Children's Home run by City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council in Bradford

Inspection report children’s home: SC033628 1 SC033628 Registered provider: City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority operated children’s home. It is registered to provide short-break care and accommodation for up to six children or young people who have physical, learning and/or sensory care needs.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 26 to 27 September 2017

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Key findings from this inspection

 The children and young people receiving respite care are looked after by a stable, experienced and committed staff team. Inspection report children’s home: SC033628 2  Staff know the children and young people very well, enabling them to respond to and meet children’s and young people’s complex needs to a high standard. The well-being of the children and young people is at the centre of their practice.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The manager and staff facilitate a range of social and recreational activities both within the home environment and in the local community.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Effective and regular communication with parents and care givers ensures a smooth transition from home to care that promotes continuity and consistency of care.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Risks and vulnerabilities are clearly understood and managed well. Children and young people feel safe.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Specialist consultancy and training in responsive communication has enhanced the quality of life and experiences for the children and young people receiving respite care.

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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

 Recording activities, such as the updating of care and behaviour management plans and daily living records, need to be consistent. Each child has clear goals documented in their plans that are reviewed and updated regularly.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The manager and staff need to ensure that all mandatory training is kept up to date, in particular, moving and handling, equality and diversity and health awareness and medication training, to enable all of the staff, including casual/agency staff, to meet the needs of children and young people.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The manager needs to ensure that the home is free from hazards and standards of hygiene are closely monitored.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/11/2016 Full Good 16/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 09/11/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC033628 3

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Recommendations

 The essential point is that a child’s plans should form the basis of their care, and the providers should use their judgement as to what is relevant in each case, taking the plans listed in the definition in the regulations as a starting point rather than a complete list or a tick-box exercise. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.1.) In particular, ensure that each child has clear goals documented in their plans, which are reviewed and updated regularly, and that the staff report on the progress of these goals.  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the homes. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11.) In particular, ensure that all mandatory training is kept up to date, such

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Recommendations

as moving and handling, equality and diversity and health awareness and medication training, and is provided to enable all staff, including casual/agency staff, to meet the needs of young people.  Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene and so on). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9.) In particular, the required number of ancillary staffing hours should be in place to ensure that the hygiene of the building can be maintained to the highest level to promote the well-being of young people and their specific health needs. This further includes the clearing of moss in external areas, the labelling of opened food in the fridge and general maintenance in internal areas within the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The quality of individualised care is delivered by an experienced and motivated staff team that has seen the children and young people, who receive short-break care, develop trusting and secure relationships. The staff provide consistency of care and the children and young people clearly thrive on the routines and close supervision, making progress relative to their level of disability and learning needs. One parent in their feedback commented: ‘Thank you for the best respite week [Name] has had. The activities and care have been excellent. [Name] has come home really happy and relaxed.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people have benefited from the specialist consultancy and training that has seen the staff have a greater understanding of the range of techniques Inspection report children’s home: SC033628 4 and approaches in engaging and communicating with the children and young people, giving them a better quality of life. One senior member of staff said: ‘Through this training I have realised the importance of tuning in to what [Name] is doing and mimic certain behaviours to shift his attention from solitary to shared activity. [Name] is now able to use a knife and fork and willing to wait for his food.’ For another young person, the key worker enthusiastically stated: ‘Through this approach [Name’s] key words and phrases have increased. [Name] is putting more words together spontaneously.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of educational, social and recreational activities based on their interests. For some young people, this really aids their ability to be more independent. Frequent trips to local shops, bus and train rides and day trips to the seaside and the disability biking park have really enriched the range of experiences for the children and young people. A carer said: ‘I am very pleased with the extra care and wonderful activities provided over the half term. I’m really happy that we are engaging young people in their local community.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All of the young people are supported to attend school while they are receiving respite care. Communication with education providers, social workers, health professionals and parents is ongoing and has purpose in promoting a smooth transition from home to care to school and ensures the continuity and consistency of care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff knowledge and understanding around the health needs of each child and young person is comprehensive and is demonstrated in their ability to meet the individual children’s or young people’s health requirements, in particular, administering medication and other more specialised procedures. Staff work collaboratively with the designated health nurse in implementing joint healthcare plans. In conversation, the link nurse said: ‘We share care plans and I have provided specific training on gastropathy care. I have no concerns regarding the quality of care that is being provided to the children.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Recording activities and the upkeep of daily living records and behaviour management plans and the introduction of a goals and achievement record underpins the quality of the service provision taking place in the home. However, there is room for improvement, particularly in keeping records up to date.

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

During the time that the children and young people spend at the home, they feel safe and protected. They are comfortable in their surroundings and their interactions with staff are testament to the familiar and trusting relationships that have been developed.

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

The staff clearly understand children’s and young people’s risks and vulnerabilities and manage them well. The staff are able to anticipate predictable behaviours and respond in ways that reduce anxieties. Physical restraint in all its forms is rarely used and the children and young people enjoy freedom of movement due to the high staffing ratios. The matching of the children and young people attending the home is regularly reviewed. This has ensured minimal disruption and has promoted the development of peer relationships. Inspection report children’s home: SC033628 5 Protective measures are in place to ensure that the children and young people are effectively safeguarded both in the environment of the home and in the community. The staff are both experienced and trained to manage risk. The impact on behaviour pertaining to each child’s or young person’s level of learning need and/or disability is assessed and managed by an experienced and trained staff team. Staff supervise and

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

support the care and activities of the children and young people exceptionally well, enabling them to enjoy and participate in a range of activities and experiences, in particular, the safe use of the internet and social media. Positive behaviour is praised by the staff.

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

The manager and staff are clear about and follow procedures for responding to concerns about the safety and well-being of a child or young person in their care and have escalated concerns through appropriate channels of communication.

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

The home is spacious and well-equipped with a range of resources, a sensory area and outdoor recreational equipment. Some areas of the home require general maintenance and re-decoration, such as the clearance of moss in some exterior areas of the home needs attention and refrigerated food needs to be routinely labelled once opened. A recommendation has been made to address these shortfalls.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The service has appointed a suitably qualified manager who is highly ambitious and passionate about delivering a high-quality service. The staff team and manager are exceptionally child-centred. The children and young people have positive experiences, enjoy their stay and make sustained progress. The manager is awaiting full registration with Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The established staff team is appropriately qualified and experienced. The manager has facilitated relevant and specialised training opportunities that has seen some innovative practice through ‘responsive communication’ techniques with the children and young people. Significant inroads have been made in understanding the ‘world the children and young people live in’, which has enhanced their quality of life and experiences. There remain some gaps in the completion of some mandatory training for some staff. The manager is aware of this and is taking steps to rectify this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has taken steps to increase consultation with parents in acknowledging the importance of their role in becoming involved in decision making and how resources are utilised at the home. Staff regularly update parents on the day-to-day experiences and progress of their child through daily communication sheets, home visits and attendance at child in need meetings. This strongly demonstrates strong partnership working that promotes healthy relationships, transparency and improves the outcomes for children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular reflective supervision, safe recruitment practices are in place and new staff receive a robust period of induction. A member of staff concluded: ‘The staff Inspection report children’s home: SC033628 6 team and manager are very supportive. I have really settled in well and there is a good ethos of working together. I really enjoy working with the children and young people and looking at different approaches to enhance the quality of their lives.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager utilises external monitoring systems and feedback from parents and professionals to evaluate the quality of care and practice provided. Internal auditing processes have highlighted the need for recording activities to be more robust and up to date and a recommendation has been made in respect of this shortfall.

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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 differences 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: SC033628 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: City of Bradford metropolitan District Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: City Hall, Centenary Square, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD1 1HY

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Inspector

Cath Sikakana: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC033628 8 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

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Inspector

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Inspector

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