Children's home run by Birtenshaw in Bolton

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC467796 1 SC467796

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Birtenshaw

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is part of a charitable organisation. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may have been diagnosed with a learning disability and/or physical disability.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is currently undertaking the process to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 4 March 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on our website.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out following a concern relating to the care of children in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Children living at the home experience complex health and emotional needs. Some children have experienced significant changes in their needs.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has not used a coordinated approach to address the changing needs of some children. For example, the strategies used by staff to help some children remain calm and engaged with staff, and to access activities, have not been evaluated. Opportunities to improve the care offered to children have been missed.

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This monitoring visit

Although the manager has updated some advice to assist staff, this advice is spread over several documents. In addition, children’s care plans have not been updated with this advice and contain out-of-date information. Advice given by other professionals involved in the care of children has not been integrated into the plans. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC467796 2 Although the manager has reviewed individual incidents, there has not been a systematic approach used to fully evaluate the difficulties some children may face. This means that opportunities to identify any underlying patterns or trends that may have an impact on children’s behaviours have been missed.

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This monitoring visit

Managerial evaluation of specific concerns is weak. For example, when there are concerns about a child’s low food intake, there are no means of identifying or evaluating nutritional intake over a period of time. As a result, factors that may have an effect on those concerns are not considered.

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This monitoring visit

Some staff have not refreshed their knowledge base or skills in particular areas for several years. This includes training relating to autism spectrum disorder, communication techniques and sensory processing.

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This monitoring visit

Some young people do not benefit from a pathway plan that would identify their transitional and future needs.

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This monitoring visit

Progress made towards meeting the recommendations made at the previous monitoring visit was not evaluated during this visit. These will be addressed at the next inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 09/10/2019 Full Good 11/12/2018 Full Outstanding 11/10/2017 Full Good 22/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC467796 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications, and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff having access to relevant training, including support for children who may have autism spectrum disorder, complex communications and those who are non-verbal, and an up-to-date understanding of sensory processing and promoting purposeful activities. 30 June 2021

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1) (2)(f)) 30 June 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC467796 4 In particular, ensure that that strategies used by staff to support children’s behaviour reduce incidents of self-injurious behaviour and promote their socialisation. The effectiveness of the strategies is reviewed and evaluated, and that learning is disseminated to staff and acted on.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(c) (2)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff monitoring and evaluating children’s diet and food intake when this has been identified as an area of need, and evaluate strategies used by staff to encourage a healthy balanced diet. 30 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social skills.

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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

develop the child’s interests and hobbies;

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Requirement Due date

participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff helping children to expand their interests and ensuring that there is a wide variety of opportunities offered. This support should be clearly recorded and evaluated for its efficacy. 30 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 30 June 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC467796 5 receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to reviewing the care arrangements that are in place for children and ensuring that plans are coherent and kept up to date.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Section 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to children having pathway plans in place. 30 June 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that risk management plans are regularly reviewed. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s statement of purpose reflects the experience and qualifications of all staff working in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.10)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that recording systems used in the home support clear and concise recordings. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC467796 6

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Pauline Yates, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC467796 7 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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