Children's home run by Underley Schools Limited in Bolton

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038276 1 SC038276

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Underley Schools Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

 The home may only provide care and accommodation for up to 48 children.  The home may provide care and accommodation for children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties or learning disabilities.  The home must reduce the number of children by the number of people aged 18 and over for whom it also provides care and accommodation.  The service is also registered with the Care Quality Commission for young adults, post 19 years old, accommodated on site.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged to be outstanding overall at the full inspection on 21 March 2017.

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This monitoring visit

Concerns were raised with the regulator relating to insufficient staff numbers and staff working hours, which may impact on the quality of care and safety of young people in the home. Concerns were also raised about managers putting undue pressure on staff to work long shifts followed by waking night duties.

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This monitoring visit

The monitoring visit, on 18 August 2017, specifically addressed concerns in relation to the sufficiency of staff, and established whether staff were pressured into working additional or excessive hours.

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Summary of findings

Managers at the home identify that staffing levels were low between April and May 2017 due to a number of staff leaving for a variety of reasons. A recruitment process has been under way since this time, and the home has successfully recruited several staff who have either already started their induction or are due to start. Further recruitment interviews were due to take place the week following the inspection. Gaps in the rota have been covered using bank and agency staff, overtime hours for Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038276 2 permanent staff, staff from the on-site school (during the school holidays and weekends) and staff from another of the company’s schools. Staffing levels were checked, and for each bungalow there were sufficient staff on shift to meet the needs of the young people placed. The registered manager had detailed knowledge of the staffing ratios required for each young person and of the experience and skills

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Summary of findings

of each staff member. This knowledge is considerable given that the home employs over 80 staff members to care for approximately 35 young people.

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Summary of findings

Staff rotas and overtime sheets were reviewed. These evidenced that rotas are clear, and work on a two-week rolling programme where staff work three shifts one week followed by four the next. Working hours are longer during the school holidays and shorter during term time; they average out to meet the hours staff are contracted to work. Staff are assigned to work with young people in a specific bungalow for consistency. Rotas showed that they mainly worked in the bungalow they were allocated to, although they could do overtime at other bungalows, or be transferred there for specific shifts if there was reasonable need identified. For example, more experienced staff might be needed to support a bungalow with a high number of bank or agency staff on a particular day. Staff spoken to reported that they were generally happy with the shift pattern and did not feel that working long hours during school holidays impacted negatively on their work/life balance, or

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Summary of findings

their ability to meet the needs of young people and ensure their safety.

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Summary of findings

Based on the rotas reviewed, there were no incidences of staff working a day shift followed by a waking night shift. The registered manager reported that on very rare occasions (for example if a waking watch had failed to attend work without giving any notice) care staff have had to cover a waking night shift following their day shift in order to maintain the safety of young people. There were arrangements in place to minimize the risk of this happening, and the manager and deputy manager had both covered waking night shifts in order to protect staff from working excessive hours. The manager was clear that this would only happen if there was absolutely no alternative way to ensure the welfare and safety of young people.

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Summary of findings

Managers reported that there had been no staff grievances in respect of staffing levels, working hours, or pressure put on staff to work additional shifts. This was supported by the seven members of care staff spoken to, who were overwhelmingly positive about their work. None raised any concerns about hours worked, an expectation to work additional hours or staffing ratios. They were clear about the process to volunteer for additional shifts and reported that they were never pressured into working additional shifts.

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Summary of findings

In conclusion, no evidence was gathered which would suggest that young people’s safety and welfare has been in any way compromised by the number of staff and the hours staff work. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038276 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/03/2017 Full Outstanding 10/11/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 13/10/2015 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038276 4

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038276 5

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Underley Schools Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Merchants Place, River Street, BOLTON BL2 1BX

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Christopher Kirkbride

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Inspector(s)

Charlie Bamber, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038276 6 to 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)

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

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