Children's home run by Birtenshaw in Bolton

Inspection report children's home: 1233310 1 Registered provider: Birtenshaw

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a private children’s home registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children who may have learning disabilities. It is part of an organisation that comprises other children’s homes, a short-break service, specialist education provision and adult care homes.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 14 December 2016

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement

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Key findings from this inspection

 Leaders ensure that young people are provided with a high standard of Inspection report children's home: 1233310 2 individualised care by a consistent, caring and well-trained staffing team.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people are making good progress across all aspects of their development.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff support young people to make choices in relation to their day-to-day care arrangements in their favoured communicative style.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people are supported to access a wide range of activities and community resources, which has contributed to the increased emotional well-being of young people.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Healthcare planning is excellent and young people are experiencing improved physical and emotional health.

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Key findings from this inspection

 All young people are accessing and engaging in meaningful educational opportunities.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Behaviour management is well planned and consistently delivered, which increases young people’s ability to feel secure.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Safeguarding arrangements are robust and young people are helped to become increasingly safe.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Leaders and staff work collaboratively with partners and families to secure positive outcomes for young people.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Parents and placing authorities are very positive about the quality of care provided at this home.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development

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Key findings from this inspection

 Record-keeping processes following incidents of restraint do not contain all the details outlined in the regulations.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The home’s procedures for staff to follow in the event of a child being missing from home could be enhanced by ensuring that staff take account of the localised multi-agency protocol.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The workforce plan could be updated regularly with staff training information to allow efficient monitoring of the team’s development needs.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/12/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children's home: 1233310 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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 must ensure that – (a) within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes – (iii) the date, time and location of the use of the measure; (iv) a description of the measure and its duration; (b) within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’) – (i) has spoken to the user about the measure; and (ii) has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(iii)(iv)(b)(i)(ii)) 02/06/2017

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Recommendations

 The home’s procedures must take into account the views of appropriate local services and have regard to police and local authority protocols for responding to missing person’s incidents in the area where the home is located. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.29)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff – including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8) Inspection report children's home: 1233310 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one young person has been admitted to the home. The staffing team has worked hard to make her feel welcome. The organisation has arranged for a staff member from school who knows her well to work within the home. This is to ensure that her transition is as comfortable as possible and that staff are well equipped to meet her care needs and communicate according to her preferences. Staff have decorated her bedroom to suit her taste, which has contributed to her settling in very well in a short space of time. Another young person has formed close and valuable bonds with staff over a sustained period of time; they know her exceptionally well and provide appropriate support, which has helped her to make good progress across all aspects of her development. This young person has made excellent progress, particularly in her expressive skills and ability to communicate and socialise with others.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home is welcoming, modern, and well maintained. It is very spacious, which means that young people are provided with the privacy and personal space they need to relax. A sensory room is well equipped with appropriate toys and resources for young people. Staff facilitate nurturing routines and ensure that young people are supported to undertake self-care, enjoy mealtimes and socialise with staff and peers. One young person was unable to sit at the table with family prior to living at the home, and is now able to enjoy a more structured and sociable mealtime. Young people are encouraged to learn to undertake tasks for themselves and develop skills that promote their independence. One young person has learned to undertake basic household tasks such as moving laundry and clearing away dinner plates.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All young people attend the organisation’s specialist education provision. They are engaging well and making good progress. One young person has recently achieved certificates for achievement in numeracy and literacy. Young people are actively involved in activities provided both by the school and by staff at the home. These include swimming and outings to local parks and the beach. Young people are encouraged to access community resources such as shops and cafes; this has increased their social experiences and has contributed to the improved emotional well-being of young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides individual children’s guides and complaints information. These documents are tailored to meet young people’s communicative preferences and their cognitive abilities to process information. Regular house meetings take place; during these meetings young people are encouraged to choose their meals and activities, and are asked for their opinions on the way in which they are cared for. Young people have accessed advocacy services. Staff recognise the importance of ensuring that they respect and facilitate the rights and entitlements of young people in their care, particularly those who have limited expressive skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people at this home have complex health needs and are supported to attend regular appointments and receive medication in a safe manner, as outlined in their individual plans. Healthcare planning is excellent and staff at the home work in Inspection report children's home: 1233310 5 partnership with healthcare professionals to ensure that young people are able to access the treatment they need, despite the anxieties that may arise in healthcare settings. For example, staff have recently arranged for a nurse to attend the home to undertake a procedure that would usually be performed in a clinical setting. Young people are encouraged to lead active lifestyles, and are provided with nutritious, well-balanced meals; this has contributed to improved physical health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work positively and sensitively with families, and recognise the importance of meaningful contact. One young person’s parent, who is a regular visitor to the home, described her daughter as ‘content and happy’. She stated that she feels very involved in her child’s care, and that the staff communicate well with her on a daily basis. Staff ensure that any cultural or religious considerations are fully accommodated. One young person has a halal diet; she enjoys shopping in supermarkets that stock the ingredients which enable staff to prepare dishes that are appropriate to her cultural and religious heritage. Staff are also taking time to ensure that they respect the values that reflect the family life that she is accustomed to, which reinforces her sense of her own identity.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Young people at the home say they feel safe. Parents and local authorities agree that staff prioritise the safety needs of young people. Staff provide high levels of support and supervision for young people. They support them to reduce their anxiety and incidents of challenging behaviour by using comprehensive and personalised behaviour management plans. The plans outline a consistent approach, through which staff can communicate with young people, offer strategies to distract them and support them to feel calmer and more secure.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Risk assessments are rigorous and identified hazards are mitigated successfully; this provides a safe physical environment for young people. The procedures outlined for staff to follow in the event of a child being missing from home are clear and purposeful, but do not demonstrate sufficient regard to police and local authority protocols for responding to incidents of people going missing.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There have been no serious incidents, complaints or allegations since the last inspection. Any incidents of challenging behaviour or other difficulties are scrutinised and evaluated by leaders. On occasions where physical intervention is used, staff use the least restrictive methods to ensure the safety of young people. Leaders monitor such instances efficiently to ensure that the actions of staff are proportionate and necessary. A culture of reflection and learning is embedded within practice and is continually evolving to ensure that young people are becoming increasingly safe. On occasions record-keeping practice does not fully meet the requirements of regulation, for example staff have omitted some detail of the restraint and a requirement is made to address this matter.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff are trained to recognise safeguarding issues and follow the appropriate procedures. The staff have had enhanced training on topics such as e-safety and child sexual Inspection report children's home: 1233310 6 exploitation to ensure they have the most up-to-date knowledge and are trained to recognise the risks, should any arise.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager of the home has been in post for approximately six months and has recently registered with Ofsted. She is suitably experienced and has demonstrated her competence, she has been working in a supervisory capacity within the organisation for seven years. She has successfully completed a leadership development programme and is in the process of completing a level 5 diploma in leadership and management of residential care settings. Since the last inspection she has worked closely with her team leader to ensure that all previous inspection requirements and recommendations have been met. Care planning processes are comprehensive and subject to regular review. There is evidence of good standards of monitoring and evaluation of practice standards in the home, all of which has secured good developmental progress for the young people at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders have worked hard to build a stable, well-trained team that is efficiently supervised and supported to deliver a high standard of care for the young people at the home. Staff feel they are well managed and supported. The manager is aware of the strengths of the service. She cites the strong bonds that have been created among the staffing team and with young people as being a key asset which will ensure that young people continue to make good progress across all aspects of their development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and staff know the young people very well and are able to articulate their individual care needs effectively. There is a detailed development plan in place to ensure the service is focused on continuous improvement. The workforce plan would benefit from revision to ensure that all training records for staff are up to date and allow efficient monitoring by the manager. The home is achieving its aims and objectives as described in the statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders work collaboratively with other agencies and with families to secure positive outcomes for young people. One social worker said, ‘We are more than happy with the phenomenal progress made.’ Another said, ‘The registered manager has been professional and supportive, putting the young person at the very centre of all planning and maintaining excellent communication.’

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about Inspection report children's home: 1233310 7 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.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report children's home: 1233310 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Birtenshaw, Darwen Road, Bolton BL7 9AB

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Inspector(s)

Nicola Thomas, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children's home: 1233310 9 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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