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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472977 1 SC472977

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City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a local authority. It provides care and accommodation for up to 15 children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

Some children live at the home permanently and others access shared-care and short-break placements. The service also provides short-term care for children 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 in post. They 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 BEST service since the beginning of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out following concerns being brought to the regulator’s attention in relation to inadequate care and supervision of children. This resulted in one child putting themself at risk after they were able to leave the home.

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This monitoring visit

A separate complaint was made in respect of staff not following a child’s care and behaviour management plan. At the same time, the registered provider also received a further complaint from a parent who thought he had overheard an inappropriate comment made by a staff member.

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This monitoring visit

A full inspection was undertaken on 27 May 2021, which found that leaders and managers had not been effective in making and sustaining improvements over time. This resulted in poor care and experiences of children, with some not making progress. The registered provider was issued with enforcement action and requirements to improve. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472977 2 Some of the issues in the recent complaints have been raised with the managers at the earlier inspection, for example staff not following the children’s positive support plans.

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This monitoring visit

During this visit, the inspector spoke to managers, staff, professionals and children. Observations were also made of the children with staff. The inspector looked at documents such as staff rotas, incident reports and children’s care plans. These show that the registered provider has begun to make progress in addressing areas of weakness. There is a senior manager working from the home each day.

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This monitoring visit

The staff have access to a file that contains each child’s positive support plan and details of any changes made and reasons why. Staff read this file before caring for the children to make sure that they are aware of each child’s current care and positive behaviour support plan.

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This monitoring visit

The managers have introduced new recording and reporting processes to help them to monitor the practice in the home. This includes better recording of any significant incidents and follow-up work completed, for example any key-work sessions with children.

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This monitoring visit

The staffing rotas are now colour coded to distinguish between permanent and agency staff. These rotas show that agency staff are still being used due to staff shortages. However, there are adequate staff to care for the children.

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This monitoring visit

A senior manager is completing a fact-finding investigation to look at how a child was able to leave the home unsupported by staff. This investigation is ongoing. The inspector looked at the incident recording and statements made by staff, and spoke to managers and staff. The main cause was due to the magna lock on the main electric gate failing. A child was able to gain access to the community. The gate has now been repaired.

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This monitoring visit

The recording shows that staff pursued the child as soon as they left the home and supported the child throughout until their return to the home.

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This monitoring visit

A senior manager is completing an investigation following the parent’s complaint. This is still ongoing. So far, there is no evidence to suggest that any staff spoke inappropriately to a child.

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This monitoring visit

No regulatory breaches were found at this visit. There will be a further monitoring visit to look at the action taken by the registered provider to meet the shortfalls from the earlier full inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472977 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 26/05/2021 Full Inadequate 06/08/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/02/2019 Full Good 20/09/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472977 4

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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. Managers must 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. 11 July 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472977 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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 how to complain and 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;

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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; 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 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472977 6 * 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 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)) 11 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 11 July 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472977 7 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—

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

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; 11 July 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472977 8 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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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. (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

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: SC472977 9

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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 of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, 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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Inspector

Tina Ruffles, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472977 10 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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