Children's home run by Salford City Council in Salford

Inspection report for children’s home: SC040511 1 SC040511 Registered provider: Salford City Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is an adolescent support service provided by a local authority. The home provides short- and medium-term care for up to four children and emergency or overnight care for two children, when needed. The service provides intensive, time- limited support to children on the edge of care. This includes planned day visits for children and outreach support for their families. At the time of the inspection, the service was actively working with 103 children and their families to prevent them from entering care.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by an experienced manager who registered with Ofsted in June 2020.

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Inspection date: 26 November 2021

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 26 November 2021

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC040511 2

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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 this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, two children have moved into the home. One child has since moved to live with carers, and one child was living at the home on the day of the inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff worked very effectively with one child and supported his move to live with foster carers. While living at the home, the staff re-established contact with his family and supported his school placement so that he could stay at the same school. The manager and staff have stayed in contact with the child, who continues to make good progress living with his foster carers.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The child living at the home is making good progress in many aspects of his life. The manager identified quickly that the school he was attending was not suitable for his needs. By working effectively with the educational psychologist attached to the service, an education and healthcare plan was devised, and a more appropriate school was identified. Plans for him to move school were well advanced at the time of the inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff have improved the arrangements for the child to see members of his family and addressed outstanding health concerns.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The child has good relationships with staff, who listen to his concerns and treat him with respect. He said that the staff care for him. They do not always let him have everything he wants, but he understands why, although he does not always like the answer. He said, ‘The staff get me.’, and understand his needs and family circumstances. He enjoys preparing meals for everyone to share together.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, there have been no significant incidents. Two complaints have been received from members of the public which have been dealt with effectively.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The use of restraint has been appropriate and, following the incidents, the manager has reviewed the records and identified where practice could be improved. It is clear from the records that the child was actively consulted to find out his views of all incidents of restraint.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Effective risk management means that although there are areas of this child’s life from which he cannot be fully protected, they are recognised, and incidents of concern are reducing. Inspection report for children’s home: SC040511 3 The requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection have been met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The local authority has appointed a new independent person to carry out the external monitoring visits. The reports are detailed, and the visitor regularly consults with children, families and professionals. The manager said that she finds the visits and subsequent reports helpful and these have led to improvements in practice. The independent person does not include in the report her opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded, and if the conduct of the home promotes children’s well- being.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager carried out a review of the quality of care in October, but this had not been submitted to Ofsted on time as it was delayed through an internal quality assurance process. The report was submitted on the day of the inspection and is much clearer and more analytical than the previous one submitted earlier in the year.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the stability of the staff team from time to time, through sickness and absence. To provide continuity of staffing, the manager ensured that at least one member of staff from the core staff team who was known to the children remained on duty. The pandemic has slowed down the progress the manager and responsible individual wanted to make to develop the service further. Inspection report for children’s home: SC040511 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/03/2019 Interim Not judged 08/02/2019 Interim Not judged 19/07/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC040511 5

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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 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 (4)(a)(b)) 31 December

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (3) (4)(a)) 31 March 2022

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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.

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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 for children’s home: SC040511 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Salford City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Centre, Chorley Road, Swinton, Manchester M27 5DA

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Inspector

Helen Humphreys, Social Care HMI Inspection report for children’s home: SC040511 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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