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

Inspection report children’s home: SC065552 1 SC065552 Registered provider: Bradford Metropolitan District Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a local authority. It provides care and accommodation for up to six children or young people.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since August 2008.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: The home has been subject to three compliance notices issued in relation to the protection of children standard, the leadership and management standard and the care planning standard. These have been met. Inspection report children’s home: SC065552 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/07/2018 Full Inadequate 12/12/2017 Full Good 27/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 19/07/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC065552 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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Recommendations

 The home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. Children and their parents should be supported to understand the nature of records kept by the home and how to access them. Staff should understand their important role in encouraging the child to reflect on and understand their history, according to their age and understanding. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5) Specifically, to record key-work sessions in a way that is easily understood and accessible to children and young people.

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of children, they will in most cases be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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improvement to be good

All the children and young people have some form of educational provision. Their attendance is good and staff continually promote the importance of education. The staff have researched post-16 provision for one young person. This has provided her with a choice of placements, which has increased her commitment to her studies.

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improvement to be good

Warm relationships between the staff and children and young people now flourish within the calm environment. The children and young people engage well with staff in individual sessions. As a result, the children and young people learn to manage and regulate their emotions and feelings. However, the useful dialogue is not recorded and stored in an understandable and accessible way for the children and young people. This reduces the opportunity for them to reflect on the information discussed, thus reducing the impact it may have.

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improvement to be good

The children and young people are building their self-esteem and widening their Inspection report children’s home: SC065552 4 experiences with encouragement from the staff. For example, one child has a camera to pursue his hobby of photography and another young person has joined a local rugby team.

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improvement to be good

The children and young people maintain, and in some cases rebuild, important family relationships with the support of the staff. One family member said, ‘[Child’s name] is a different child, and this is down to the staff.’ As a result of strong advocacy from the staff, children and young people are able to move to foster care or return to live with family members in line with their wishes.

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improvement to be good

Repair and redecoration of the home have commenced following recent damage. Communal areas still need enhancement to provide the children and young people with a homely and high-quality environment in which to live.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff have been effective in improving the care and experiences of the children and young people since the last inspection. However, these actions have yet to be securely embedded in practice to ensure that this good progress continues, especially when new children and young people are placed.

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

The risks to the children and young people are being reduced by the actions of the staff who follow individual risk assessments carefully. These plans are up to date and reflect the age, circumstances and vulnerabilities appropriate to each child and young person. None of the children and young people have been missing since the last inspection. They do not use alcohol or drugs.

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

There has been a significant improvement in the behaviour of the children and young people since the last inspection. They feel safer and more secure, enabling them to engage with their care and to respect themselves and others. This has resulted in a reduced need to use physical intervention.

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

Trusting relationships have been re-established and the children and young people are confiding in staff about their lives. This has enabled staff to provide support about online safety effectively, which is keeping the children and young people safe.

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

The staff keep the children and young people safe when they are out by remaining in contact by mobile phone. They are further protecting them by checking their phone and internet use regularly. The children and young people understand the reasons for this.

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

The staff now understand the importance of return home interviews. They ensure that the appropriate body is notified so that children and young people can be offered the opportunity to speak to someone independently. Inspection report children’s home: SC065552 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by an appropriately qualified and very experienced manager. She was registered in August 2008.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has responded fully to the shortfalls identified at the previous inspection. The action she has taken alongside senior staff has resulted in the requirements made at the last inspection being met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s implementation of strong boundaries for the children and young people is beginning to effect positive change. The staff feel more confident to enforce them and the children and young people are responding well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An improvement in the quality of risk assessments means that sufficient and appropriate information is now provided to inform the staff of how to care for the children and young people more effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff have taken part in training to develop their knowledge and skills further and this is beginning to embed itself into care practice. They are further supported to develop by regular supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The morale of the staff team is much improved since the behaviour of the children and young people has settled down and children who were inappropriately placed have moved. The staff show considerable commitment towards the children and young people, which contributes towards their sense of being valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has strengthened her monitoring procedures and is using these alongside the external visitor’s reports to identify areas for development to build on the home’s improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has implemented stronger procedures to ensure that only children who will be suitable matches for the children and young people living in the home are admitted. No new admissions have been made since the last inspection. This has allowed time for the staff to review the care provided to the children and young people and to implement improvements.

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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. Inspection report children’s home: SC065552 6 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

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Information about this inspection

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: SC065552 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bradford Metropolitan District Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sir Henry Mitchell House, 4 Manchester Road, Bradford BD5 0QL

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Inspector

Janet Black, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC065552 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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