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

Inspection report children’s home: SC472977 1 SC472977 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

The home is owned and operated by a local authority. This children’s home provides care for up to 15 children and young people who have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

Some children and young people live at the home permanently, whereas others access shared-care and short-break placements. The service also provides short- term care to children and young people who are undergoing assessments by a Behavioural Evaluation Support Team (BEST).

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Information about this children’s home

There are two managers registered at this setting. They were registered in October 2013 and May 2017 respectively.

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Information about this children’s home

Children have not been having overnight stays at the short-break and the Behavioural Evaluation Support Team (BEST) service since the beginning of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, 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 the 15 December 2020 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on our website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate Inspection report children’s home: SC472977 2 There are serious and widespread failures that mean children are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded. The care and experiences of some children are poor, and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: At an assurance visit undertaken on 7, 8 and 27 October 2020, there were serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care and protection of children. This led to two compliance notices. These notices related to the leadership and management of the home, and the behaviour management policies and records.

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inadequate

On 15 December 2020, a monitoring visit was completed and found that the improvements made by the provider were sufficient to meet the actions identified in the compliance notices. Inspection report children’s home: SC472977 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/08/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/02/2019 Full Good 20/09/2017 Full Good 15/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC472977 4

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inadequate

The experiences of children living in this home are mixed. One child in particular has been delayed in their move to another home. This is as a result of managers being unclear about the child’s care planning. The child is not making progress, with increased incidents of the child struggling to manage their emotions. This impacts on the other children, who have witnessed the child’s distress.

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inadequate

It is unclear from the recording what progress the children are making. The managers have only recently produced goals and targets for each child to achieve. These are manageable and staff are given advice on how to help children, yet the work being done is not recorded, so children’s progress and experiences cannot be monitored and tracked.

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inadequate

There are a number of staff vacancies. This has resulted in children who need a consistent approach being cared for by a high number of agency staff whom they do not know. Children have good relationships with the permanent members of staff. These staff members advocate for the children but speak of their frustrations when managers make no sustained changes at the home. One staff member said: ‘There is no evidence that leadership inspires children to fulfil their potential.’

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inadequate

The staff are not aware of the most up-to-date care needs of the children. Although the children have child-friendly daily living plans, when staff return to work following a period of absence, they do not always read these plans. This results in staff not being aware of any changes in the child’s routines, and a lack of consistency in staff’s approaches and strategies used.

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inadequate

The managers do not promote children’s participation in the running of their home. The children’s meetings have just been reduced to one meeting every three months. When children give their views, these are ignored by managers. For example, children have no choice in their food menu and complain about the quality of the food prepared. Staff also raise their concerns on behalf of the children about the healthiness of the food offered. One child said: ‘The meals contain so much salt and I have to go to the shop to buy food with my pocket money.’

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inadequate

Children have limited opportunities to go out on activities. This is either because of the staffing levels or staff not feeling confident to take children out. When asked, what it was like living at the home, one child said: ‘I am bored.’ This does not provide the children with new experiences.

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inadequate

Some of the communal areas, such as the lounge, do not provide a homely environment. Some children have sensory profiles; however, staff have not looked at how their environment may be causing them problems; for example, some of the Inspection report children’s home: SC472977 5 rooms are very large and noisy. Children do benefit from improvements, such as the new games room.

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inadequate

The majority of the children are in education and one child has just started to take part in work experience. Children receive the support they need that promotes learning and developing new skills.

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improvement to be good

Children have high staffing levels that provide a minimum of one-to-one support. As a result, there have been no incidents when children are missing from home.

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improvement to be good

The children now have individualised behaviour support plans with clear information for staff. However, the managers have failed to ensure that staff have read and understood these plans. One parent spoke of how he complains about the staff’s failure to follow the behaviour management plan and this leads to his child becoming increasingly frustrated.

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improvement to be good

Furthermore, when children struggle to manage their emotions, staff have used interventions that are not approved, or identified in the children’s behaviour support plans. This includes agency staff who are not trained in the home’s preferred positive behaviour management practice.

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improvement to be good

The management oversight of restraints is poor. Staff have not always completed the recording of such incidents in a timely way. The managers have not always debriefed staff following a physical intervention. This means that there is no opportunity for the managers and staff to evaluate the appropriateness, effectiveness and safety of such holds.

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improvement to be good

On one occasion, a child who has limited verbal communication was held by staff to keep him safe. They did not have the opportunity of talking about this until six days later. This is outside approved timescales, and too long after the event for the child to understand the reasons for the restraint.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The leadership and management of the home is poor. The managers have failed to ensure that the home operates in line with the ethos of its statement of purpose. The managers have not been effective in making and sustaining improvements over time. This means that children are having poor experiences living at this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The managers have failed to ensure that a log of all complaints is maintained. There is no accurate record of complaints made by others or the actions taken to address these. Additionally, when children have raised issues at their residents’ meetings, the managers do not respond to these. Children are given no feedback about their requests or complaints, so their voices are not being heard. Inspection report children’s home: SC472977 6 The managers have not supported staff to work together in a consistent way. Team meetings do take place, but these are irregular. These meetings do not give staff the opportunity for reflection and learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff also do not receive regular supervision sessions. This does not provide staff with the development and support they need. When issues are raised by staff on how things can be improved for children, no action is taken by the managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The staff are using written as well as computerised records. This leads to inconsistency of recording and the managers are unable to locate information. The manager’s monitoring systems are ineffective. The manager’s oversight of staff practice is poor and does not identify shortfalls, such as daily tasks not being completed. This also makes it difficult to see what progress children are making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The independent visitor has only conducted virtual visits to the home, and feedback has not regularly been sought from others, such as children’s families or other professionals. This does not provide independent oversight and scrutiny. Most of the children have additional communication needs, which makes it difficult seeking children’s views remotely. Ineffective monitoring of the home has led to a decline in the quality of the care, support provided to the children. Inspection report children’s home: SC472977 7

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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, 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.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to making sure that staff have read and understood the children’s care plans and behaviour management plans each time they come to work.

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Requirement Due date

Managers need to ensure that they provide staff with clear instructions about their daily tasks and responsibilities, and that effective monitoring systems are in place. 11 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 11 July 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC472977 8 ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

make each child aware of and, if necessary, remind them of each of the matters in sub-paragraph (d)(i) to (iii). (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider should ensure that regular residents’ meetings take place so that all children can have their voices heard. These meetings should include guidance on how to complain and they should be documented and read by the manager so that feedback on any requests or concerns can be given to children.

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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 interests and 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; participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences; and

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Requirement Due date

make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 11 July 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— 11 July 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC472977 9 helps children aspire 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on —

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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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) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 11 July 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC472977 10 that arrangements are in place to—

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 11 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

* The registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 11 July 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC472977 11 within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) (b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3)) 11 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (1) (4)(a)(b)) 11 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: SC472977 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: City Hall, Centenary Square, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD1 1HY

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Children’s home details

Registered managers: Balvinder Gill and Victoria Bolton

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Inspectors

Tina Ruffles, Social Care Inspector Matt Reed, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC472977 13 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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