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

Inspection report children’s home: SC040723 1 SC040723 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 is a local authority children’s home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural and/or learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered in April 2014. However, she is currently not available for work and the local authority has planned for another manager to be registered for an interim period. An application has been submitted to Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 18 to 19 September 2018

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 19 October 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC040723 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/10/2017 Full Good 06/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/06/2016 Full Good 02/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC040723 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 revision and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience, in line with the commitments identified within the home’s statement of purpose, and have their fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33(4)(b)(c)) 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response. (Regulation 34(2)(d)) 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigations. (Regulation 39(3)) 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person, if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents and relatives. The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to HMCI. (Regulation 44(1)(2)(a)(7)) 30/11/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC040723 4

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, there has been a period of instability. There have been changes within the staff team and some young people have been moved to more appropriate placements that can meet their individual needs. The responsible individual took the decision to limit any new admissions to the home

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

An interim manager has been appointed to cover the absence of the registered manager. Staff from another home within the organisation have been moved to this home on a temporary basis. This has resulted in greater stability for the young people and has supported them to make progress during their time at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people say that they feel safe and happy living in the home. One young person said, ‘This is a really good place to live. Staff are great, and they are helping me to make the changes I need to make sure I am safe and do not get into trouble.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people say the rules of the home are fair and this helps everyone to get along together. When there have been any incidents of bullying, these have been addressed quickly to make sure everyone understands the importance of mutual respect and tolerance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two of the three young people attend school or further education. The manager and staff are working with the virtual head to ensure that an appropriate education resource is in place for the third young person. One professional said, ‘The manager and staff team have worked exceptionally closely with us. As a result [name’s] attendance at education has significantly improved, and he completed exams, which previously was not thought to be an option.’ As a result, an apprenticeship scheme has been sourced to enable the young person to gain relevant skills and qualifications for the future. The young person’s parent said, ‘Staff have worked so well with my child and given him options for his future.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Healthcare needs are supported well. Staff have good links with a range of agencies to underpin healthcare promotion. This includes access to support from outside agencies and information in relation to drug and alcohol misuse, smoking cessation and healthy Inspection report children’s home: SC040723 5 eating. In addition, where a young person requires further specialist healthcare support, staff advocate on their behalf to help source this. This means that young people are supported to maintain their health and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are good systems in place for supporting young people to prepare for independent living. This means that young people move on from the home with skills they can use into adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager makes sure that young people have every opportunity to contribute their views about the home. Monthly young people’s meetings are held, along with individual sessions with key workers. Records are maintained of these sessions and they help the young people to reflect on the progress they have made. Staff support young people to maintain contact with family and friends if it is in the young people’s best interest. One parent said, ‘Staff have helped us to rebuild our relationship which is so important to me.’

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

The safeguarding arrangements in place help to make sure that young people receive support to maintain their safety and welfare. Previously, matching of individual young people had not been sufficiently detailed, resulting in an escalation of behaviours of young people. The responsible individual for the home took the decision not to place any further young people until the home has had a period of stability.

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

All young people have detailed risk management plans and risk assessments in place. The risk assessments are regularly reviewed. The manager has experience of managing a children’s home and is very risk aware. She has ensured that staff have a good understanding of the complexities of risk management. Because of this, staff demonstrate confidence in addressing and managing risks.

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

Some young people have a history of going missing from home. The number of events recorded is high. However, some of the reported missing from homes episodes are absences without permission. The staff work in accordance with the local authority policy which means that staff follow the same procedure for both processes. Potentially the current procedure does not enable both events to be separated out with clear findings being evident. The staff work in partnership with young people to help them understand the potential risks, as well as with other professionals tasked with safeguarding.

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

When a young person returns home after a missing incident, independent return home interviews are arranged. This enables the young person to discuss the reasons which may be behind their missing incident. The manager has ensured that staff complete detailed recordings of these incidents to help to monitor them, and to help young people be safe. One parent said, ‘The staff go out of their way to make sure my child is safe. As a result, these incidents are reducing, and this is reassuring for me as a parent and helps my child.’

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

Staff work well together to implement and maintain consistent boundaries, which Inspection report children’s home: SC040723 6 provide young people with a sense of stability, routine and direction. Consequences for negative actions are fair and records reflect the opinions of the young people about these. Positive praise is used effectively, and this curtails the use of negative consequences, which has reduced. Physical intervention is rarely used due to the staff’s knowledge of young people and the effective use of de-escalation techniques. In the event of an incident, records are maintained and monitored.

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

Health and safety is clearly addressed throughout the home and this means young people live in a home which is safe and maintained to a good standard. The recruitment, selection, training and monitoring process for new staff is thorough and effective in keeping young people safe, as safer recruitment practice is followed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager for the home is currently off work. The local authority has made appropriate interim arrangements by moving another manager from within the organisation to cover the post. At the time of the inspection, an application had been submitted to HMCI for her to register. This will ensure that the home has a registered manager in post. The interim manager is an experienced and qualified manager, having been registered previously with HMCI.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home’s statement of purpose has been updated. However, a copy of this has not been given to HMCI. This impacts on the regulator having an overview of the home’s current aims, objectives and staffing. A copy was available at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has responded to the ongoing changing needs of the young people in placement. She has commenced a review of the recording and paperwork systems within the home to identify the shortfalls. This is helping to demonstrate the progress the young people are making. Further training has been provided for staff in relation to new recording systems.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff are committed to ensuring that the home remains stable for the young people living there. The manager has commenced supervision for all staff. However, not all supervision has been recorded and the timescales of supervision sessions have not always been in line with the home’s statement of purpose. In addition, not all staff have had their annual appraisals completed. The interim manager is aware of this and is taking appropriate steps to address the shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Some information in relation to previous allegations and complaints, and their outcomes, is not available within the home, as required. This does not enable the manager to have clear oversight and demonstrate the action taken. This was brought to the attention of the manager, who had already planned to take action to rectify this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has completed a six-monthly monitoring report based on the information to hand when she commenced at the home. External monitoring of the home is undertaken by an independent visitor each month. Following these visits, the home is provided with a report. However, the reports have not been sent to the regulator as Inspection report children’s home: SC040723 7 required by regulation. This means that the regulator is able to have timely oversight of how the home is functioning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff say that they feel supported and have developed positive relationships with the young people, their families and other professionals. It is evident from the information received from professionals that this is the case. Additionally, families say that the support and care their children receive contributes to their ongoing well-being and safety.

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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: SC040723 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Bernadette Brown

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Kathryn Mather and Gillian Spencer

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Inspectors

Sarah Oldham: social care inspector Janine Shortman-Thomas: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC040723 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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