Children's home run by Birtenshaw in Bolton

This inspection

This home was judged outstanding at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness .

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This inspection

The young people living in this home continue to make significant progress in all aspects of their development. They receive consistent care from a highly dedicated staff team that provides stability and security. This has resulted in young people growing in confidence and flourishing as individuals. A social worker said, ‘The care and support provided to young people is the highest quality, along with the commitment, care and dedication of staff.’

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This inspection

Young people’s education attendance is 100%. Staff understand the young people’s highly complex needs and share information with education staff on a daily basis. They take an active interest in young people’s educational progress and continue to support their learning in the home, carrying on the topic that young people are learning in school, for example, by watching the film ‘James and the Giant Peach’ and finding the animals in the garden from this story. This assists young people’s learning and provides consistent care.

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This inspection

Staff support young people to have meaningful contact with their families and other important people in their lives. Young people are confident, with the support from staff, in using the telephone to communicate with family and friends. The manager identifies effectively when young people are feeling anxious about family contact, and works with the placing social worker to provide support to young people and their families. This has been highly effective in assisting young people to manage and enjoy the time they spend with their families.

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This inspection

Staff are very proud of the progress young people continue to make and support and encourage them to learn new skills to assist them in their adult lives, such as vacuuming their bedrooms. They provide a wide range of activities and learning experiences such as swimming, walking and visiting historic buildings. Staff promote community activities and enrol young people in the local clubs, providing this is the right environment for the young person’s needs. Staff support young people to select their weekly recreational activities and food preferences using the home’s computer and picture symbols. They encourage and support young people to try new experiences such as participating in a snow day at the Chill Factore. This creative approach has improved resilience and tolerance, and increased self- confidence and self-esteem.

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This inspection

There is strong leadership in the home which is effective at all levels. Managers and staff are highly child-centred and proactive, and focus on the needs of the young people in the home. They have an excellent knowledge of the young people and staff support them to accomplish positive outcomes in all facets of their development. A social worker said, ‘Staff care and dedication to [name] has, without question, ensured a quality of life to a young person whose complex needs presented worries and concerns about who would be best placed to deliver a service with the care and commitment required.’

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This inspection

There has been one incident when a young person left the home without permission. Staff followed procedures and immediately followed the young person and located him near to the home. They successfully encouraged the young person to return to the home. Staff spent time with him to identify the triggers to his behaviour. Risk assessments and behaviour management plans now include a daily running activity, which the young person needs and enjoys. This has reduced the young person’s risk-taking behaviour. In addition to this, activity staff have also sourced an exercise bike for the young person to use in the home, which is helping him to remain calmer and have a better night’s sleep.

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This inspection

The manager has a very effective arrangement in place to monitor and review young people’s patterns and trends. She uses the independent person’s monthly visits to monitor the progress that young people are making. She analyses the quality of care that the home provides to the young people and compiles a report to this effect. A shortfall found at this inspection is that the report lacks feedback from stakeholders, parents and staff, which is required. This shortfall does not impact on the care of the young people, and the manager is keen to make these improvements.

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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 three young people who have learning disabilities and/or sensory impairment.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 20/09/2016 Full Outstanding 16/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 23/09/2015 Full Outstanding

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (2)(a)) 02/06/2017

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (5)) 02/06/2017

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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 that 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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