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

Inspection report children’s home: SC033502 1 SC033502

p.1

Registered provider: City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A local authority operates and runs this home. It provides care and accommodation for up to four children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural needs. The manager has been in post since October 2019 and is in the process of making an application to the regulator.

p.1

Inspection date: 12 March 2020

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Inspection date: 12 March 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC033502 2

p.1

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has been without a registered manager since 2018. The current manager is appropriately qualified and experienced for the position held. He has been in post since October 2019. He is in the process of making an application to register as a home’s manager for this setting. He is supported in his role by his senior managers to help drive improvements forward.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s and young people’s experiences are variable. Educational attendance and attainments are mixed. The provider has plans to reintegrate those children and young people into educational settings where there have been significant periods of absence. This will support the progress for children and young people, helping them to learn, enjoy and achieve.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people continue to enjoy spending time with staff, engaging with a variety of social and recreational activities. This improves relationships, helping children and young people to share thoughts and feelings with the adults who help look after them.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Risk assessments and risk management processes are poor. Risk assessments lack detail on how children’s and young people’s known risks are managed and how to mitigate the risk of harm. This means that staff do not know the full extent of the children’s and young people’s known risk-taking behaviours, and there is no clear guidance for staff to follow. Furthermore, this prevents the staff from providing appropriate support to children and young people to help them to learn how to keep themselves safe in and outside the home. This places children and young people at increased risk of harm because of their level of vulnerability.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Poorly managed responses to allegations made by children and young people mean that they cannot be confident that they will be helped and protected by those adults who help look after them. There is no system in place to feed back the experiences of children and young people, including allegations made. Nor is there an effective monitoring and review system in place to make continuous improvements to the quality of care provided to children and young people. This has delayed safeguarding arrangements for some children and young people. Additionally, this has not provided children and young people with reassuring messages that their views have been listened to and acted on.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has not followed safeguarding and regulation processes that involve notifying Ofsted and the designated officer. This lack of transparency prevents the regulator and safeguarding agencies from providing independent oversight as well as any scrutiny of care arrangements that aim to promote the safety and welfare of Inspection report children’s home: SC033502 3 children and young people. Furthermore, this prevents good oversight by the manager to identify trends and patterns of behaviour that help to better protect children and young people.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have not received all relevant training that is necessary to meet the needs of the children and young people in the home. A previous requirement to skill up staff through contextual safeguarding training has not been sufficiently addressed. Additionally, staff would benefit from training relating to awareness of self-harmful behaviours. A poorly skilled staff team means that they are unlikely to recognise and respond to risks and concerns effectively. This means that children and young people receive inconsistent care that hinders progress and does not support safer care arrangements.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has introduced his own monitoring systems. They have not been effective at identifying shortfalls raised at this inspection. There are inconsistencies in recording of information. Hand-written records are not always legible, which makes it difficult for children and young people to see how they will be offered care and support. Furthermore, not all records are signed and dated by the author, which does not show accountability. Inspection report children’s home: SC033502 4

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/03/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 11/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/09/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC033502 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

p.5

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.5

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.5

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi) and (vii)) 03/05/2020

p.5

Requirement Due date

*The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 03/05/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC033502 6 demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

p.5

Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(g)(ii) and (h)) *The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.6

Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

p.6

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(c) and (e)) 03/05/2020

p.6

Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.6

Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

p.6

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC033502 7

p.6

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspector

Jacqueline Tate, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC033502 8 to 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8