Children's home run by Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council in Bolton

Inspection report children’s home: SC040719 1 SC040719 Registered provider: Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council

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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 short-breaks service is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a local authority.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children’s home: SC040719 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home is outstanding because

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff are highly qualified, experienced and dedicated to improving the lives of young people who access the service.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff are highly successful in engaging young people in positive, meaningful activities that strengthen bonds in the family and enhance their emotional well- being.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Care planning processes are extremely effective and there is clear evidence of young people making impressive progress in their social development and physical and emotional health, and in increasing their skills for independence.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people enjoy a wide range of new experiences and positive activities in the home and in the community.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people are helped to become increasingly safe. Staff use a variety of research-based resources to educate young people on healthy relationships, building resilience to successfully manage their emotions and regulate their own behaviour.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The setting uses research-based practice to achieve the best possible outcomes for the young people in its care.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The service is innovative and continuously evolves to meet any emerging unmet needs of young people, to strengthen their family dynamics and prevent them from becoming looked after by the local authority.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Leaders are inspiring and enthusiastic and promote a culture of high aspiration for young people to achieve positive outcomes in the home.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The service is in high demand. All professionals who provided feedback during the inspection gave highly positive praise about the efforts of staff and the outcomes for families. Inspection report children’s home: SC040719 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 19/12/2016 Full Outstanding 23/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18/12/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC040719 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home operates a short-break service and works with up to 40 families at any one time. The manager assesses each referral made to the service and, when creating a plan for overnight stays, she considers the risks, impact and influence that young people may have on each other to ensure that each child has a positive experience at the home. Any admissions are carefully planned with other professionals and the family to create an individual plan that comprehensively addresses their needs. This includes one-to-one parenting support, telephone advice, activities and individual activities and work packages to equip young people with the skills they need to thrive. Young people are supported by staff to create their own plans and to review their own progress. This is excellent practice as it empowers them to take ownership and responsibility for their own needs, and they are supported to directly influence the service they receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff help young people to develop social skills, increase their emotional well-being and improve their physical health and educational outcomes. One social worker said, ‘This service is essential for young people. They really can engage them where we sometimes can’t.’ There is clear evidence that staff build valuable relationships with young people and their families. One young person said, ‘I really like the work they are doing with me. Thanks everyone. You have made a change.’ There is a high level of engagement and a high proportion of young people who access the service. Many young people achieve positive outcomes across all aspects of their development. This enhances their life chances and reduces the risk of their being admitted into full-time care. The service is highly innovative and seeks to fill gaps in provision and meet any emerging unmet needs that families have.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff provide a variety of positive activities to help build close and trusted bonds with young people. Inside the home, young people take part in nurturing activities, such as baking, pamper evenings and playing games. Staff provide experiences for young people that they have never had before, for example visiting a beach or going on day trips. Some young people are helped to find their individual interests. Staff take them swimming, to trampoline activities and parks. The service promotes positive contributions to the community through bake sales, art and gardening projects. This all contributes to young people having an increased sense of self-worth and belonging and improves their self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Some young people are admitted to the service with unmet healthcare needs. Staff are proactive in making appointments for dental checks, sexual health matters and mental healthcare. If appropriate, they attend with young people and give them the skills and confidence to address their own physical and mental health needs in the future. There is an impressive agenda for promoting a healthier lifestyle. This includes engaging young people in physical activity and group sessions to educate them about nutrition and to encourage healthy eating.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Although young people do not reside permanently at the home, staff promote good Inspection report children’s home: SC040719 5 educational outcomes. Young people learn to prepare their uniform and any equipment needed for school. Staff have supported one young person who has a history of non- attendance to return through a phased plan. This is an example of outstanding progress. The service is exploring ways that it can offer additional qualifications and awards that will be recognised by prospective employers. Staff teach young people the skills that they need to gain employment, such as preparing for interviews and creating CVs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people make excellent progress in developing skills for independence. This is one of the core aims of the service. Staff support young people to complete a detailed work package, which teaches them how to budget, shop, travel independently and meet their own safety needs. Staff ensure that any cultural and religious needs are accommodated sensitively. They cater appropriately for young people who have dietary requirements. One parent who has a limited understanding of English is being supported to access the parenting support using an approved interpreter.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff work very hard to strengthen relationships in families to improve the experience that children have in their home environment. Parents are provided with one-to-one support, and telephone advice is available when needed. One parent said, ‘The course has really helped me to talk to my daughter. I don’t shout now I am able to give her space.’ Another parent commented, ‘It was absolutely brilliant and I’m really appreciative of what they have done for us.’

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

Staff work attentively with young people to help them to become increasingly safe. When young people are admitted to the short-break service, staff explain the rules and boundaries in a child-friendly manner. Each young person has an individual comprehensive risk assessment that outlines the risks and identifies any vulnerabilities. Staff follow an individual positive handling plan, which explains the day-to-day steps they must take to keep young people safe. Staff are trained in how to intervene safely to protect themselves or young people from harm, although there have been no recent incidents requiring physical intervention.

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

Young people who have a history of concerning, risk-taking behaviour are regularly referred to the service. Leaders complete an assessment of their needs and very efficiently plan a programme of positive interventions to educate young people about how to reduce risks to their safety. Simultaneously, parents are provided with one-to- one support and training that enhances their ability to meet the safety needs of their children. This holistic approach to supporting the whole family is highly effective. For example, one young person who was regularly missing from home and considered to be at risk of sexual exploitation has engaged positively with the service and is no longer going missing from home or engaging in risk-taking behaviour. Another young person who had a variety of challenging life circumstances commented, ‘They have saved my life.’ These are examples of outstanding outcomes for young people.

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

Young people are engaged into individual and group work to address issues such as bullying, substance misuse and anti-social behaviour. A local police officer has recently Inspection report children’s home: SC040719 6 visited the home to dispel any myths about the consequences of such behaviour and to promote good relationships between young people and the police. Young people who exhibit self-injurious behaviour are helped to develop resilience and techniques to manage their emotions in a healthy way. Staff have provided some young people with research-based education about developing and maintaining healthy relationships. The manager of the service attends the multi-agency forums that seek to address the safety needs of young people who are considered to be at risk of harm.

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

There have been no complaints or allegations made since the last inspection. The service has robust procedures in place for sharing information with other professionals, and staff are trained to act on any concerns that they have about the safety of young people. Young people said that they feel safe at this setting and their parents and social workers agreed. The service has stringent arrangements for maintaining the home and complying with health and safety regulations. Staff and young people take part in regular fire drills. Staff also teach young people how to contact emergency services, seek support from other organisations, maintain a safe home environment and administer basic first aid, as part of their efforts to increase young people’s skills for independence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is a highly competent, enthusiastic and child-centred leader with a wealth of appropriate experience in caring for young people. She is suitably qualified and supported by a deputy manager who has significant management experience gained in other residential settings. They successfully lead a team of staff that has considerable, relevant experience of working with young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff benefit from a comprehensive training and development programme. Some staff have degree-level qualifications in social work, youth work and education. Staff receive regular, qualitative supervision and team meetings, which provide a supportive environment for them to work in. Staff reported that the service is very well managed and that staff present as extremely motivated and dedicated to their roles. Care planning is highly effective and is subject to regular review. Young people are making exceptional progress. The service meets its aims and objectives as outlined in the statement of purpose and has tangible evidence of strengthening families and preventing admissions into full-time local authority care. Children who receive short breaks and outreach services are making excellent progress across all aspects of their development as a direct result of well-planned and child-focused interventions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders have a thorough oversight of practice in the home and a detailed understanding of the individual needs of young people and families. They have very high expectations with regard to the level of support that young people and families receive. There is a culture of high aspiration and a willingness to exceed expectations of families that receive the service and the professionals that refer them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

All aspects of this service are thoroughly evaluated. Leaders reflect on feedback provided by young people and their families and are continuously striving to enhance the service they provide. The registered manager has recently used research to demonstrate a clear Inspection report children’s home: SC040719 7 need for reducing the ages of young people, in their current admission criteria, to further enhance their success rate. Leaders and staff work collaboratively with other agencies to offer holistic support to children and their families. Social workers who have referred to the service have provided highly positive feedback. One social worker said, ‘It’s an absolutely brilliant service.’ Another said, ‘They have gone above and beyond. There are so many cases where they have really turned things around.’

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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 how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom 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: SC040719 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Victoria Square, PO Box 29, Bolton BL1 1RU

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Inspector

Nicola Thomas, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC040719 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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