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

Inspection report children’s home: SC059635 1 SC059635 Registered provider: City of Bradford Metropolitan District 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 is a local authority children’s home. It provides care and accommodation for up to six children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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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 outstanding

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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: 30 December 2016

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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Key findings from this inspection

 The young people said that they are well cared for and have built exceptionally strong and trusting relationships with staff.  The consistent-care approach model being implemented and used by the staff Inspection report children’s home: SC059635 2 team is helping the young people to settle quickly after admission. The young people feel able to engage more positively in everyday activities, such as school and age-appropriate social activities.  The young people are well supported so that they learn independent living skills that are appropriate to their age and understanding.  Priority is given to the education of the young people.  Proactive and immediate action is taken to keep the young people safe.  The manager and staff have developed and maintain excellent working relationships with all professionals to ensure that the young people receive the best care, support and help within a nurturing environment.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The robust and detailed monitoring systems immediately detect and address deficits and shortfalls in the quality of care and record keeping. This ensures that a good level of care is sustained and the progress of the young people is monitored extremely well.

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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

 Personal education plans must include information that is more specific on the education targets set for the young people. Targets should include the key stage levels that the young people are working at, and stipulate the projected grade and level increases. This is to assist the staff to improve the monitoring of the young people’s educational progress and provide support.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/12/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 27/07/2016 Full Good 17/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/01/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC059635 3

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Recommendations

 The staff need to know, for every child in their care, what level of decision- making has been delegated to them in relation to the child’s education. The delegations should be recorded in the child’s placement plan. It is the joint responsibility of the registered person and the placing authority to agree this at the time of placement. The education act 1996 defines ‘parent’s including a person who has care worker may be deemed a parent for the purpose of education law. This means that, they should be treated like a parent with respect to information provided by school about the child’s progress: should be invited to meetings about the child; and should be able to give consent to decisions regarding school activities and trips unless there is good reasons not to delegate these decision making to carers of looked-after children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards,’ page 27, paragraph 5.9). In

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Recommendations

particular, personal education plans should include the grade levels that young people are currently achieving and the target level to be achieved within the academic year.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people benefit as a result of receiving well-planned, nurturing and individualised care that assists them in making progress. A young person said: ‘This is our home, not a care home. The staff care about us,’ and another said: ‘The best thing about here is the staff; they look after us really well.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people have flourished, or are beginning to do so, due to the strong, secure and trusting relationships built by the staff who care for them. The staff work quickly to get to know the young people, which helps to develop strong connections. The staff demonstrate a good awareness of each young person’s specific care and support needs. This enables young people to positively engage, listen to the advice given, and have more constructive daily life experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people receive routine health checks and, where needed, access professionals to support their emotional well-being. They are involved in planning menus that provide a balanced diet. A looked after children’s nurse said: ‘Staff make young people’s health a priority. They engage young people to attend health check-ups. They represent young people well, advocating on their behalf and seek support and advice when needed to make sure young people maintain good health.’ This promotes a healthy lifestyle for the young people and improves their long-term health and well- being. Inspection report children’s home: SC059635 4 Education is given importance, with the staff helping young people to understand this. All the young people have a person education plan that includes some targets. However, young people’s key stage levels and goals that indicate grade level increases are not always set. The staff provide guidance, support and help to enable the young people to

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

manage new situations, manage their emotions and adhere to rules and boundaries. Because of this, the young people have made great improvements in their school attendance and learning. This enhances their opportunities to access further education and employment as young adults.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people routinely give their views and opinions and make choices that affect their daily life. The young people know how to use the complaints procedure and named particular staff members whom they would go to with any concerns. A young person said: ‘We are asked about our views a lot. Staff talk to us all the time. We have young people’s meetings and key-work sessions. We all decided where to go for our summer holiday – it was lovely. I had a great time.’ The young people attend their statutory reviews and give their views about their care and the plans about their future. The recent celebration of Eid reflects that the young people’s wishes and religious beliefs are upheld and that understanding of the world around them is promoted. Listening to, and consulting with, the young people is routine and part of everyday life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people learn an array of independence skills. These include support to learn how to plan meals, cook, bake, and budget money. They are encouraged to keep their bedrooms clean and tidy. This ensures that the young people gain a good level of life skills appropriate to their age that will assist them greatly into adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are committed to work with each young person’s family. They work to rebuild and maintain relationships, provide ongoing support and facilitate visits. This provides the young people with a strong sense of identity, a support network and ensures that they keep in touch with those who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a strong focus on building positive life experiences for the young people. These include their leisure interests, hobbies and community activities. In turn, this increases their self-esteem and awareness of the world around them. The young people engage in a number of activities, including arts, board games, visiting the cinema regularly, cycling, spa days, youth clubs, and day trips to Blackpool and Lightwater Valley. In addition, some of the young people have participated in community groups and work with the elderly. A young person said: ‘We have been on holiday to Primrose Valley. It was really lovely. We had a great time.’

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

The young people respond well to the structured routines and consistently delivered care that supports their daily lives. This provides them with a safe and secure environment from which they gain enormous benefit. Inspection report children’s home: SC059635 5 A police officer said: ‘The staff quickly get to know young people. They work well as a team, and with me, and pass on information. This has worked to reduce missing from home incidents.’ The staff understand the vulnerabilities and risks specific to each young person. The young people’s risk-taking behaviour has reduced due to the nurturing approach of the staff by providing structured care routines, supportive boundaries, and advice and guidance.

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

The young people react exceptionally well to constant praise, positive reinforcement and incentives. As a result, sanctions and physical restraints are low in number and decrease for individual young people over time, as they respond well to the defined consistent care approach and routines that make them feel safe and secure.

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

Young people live in a comfortable environment that is safe because fire, medication and health and safety checks are regularly undertaken.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has been in post since October 2016 and holds a level 5 diploma in leadership and management. She has over 11 years’ experience of working with children and young people. This includes a number of years’ experience working in managerial positions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager’s inspirational and determined dedication sets the standards that disseminate and drive the whole staff team to provide young people with consistent, highly nurturing care, through which only the very best outcomes for all young people are the ultimate goal. The care that the young people receive is delivered by a diverse and experienced staff team that works consistently within the home’s statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Excellent partnership working with professionals and supporting agencies makes certain that the young people receive the specific care and assistance to meet their individual needs immediately. Professionals said: ‘Staff keep me up to date at all times about [Name]. They come prepared for meetings and advocate for [Name]. The team, from management down, have aspirations for the young people in their care and strive to achieve positive outcomes for all the young people.’ This proactive and collaborative working makes certain that the young people receive continued good-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A remarkably supportive environment and the receipt of effective formal and informal supervision enables the staff to work cohesively and competently to carry out their care work with the young people. Communication between the staff members is excellent, with detailed daily handovers from one shift to another and regular staff meetings. All the staff team members hold the level 3 diploma in caring for children and young people. The manager recognises the importance of, and invests in, staff training, providing all mandatory, and more specialist, training. This ensures that staff are fully equipped to meet the needs of the young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC059635 6 First-rate standards are maintained through vigorous auditing undertaken by the management team, and the robust external monitoring by the provider. The manager and senior team demonstrate a strong awareness of the strengths of the home and the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

areas that they meticulously work to improve upon. The quick detection of shortfalls enables an immediate response to address them. New approaches to care using signs of safety and outcome star models, maps, support the staff to monitor and review the young people’s progress. This upholds and continues to improve further the good care and service provided to the young people.

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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: SC059635 7

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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

Debbie Foster, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC059635 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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