Children's home run by Birtenshaw in Bolton

Inspection report children’s home: SC467796 1 SC467796 Registered provider: Birtenshaw - company number 02978546

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

T he home is part of a charitable organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to three young people who have learning disabilities and/or sensory impairment.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager was registered with Ofsted on 10 October 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 11 to 12 December 2018

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 11 October 2017

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC467796 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/10/2017 Full Good 22/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18/10/2016 Full Outstanding 08/12/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC467796 3

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11) In particular, ensure that staff receive training with regard to understanding, managing and responding to self-harm.

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Recommendations

 Where the placing authority or another relevant person does not provide the input and services needed to meet a child’s needs or in preparation for leaving the home, the home must challenge them to meet the child’s needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.8)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people live in a happy, welcoming environment. Staff provide young people with exceptional, individualised care and support. Young people are making remarkable progress in reaching their individual goals and targets. The inspector had the opportunity to see all the young people. Staff welcomed them home from school. The young people had opportunities to engage in their favourite activities and staff prepared healthy snacks for them. Young people were very relaxed in their environment and were happy to engage with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people have built positive relationships with staff and with each other. Young people recognise when their friend is beginning to feel distressed. They encourage each other to engage in activities. This provides a distraction that has been effective in helping young people to remain calm. A parent said, ‘The concept of friendships was not there. [Name] has made friends with another young person here. They just clicked. It’s been a joy to see.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home has a positive influence on young people. Staff encourage young people to become more independent. They learn skills that are appropriate to their age, level of understanding and disability. As a result, young people are more confident and self- assured.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff have excellent communication with family members. They welcome young people’s Inspection report children’s home: SC467796 4 families into the home so that they can spend time with their child. Families say that they enjoy having tea at the home and engaging in activities with their child. A staff member said, ‘We are here for our young people. If one of us tries something new and it is effective, we all try it and then inform the managers and record it in the young people’s care plan.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff care about the young people. They gather their views and preferences on their menus and activities. Some young people enjoy attending the local youth club. They enjoy spending time with other young people who have similar needs. Staff support young people to choose the themes and colours for their bedrooms. They encourage them to communicate their likes and dislikes. A parent said, ‘I like the fact that the staff are so caring with [name]. They understand him and have fun with him. They encourage him to be independent and have a choice in his activities.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff use sign language and picture symbols to enable young people to communicate their wishes and feelings. Staff are highly skilled and have a sound knowledge and understanding of the young people. They can interpret their facial expressions and body language. This ensures that meaningful participation is achieved within this home. A member of staff said, ‘Every day is different. I like that we can enrich a young person’s life, to assist them to learn new skills that will assist them in adulthood.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Transitions into the home are extremely well planned. Managers, placing social workers and parents devise these plans together. This helps the manager to assess the impact of the young person on the other young people who live there. This method means that the young people are well matched and settle into the home. A parent commented, ‘Managers and staff were amazing and like a rock to us, brilliant. They kept us informed all the way. They included us in all the decision-making for the transition here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people continue to make exceptional progress from their starting points. The manager involved health professionals in a young person’s care. The ability and skills of both disciplines have improved the young person’s health and behaviour management. Incidents of self-injurious behaviour have significantly reduced. This is a demonstration of the hard work and commitment of the staff team. A staff member said, ‘[Name] has come on leaps and bounds. [Name] used to hurt herself to the point of needing medical treatment daily. The progress [name] has made is massive.’

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

Parents confirm that their children are safe because of the actions taken by staff. Managers and staff know the specific vulnerabilities of young people who have disabilities. They understand how these could affect young people’s daily lives.

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

Staff give young people’s safety top priority. Young people have a high level of supervision, both inside the home and in the community. Young people’s care planning is meticulous and personalised.

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

The registered manager understands young people’s risks and vulnerabilities and Inspection report children’s home: SC467796 5 continuously assesses these. Staff understand and discuss these at daily handovers, supervisions and team meetings. This equips staff to support young people’s needs safely.

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

The manager uses research to inform practice. She uses an approach called STAR. This stands for settings, triggers, actions and results. This approach supports staff to identify when there are changes in young people’s demeanour. Facial expressions and the environment are some indicators that staff consider. This approach has enhanced staff practice. It enables staff to put in place distraction techniques at an earlier stage. This has resulted in a decrease in incidents and the need for physical intervention.

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

Most of the physical interventions used are mechanical restraints. This is to ensure the safety of young people when they are travelling in a vehicle. The manager evaluates each intervention to decide whether it was necessary and proportionate.

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

Staff support young people to stop self-injurious behaviour which causes them pain. Staff have worked hard to stop this behaviour. Their dedication and commitment has been successful. Staff know that some young people are unable to tolerate pictures on the walls of the home. Staff discuss the best way to avoid young people getting upset. Staff introduce new items gradually in line with the young person’s tolerance levels.

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

Staff support young people who have sensory needs. Staff provide sensory diets and structured activities. This supports young people who have a need to be active. Some of the young people find music, messy play and the sensory room a comfort. A parent said, ‘Staff are always on hand to keep [name] safe and to stimulate, support and encourage him.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is well run and the transition from one manager to another has been managed extremely well. The current manager registered with Ofsted in October 2018. She holds the required management qualification. She is child-focused and is very capable of leading the home. She is well supported by a registered manager delegate. The manager ensures that young people receive an excellent level of care. She strives to ensure that young people gain good outcomes. The staff follow the manager’s lead. They provide consistent care and routines, and high-quality care. Care planning is tailored to meet the individual and complex needs of all the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Young people’s records are of an excellent quality. The manager and staff keep information updated. Care plans are current and supported by the input of the young people and their families. There are no review minutes or a formal education plan for one young person. The manager has requested these documents from the placing authority on many occasions. She is keen to escalate this shortfall to a higher level. This will ensure that staff have current information and plans for the young people

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have access to training that is specific to the young people’s individual needs. The manager has identified that staff need to refresh their knowledge and understanding of Inspection report children’s home: SC467796 6 self-harmful behaviour. Staff do not have access to training on ligatures. This training will enhance staff practice and equip them with the knowledge to safeguard the young people. A recommendation is made to reflect this improvement. This has not had an impact on the safety and progress of the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers explore different methods to use to develop staff practice. A monthly monitoring tool helps them to identify any shortfalls in care and practice. The staff team works with placing social workers, education and health staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Placing social workers and young people’s families have a high regard for the managers and staff. They commend the manager for her ‘constant communication’ and the team’s ‘hard work and dedication’. Staff are well established, experienced and skilled at working with families. They include parents in their child’s daily lives. A parent said of the managers and staff, ‘This place is a lifesaver. I got to a point where I was so under pressure. To know [name] is here, happy, safe and well cared for, I wouldn’t have let him go just anywhere. I trust the staff and I know he’s in excellent hands. They are fantastic.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers and staff have high aspirations for the young people. They are extremely proud of the achievements that young people make. Staff praised their managers for their support and commitment to staff development. They say that they are well supported by their managers and feel valued. Staff say that they have good-quality supervision that identifies their training needs. They have in-depth discussions around the young people’s progress and changing needs. Team meetings are well attended and the minutes show a range of topics are discussed. A staff member said, ‘The manager is approachable. She encourages us to develop our practice. The deputy manager is fantastic. I love working here.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager continually explores ways to develop her management skills. She uses the reflective supervision model. This encourages staff to reflect on their practice, development and training needs. Inspection report children’s home: SC467796 7

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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: SC467796 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Birtenshaw - company number 02978546

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Darwen Road, Bromley Cross, Bolton BL7 9AB

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Inspector

Jo Hornby, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC467796 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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