Children's home run by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in Blackburn with Darwen

Inspection report children’s home: SC402508 1 SC402508 Registered provider: Blackburn with Darwen 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 is a local authority-run children’s home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 13 to 14 December 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

Date of last inspection: 21 February 2017

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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

 A staff team that is qualified, experienced and committed to providing consistently high-quality care supports the young people. Relationships are built on respect and trust. Inspection report children’s home: SC402508 2  Staff have high aspirations for all young people and act as positive role models for them.  For the vast majority of young people, education attendance and attainment has improved.  Young people’s healthcare needs are clearly identified and met.  Young people contribute their wishes and views to all aspects of their care, support and future plans.  Clear and detailed placement plans ensure that young people’s individual needs are clearly identified and the support that they require is provided. Plans are reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that young people’s changing and developing needs are met.  The staff team works in close partnership with other professionals as well as parents to support young people’s care.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The manager and staff have high aspirations for all young people.

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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

 The provider has updated the statement of purpose. However, a copy has not been provided to HMCI as required by regulation.  Not all notifications have been sent to HMCI within the required time frame. This does not enable the regulator to have a clear oversight of the service.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/09/2016 Full Good 25/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18/11/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC402508 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 keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) 16/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)) 31/01/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are at the centre of the support provided by the staff at the home. The staff are skilled at developing good relationships with young people to make them feel confident, safe and settled at the home. When it becomes apparent that the needs of young people require additional levels of support, staff and the manager work in partnership with other agencies to secure the appropriate level of support. This contributes to each young person’s individual progress from when they moved into the home. The manager and staff actively encourage and support young people to contribute their views to their care plan. Other professionals who work with young people say that this is one of the strengths of the home. Education is supported and promoted in the home. Where young people do not have an identified education provision, staff work alongside the placing authority to identify an appropriate school. When young people have a history of non-attendance in education,

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

staff work in partnership with education providers and social workers to help the young people attend and engage with their education. When there are ongoing concerns, staff continue to implement strategies to support attendance. As a result, two young people are now attending education on a regular basis and have made progress. One young person has completed his GCSEs but does not wish to attend further education. Staff and other agencies are working alongside the young person to find an appropriate further education provision or an apprenticeship that will support his learning and transition onto adulthood. Inspection report children’s home: SC402508 4 Staff understand young people’s individual healthcare needs. Young people are registered with community general practitioners and healthcare providers. Where specialist healthcare is an identified need, staff follow up with other professionals to support referrals and gain access to these resources. All staff have undertaken first aid

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

and self-harm training so that they can respond to incidents when they arise. This enables the staff to provide first aid responses when required. Staff understand the importance of individualised transition plans for all young people. They support young people to develop independent living skills that help them to prepare for the move to adulthood. Staff also work with placing social workers to make sure that individual pathway plans reflect the wishes and views of young people. This ensures that young people are fully involved in their plan for the future. Placement plans reflect the individual needs of each young person. The plan includes the arrangements for the young person to maintain links and have contact with their family and friends. This is unless there are any restrictions in place, for example due to safeguarding concerns. Young people speak positively about their experience of living at the home.

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

Young people say that they feel safe living at the home. This is a view shared by placing social workers and other professionals. A police officer said, ‘The staff from this home work well with the police to reduce risk associated with missing from home and criminal activity. Staff are responsive when a young person is missing. They search known areas where young people are known to visit. Staff continue to update all agencies as required by their own policies and procedures. A social worker said, ‘The young person I have placed here still has a number of issues with going missing and with his behaviours. However, staff have responded well to the challenges his behaviour presents and, although there continue to be some incidents of missing and risk-taking behaviour, these have decreased significantly. Staff demonstrate their commitment to him by continuing to be creative in the support they provided directly to him, myself and other agencies.’

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

The staff create an environment that enables young people to feel relaxed and confident in expressing any concerns or worries that they may have. One young person said, ‘I know I can talk to any staff member about any worries I have and they will listen to me and help me. I do not have any problems with being bullied, but if I did I know staff would stop it.’ Staff support young people to manage their behaviours. Any consequences imposed are proportionate and enable the young people to learn from their behaviour. Clear behaviour management plans are in place, which are discussed with the young people to gain their views on how they wish to be helped if they are upset or angry. Strategies implemented are based on the views of young people alongside general de-escalation techniques. This minimises the need for restraints, which are only used when there is a risk of harm or significant damage. Recruitment of staff follows safer recruitment practice guidance. This helps to make sure

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

that young people are protected from people who may pose a risk of harm to them. The Inspection report children’s home: SC402508 5 manager makes sure that any concerns or allegations are shared with other agencies with responsibility for safeguarding young people. This contributes to the overall safety and welfare of young people. The home provides a warm, welcoming and safe environment. Repairs and maintenance are undertaken in a timely manner. Regular monitoring of the fire equipment along with general health and safety equipment supports young people’s welfare. Staff and young people are aware of the procedure to follow in the event of a fire. One young person demonstrated this at the time of the inspection, who explained the procedure clearly to the inspector.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced, qualified and highly committed to supporting young people to experience stability and achieve positive outcomes. She is supported in her role by an experienced and qualified staff team that shares her aspirations for young people. The deputy at the home recently left and has yet to be replaced. However, senior team leaders have provided support to the manager to ensure that all staff have effective, constructive supervision to continue to develop their practice. Regular team meetings further contribute to cohesive working practice and development. The manager completes detailed impact assessments to support the effective matching of young people. When there are concerns regarding a young person, the manager identifies this with the placing social worker and ensures that a planning meeting is held in a timely manner. This helps to minimise the risk of placement breakdown and further

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

disruption to the young person. One social worker commented, ‘Although [name of young person] has still had some occasions when he has been missing from the home, these have decreased. The manager and staff continue to work proactively with him alongside a range of other agencies who offer stability and opportunities for him.’ One young person struggles to manage change. This is particularly evident when other young people move into or out of the home. However, the manager has been proactive and takes the time to ensure that any changes in the home are explained and sensitively planned. This helps to minimise the impact for this young person. At the time of the inspection, the home had two vacancies. Senior leaders have agreed that further placements will not be offered unless there are clear and structured plans in place. This ensures that the needs of all young people are fully considered. Regular monitoring and evaluation of the young people’s plans ensure that the progress

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

young people make is at the forefront of practice. When a young person is not making progress, the manager ensures that strategy meetings are held to review the plan and ensure that the care provided is in the best interests of the young person. Staff training and development is kept fully updated. This ensures that staff practice is current and in accordance with relevant legislation and guidance. Staffing at the home is consistent. Where additional support is required, staff known to the young people undertake this. This means that young people receive care and support which provides them with stability. Inspection report children’s home: SC402508 6 The home works in accordance with the statement of purpose. This document sets out the overall aims, objectives and ethos of the service. This document has been reviewed. However, the regulator has not been provided with a copy as required by legislation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people receive a children’s guide. This explains what it is like to live at the home as well as information about the complaints procedure and other relevant contacts. Young people confirmed that they have received a copy of the guide and staff have spent time with them explaining about the home and expectations during their stay at the home. The manager monitors and evaluates the service. External independent monitoring further supports this. Any shortfalls identified are responded to in a timely manner. However, there has been a delay in a notifiable event being forwarded to the regulator within agreed timescales. This could impact on the overview of the service. The manager has put in place clear systems to minimise the risk of this occurring in the future. Young people’s views are sought on a regular basis. One young person said, ‘The staff and manager regularly discuss things with us and we have the opportunity to contribute

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

to how the home runs. We recently chose the colour scheme when the home was decorated and we can choose the activities we would like to try. The reason I like living here is because I feel the staff listen to me and take notice of the things that are important to me.’

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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: SC402508 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider : Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Blackburn With Darwen Borough Council, Town Hall, King William Street, Blackburn BB1 7DY

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Inspector

Sarah Oldham, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC402508 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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Inspector

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