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

Assurance visit report: SC040719 1 SC040719

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children or young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home specialises in caring for children and young people who may need support to develop their independence skills, as they approach care-leaving age.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 19 February 2020

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Outstanding

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership. This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic. Assurance visit report: SC040719 2

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit.

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The care of children

Young people’s relationships with staff continue to grow. Young people identify particular staff members that they trust and would talk through their worries with. They enjoy meals out together, shopping and day trips to theme parks.

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The care of children

Young people are helped by staff to develop independence skills through practical and written sessions covering areas such as self-esteem, finances and cooking. One young person successfully gained employment, had driving lessons and moved into his own accommodation. This demonstrates the confidence and skills achieved by this young person.

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The care of children

Young people have been attending education provision until very recently. One young person has been excluded and another young person refuses to attend. Staff are working with partner agencies to encourage their prompt return. However, the staff have not put a structured plan in place to ensure that young people continue to have a healthy routine of learning and achieving.

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The care of children

Consultation is regularly undertaken with young people to ensure that they can voice their views and opinions. However, during discussion with the inspector, a young person raised a number of issues that had not been responded to promptly by staff, including support to apply for a provisional driving licence. This was addressed by the manager during the visit.

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The care of children

Staff help young people to keep in touch with their families during the pandemic. Young people use technology and outdoor spaces to maintain these important relationships.

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The safety of children

Young people say that they feel safe and that they understand that staff members are there to help. Guidance and expectations around COVID-19 are understood by young people, and there are procedures and routines in place to reduce the risk of infection.

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The safety of children

Incidents of going missing from care and risks of sexual exploitation are a feature of the complex needs of a young person being cared for. Staff are trained and experienced in meeting this need. They also work effectively within the network of professionals around the young person to try and break this cycle of damaging behaviour.

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The safety of children

Risk assessments contain control measures to support the staff to help young people manage risks and enable staff to provide safer care. However, due to the increasing Assurance visit report: SC040719 3 risky behaviours, additional mitigating measures should be considered to reduce risks further. For example, regular telephone calls or visual checks on young people’s whereabouts when they are spending periods of time away from the home. Also, detailed records of each missing from home incident are not always fully completed by staff. This hinders a thorough review of care practice.

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The safety of children

There have been no incidents of restrictive physical intervention or sanctions given to young people. Staff have a system of positive reinforcement and incentives to moderate behaviour. The staff are trained in a recognised method of restraint should it be necessary to hold young people to keep them safe.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager is suitably qualified and has a wealth of experience in working with young people in residential care. She is supported by an equally skilled and qualified deputy manager. Together they are committed to achieving the best outcomes for young people.

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Leaders and managers

Quality audit systems are in place and provide an overview of care practice. The management team is fully aware of the strengths and areas for development in the home. The manager continues to review young people’s care plans, carefully considering the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the changing restrictions. Staff understand these plans and implement them appropriately.

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Leaders and managers

At the start of the pandemic, decisions to divert from usual practice were made in the best interests of young people. In particular, flexibilities around the age range of young people being cared for were necessary to meet the need for placements. The statement of purpose was updated to reflect this. The home is now operating to its original aims of providing care to young people between the ages of 16 and 18 years.

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Leaders and managers

A core team of staff provides consistent care for young people. During the pandemic and staff sickness, staff from other homes in the local authority worked here to provide care for young people. Staff have worked well together, providing stability for young people.

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Leaders and managers

The requirement and recommendation made at the last inspection have been met.

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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, the 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. Assurance visit report: SC040719 4

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that risk management considers all factors relating to risk and put in adequate measures to mitigate these risks, including welfare checks when young people are spending time away from home. 13/11/2020

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Recommendations

 Records must be kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home. This information should be shared with the placing authority and, where appropriate, with the child’s parents. Evaluation of missing incidents should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45 and 46 paragraph 9.31)

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Recommendations

 Following consultation, children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

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Recommendations

 Where children placed in a home are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some other reason, the registered person and staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education or training as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education or training and be engaged in suitable structured activities. If no education place is identified by the placing authority, the registered person must challenge them to meet the child’s needs under regulation 5 (engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15) Assurance visit report: SC040719 5

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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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Inspector

Caroline Jones, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC040719 6 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.

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