and effectively prioritise their needs. They develop friendships and enjoy positive relationships with their peers. The home maintains highly effective partnerships with the families of young people, social workers, schools and health professionals to meet their specific needs and ensure they benefit from the best possible help and all round support.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 The home successfully and consistently delivers on the aims and objectives, as set out, in the home’s Statement of Purpose. There is effective scrutiny of the performance of the home in reviewing the standard and quality of young people’s care. The manager has an excellent understanding of the strengths and weakness of the service and makes good use of the home’s internal and monitoring activities to secure continuing improvement. They demonstrate strong and effective leadership of the day-to-day operations of the home.  Staff are well qualified, effectively and professionally supported, well managed and led. The training needs of staff are effectively identified and met. Young people benefit from staff who have an excellent understanding of their specific needs and vulnerabilities and take appropriate action to address them. Young people are kept safe and have a very strong sense of personal safety.

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Information about this children's home

 The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six young people who may have physical and/or learning disabilities.  The home is owned and managed by the local authority.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/10/2015 Full Outstanding 24/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 05/02/2015 Full Outstanding

p.4

Outstanding

Young people who use the short-break service make exceptional progress across all aspects of their physical, social, emotional and behavioural development. They benefit from exceptionally well planned, highly personalised care that promote their needs effectively. Young people enjoy warm and secure relationships with staff. They sustain their positive attachments and have stability and consistency in their lives. The home provides young people with outstanding quality care that contributes to considerable change and improvement in their lives.

p.5

Outstanding

Young people make significant progress as a result of the effective, high quality support provide to them by staff. The home provides a high quality short-break service for young people and their families who benefit from the excellent facilities and services the home provides for them. Staff provide young people with a caring and nurturing environment that is welcoming and highly supportive of their needs. Young people enjoy staying at the home where they are kept safe and have a very strong sense of personal safety.

p.5

Outstanding

Parents report, ‘It’s absolutely wonderful. Absolutely brilliant. It gives us a chance to have a break and get ourselves together. He loves coming here, he tell us. It gives him a chance to experience a normality that he wouldn’t normally get. He gets on really well with the staff and has taken to it really well. I can’t fault the service in any way it’s just brilliant. It’s made a big difference to our lives. It’s a life line, definitely.’

p.5

Outstanding

Staff maintain close and positive relationships with the families of young people, social workers, schools and health professionals to ensure young people benefit from the best possible help and all round support. They provide young people with continuity of care so they have consistency and stability in their lives. Staff ensure young people who use the service have similar interests and are appropriately placed and matched. Parents report, ‘Staff know the children and go out of their way to make sure the children placed have similar interests.’

p.5

Outstanding

Social workers report, ‘Girls and boys are arranged to promote friendships. Young people who have a good relationship try to be matched when booking in stays where possible. The staff try to organise the short-break stays for children and young people with similar interests. When I visit there are always positive interactions between the staff and children. The staff care very much about the children and endeavour to make the breaks as enjoyable as possible.’

p.5

Outstanding

The health needs of young people are effectively identified and met. Staff have an excellent understanding of their particular needs, disabilities and specific health conditions and take appropriate action to address them. They work in close partnership with their families and various health professionals to promote young people’s good health including managing any lifelong conditions.

p.5

Outstanding

Staff are trained to meet the specific health needs of young people. They receive specialist training from a paediatric nurse on specific health interventions, such as, epilepsy management and treating young people with diabetes. Staff are trained to administer young people’s medication safely and follow robust procedures for the storage and effective management of their medication. Medical consent is in place and staff are clear about what types of health decisions and responsibilities are delegated to them.

p.6

Outstanding

Social workers report, ‘Staff are keen to learn about the children’s needs and often contact me about health related issues. Staff always ensure they access training and complete competency training, as required…Staff are always willing to follow advice and guidance as outlined by other professionals e.g. learning disability nurses and are sympathetic with children and young people experiencing problems in their lives.’

p.6

Outstanding

Staff are highly supportive of young people’s education and actively support their learning and regular school attendance. They work closely with their teachers and parents to promote their progress and educational achievement. The home provides a highly supportive and positive learning environment for young people. Partnerships and communication between the home and schools are excellent and supports young people’s learning, growth, educational, social and behavioural development.

p.6

Outstanding

A particularly strong feature of the service is young people’s positive engagement and participation. The home provides them with a voice and consults with them regularly, actively listening to their views and feelings and acting upon their reasonable requests. Young people are meaningfully involved in child centred consultations with staff. As a result, they are able to influence key decisions and contribute to the running of the home. The home provides young people with a diverse range of enjoyable and stimulating activities that enrich the lives of young people. Consequently, young people develop skills, friendships, interests and hobbies. They enjoy crab fishing, horse riding, caving, canoeing and visiting the space centre, football matches, theatre, fund raising, gardening, theme parks and museums. Additionally, they have family special events held and fun activities provided for them at the home. Staff use a mobile text service to update their

p.6

Outstanding

Young people develop their social and practical skills with good support and encouragement from staff. They develop their independence skills to promote their daily living and staff provide the necessary support for young people, if needed, with personal care. They participate in creative and stimulating activities that encourage and promote their independence. Social workers report, ‘The staff are committed to providing a place that is fun and enjoyable for the children and young people. They go above and beyond to ensure there are a range of activities to suit each child’s needs. Children and young people are always encouraged to develop their independence skills e.g. they are allowed to make age appropriate choices about what activities they would like to do, they are given opportunities to undertake tasks, such as cooking, baking, gardening, art projects or to spend time alone in a safe environment if that is what they require.’

p.6

Outstanding

Young people benefit from effective support, help and protection. Their safety and well-being is consistently at the centre of staff practice. Staff ensure young people are closely supervised and supported. They have a positive understanding of their needs and vulnerabilities and take appropriate action to address them.

p.7

Outstanding

The whereabouts of young people are always known to staff. Consequently, young people do not leave the premises and there are no issues with them going missing from the home. Risks associated with young people are well known and effectively managed by staff. The use of clear risk assessment and highly effective behaviour management strategies promote the safety and well-being of young people. Social workers report, ‘The staff always ensure the children and young people are safe when they are out in the community and are very experienced in caring for children and young people with additional health and learning needs.’

p.7

Outstanding

Staff understand the triggers for disruptive and challenging behaviour. They know when young people are angry or upset and recognise that their feelings and emotions can be communicated through their behaviour. Detailed and individualised behavioural support plans and risk assessments are in place to support and protect young people. These outline in detail the circumstances, in which, young people may display, unsafe behaviour that puts themselves, or others, at risk of harm. Staff monitor mood and emotions very closely, work and communicate effectively with each other to anticipate issues, so they can pre-empt the development of unsafe behaviour, and help young people to self-regulate. This includes using redirection, safe space, diversion and providing young people with one to one support and reassurance.

p.7

Outstanding

The use of restraint is a last resort, and if used at all, it is only ever used by trained and competent staff to protect young people from harm. There have been a small number of low level restrictive interventions of short duration, involving a very small number of young people, since the last inspection. The use of sanctions as a consequence for negative behaviour are few and there use is kept to an absolute minimum. Staff work enthusiastically with young people to encourage and promote their positive behaviour. There is effective use of targeted incentives and rewards to influence the development of good behaviour.

p.7

Outstanding

All visitors to the home are closely chaperoned and there is strict and suitable monitoring of such people. Staff employed are selected and vetted carefully to protect young people from unsafe and unsuitable people. Staff are trained in child protection and know how to deal with any allegations and report suspected abuse. There have been no allegations of abuse or child protection referrals to children and young people’s services since the last inspection. Significant events are rare, however, where a significant incident has occurred, it is reported promptly to the appropriate authorities charged with a duty to protect young people. This ensures young people are kept safe from actual harm.

p.8

Outstanding

The home provides young people with a physically safe, appropriately secure, warm, comfortable and homely environment. The home is a purpose built property that has been adapted and designed to take account of the needs and characteristics of the young people who use the service. Health and safety matters are addressed effectively to ensure a safe environment is consistently maintained for young people, staff and visitors to the home. A social worker reports, ‘The atmosphere within the home is happy, fun and warm. It is a place of laughter and happiness where the children are carefully matched to their fellow residents. The facilities are excellent and personal to each child. Children have the opportunity to take ownership of their environment during their stays at the home.’

p.8

Outstanding

The home meets the aims and objectives, as set out, in its statement of purpose. It delivers an outstanding quality service for young people and their families that has a real impact and makes a significant difference to their lives. Young people benefit from the excellent services and facilities the home provides for them and this has led significant change and improvement in their lives.

p.8

Outstanding

A foster carer reports, ‘My child is new to the service but I’ve been really pleased with how they’ve managed my child’s transition. They’re very professional. My child is happy to come and stay and is involved and engaged. They are very person- centred and asked about all of their routines. They provide me with regular feedback’. A parent reports, ‘Long may it last. Be lost without the service.’

p.8

Outstanding

The manager stimulates staff’s enthusiasm and he channels their efforts effectively. Staff work creatively with young people developing new ideas to enhance their progress and experiences. For example, they have helped young people develop a garden project and raise funds for good causes in the community. Staff are now researching for the implementation of their next project which is a sensory garden, which they hope to complete early next year. Staff continuously go above and beyond to provide young people new experiences to enrich their lives.

p.8

Outstanding

Young people report, ‘I can still do my hobbies like dancing and roller skating…It's amazing. I like the staff and the gardening club.’ A carer reports, ‘I love the home and all the staff. Everyone is so accommodating and pleasant. I get a complete rest while the home is doing all the work. My children are well looked after and cared for.’

p.9

Outstanding

The manager has established a positive culture of high aspiration and ambition for young people. They have high expectations of staff to change and improve the lives of those young people entrusted in their care. The manager leads staff by example and provides them with clear purpose and direction. They ensure the home is consistently managed in a way that delivers the ethos, approach and philosophy, as set out, in the Statement of Purpose. They effectively prioritise the needs of young people and ensure each child receives the support they need to achieve their full potential across all aspects of their welfare, physical, social, emotional and behavioural development.

p.9

Outstanding

The manager ensures the home is consistently well staffed and resourced to meet the specific needs of the young people at the home. They ensure young people and their families benefit from continuity of care and have consistency and stability in their lives. Staff on each shift have substantial experience of working with young people. Young people benefit from well qualified, highly skilled and experienced staff who know them well and have an exceptionally good understanding of their specific needs.

p.9

Outstanding

Staff are effectively supported, professionally managed and led. They benefit from regular professional practice related supervision. Their practice is supported and their performance is formally appraised, each year. Staff’s training needs are effectively identified and met. They have access to high quality, research informed training that is specific to their roles and takes account of the specific needs and any health conditions of the young people. There are effective arrangements for staff continuing personal and professional development.

p.9

Outstanding

The home maintains strong and effective partnerships with everyone involved in young people’s care. Staff regularly communicate and share information with parents, social workers and teachers and maintain effective working partnerships with them to ensure young people benefit from the best possible help and all round support. They share concerns and will challenge any decisions that they believe are not in the best interests of young people. Equally, they are also open to being challenged and make good use of professional feedback to secure improvement. There is effective scrutiny of the performance of the home. The home is visited, each month, by an independent person who observes practice, examines records, consults with parents and professionals to form an opinion about the quality of young people’s care and the arrangements to safeguard them and promote their well-being. An evaluative and comprehensive report is prepared for the home. This

p.9

Outstanding

is accessible to parents and social workers on request.

p.10

Outstanding

The manager makes good use of the independent scrutiny, internal and external monitoring activities to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the home. They take appropriate action to sustain good practice and tackle any weaknesses to ensure continuous improvement. Young people benefit from a home that is consistently managed efficiently and effectively. There are no breaches in regulation. Consequently, there are no recommendations or requirements made as a result of this inspection.

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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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