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 Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A local authority operates and runs this home. It is registered to provide long-term care and accommodation for up to six children and young people who have a range of social, emotional and behavioural needs. The manager has been registered since October 2016.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC059635 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/04/2018 Full Inadequate 30/08/2017 Full Good 30/12/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC059635 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people are carefully prepared for their move to the home. This results in them settling in quickly. The manager’s careful and effective matching assessment reflects both any potential for conflict and the strengths among the existing group of children and young people. As such, the children and young people enjoy spending time together and develop good relationships with each other, and there are very few disagreements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The majority of the children and young people are making progress, particularly in their attendance and engagement at school and college. The staff team works closely with the virtual school and, for one child, this has resulted in a bespoke package of support to keep them in education. The children and young people become motivated to attend their education provision because of the staff team’s persistence and constant encouragement and praise.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people have a multitude of opportunities to speak to the staff about their feelings. These include creative key-work sessions in the home’s arts and crafts room. The children’s and young people’s positive relationships with the nurturing staff team help them to open up about sensitive issues. Children and young people receive further guidance and support through specialist workers and independent visitors who attend residents meetings. This helps to keep children and young people aware of the risks and dangers of being online and of radicalisation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people approaching adulthood are well prepared for and supported in their move to semi-independent living. The young people are involved in the planning, which starts early. This gives them the opportunity to develop independence skills before moving. The young people continue to receive practical and emotional support through ongoing contact with staff whom they have developed trusting relationships with. There are some young adults who are still in contact with the staff several years after they have left the home. This demonstrates the strong relationships and trust developed during their stay at the home.

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

The children and young people are safe at the home. Staff have a good awareness of the individual risks and vulnerabilities and adhere to the guidance in the individualised support plans. Regular meetings with other professionals help to create a multi-agency shared responsibility for keeping the children and young people safe. The children and young people are supported to take measured risks in line with their age and development. As a result, they continue to confide in and share information with the staff.

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

There have been only a few occasions when the children and young people have gone missing from home, resulting in a reduction in the risk of exploitation. Collaborative Inspection report children’s home: SC059635 4 working with the local police informs the individualised missing-from-home protocols. If children and young people are late returning home, the staff look for them and make every effort to locate them. Return-to-home interviews are always provided.

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

The staff use their good relationships to de-escalate any negative behaviours. As a result, since the last inspection there have been only two incidents when children and young people have been physically held. These have been low-level holds and were used only to keep everyone safe. The children and young people are helped to identify and manage any triggers that may lead to negative behaviours. They learn to reflect on their actions through the staff team’s restorative approach. This helps children and young people to learn to regulate their own emotions and prevents criminalisation. Positive behaviours are recognised and encouraged through instant rewards and treats, which the children and young people love.

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

Children and young people respect and take ownership of their home. They personalise their bedrooms with photographs of the trips and activities that they have enjoyed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is led by a highly experienced and committed manager. She makes sure that the children and young people are provided with a safe and secure home. The manager is extremely passionate and has high aspirations and ambitions for the children and young people. She ensures that the children and young people have new and rewarding experiences and positive opportunities to help them to stay happy and thrive. For example, this year most of the children and young people enjoyed an overseas summer holiday.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager leads by example and has high expectations of her staff team providing the children and young people with the highest quality of care. Robust monitoring systems ensure that the manager has oversight of practice within the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Safe recruitment processes mean that all staff are suitably vetted and are deemed safe to work with children and young people. New staff receive a well-supported induction during their probationary period. Regular reflective supervision and attendance at a plethora of training enable the staff to meet the complex and challenging needs of the children and young people whom they care for. This includes bespoke training if there are gaps in their knowledge when a new child or young person moves in. The manager supports the staff team’s continuous professional development, such as by introducing monthly targeted reflective practice sessions within team meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager advocates strongly for the children and young people. She makes sure that they have a voice in the running of the home and the planning for their future. There have been many areas of improvement since the last inspection. These include following the recommendations made. The manager’s quality of care review report highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the home. The manager is proactive in driving forward these further areas of improvement for the children and young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC059635 5

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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 difference 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 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, City Hall, Centenary Square, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD1 1HY

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Inspector(s)

Tina Ruffles, social care inspector Sue Hatton, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC059635 7 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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