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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC059853 1 SC040719 Registered provider: Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This local authority home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties. The home specialises in caring for children who may need support to develop their independence skills as they approach care-leaving age.

p.1

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 carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021. We last visited this setting on 16 October 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

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

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 19 and 20 February 2020

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC059853 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/02/2020 Full Outstanding 06/11/2018 Full Outstanding 15/06/2017 Full Outstanding 13/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC059853 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Since the last visit, four children have lived in the home, two of whom have successfully moved into independent living.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children are cared for by passionate and committed staff who know them well. This enables some children to develop warm and trusting relationships with staff, increasing their ability to reflect on their past experiences and to develop coping skills and resilience. Managers and staff understand that these relationships are central to helping children develop and sustain stability. This results in an improvement in children’s confidence and self-esteem.

p.3

improvement to be good

Some children have benefited from clear boundaries, and staff reinforce their expectations of appropriate behaviour. This has generally resulted in improvements in children’s ability to regulate their own behaviour and take responsibility for their actions.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff have worked hard to successfully help children to understand the importance of learning and the choices and opportunities this will bring in their future.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff members have high aspirations for children and invest and celebrate their successes. One child positively glowed when telling staff about her recent success in a job interview and was praised enormously as a result.

p.3

improvement to be good

Key-working sessions successfully engage children in promoting their health, which enables them to take greater control of their own health.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff engage children in a wide range of activities, many of which create memorable firsts. Staff accompanied one child to her first-ever music concert, and another staff member takes a child to weekly local football matches. The child told the inspector that she will never forget how much she enjoys this.

p.3

improvement to be good

During this inspection period, children’s experiences and progress present a mixed picture. The lack of a carefully considered admission assessment diminished the ability to support one child to achieve his full potential, and did not afford the necessary consideration to the effect on a child already living in the home. This has resulted in staff being unable to appropriately engage the child or to effect any positive changes to his lifestyle.

p.3

improvement to be good

Additionally, the failure to consider the impact caused by, and risks of, exploitation have potentially placed children and staff at risk. A requirement is raised in relation to this matter. Inspection report for children’s home: SC059853 4

p.3

improvement to be good

Generally children report that they feel safe in this home. They are able to form protective relationships with staff with whom they can discuss their anxieties and are advised appropriately. Staff work hard to ensure that children are aware of any risks posed to them. They provide support and guidance, which has enabled some children to form healthier and more appropriate relationships and reduce their risk- taking behaviour.

p.4

improvement to be good

One child is frequently missing from home and his whereabouts are often unknown. Prompt action is taken by the staff who work closely with the police and other professionals. Established protocols are followed and the manager has appropriately escalated her increasing concerns. However, these concerns have not been acted on. As a result, staff are unable to engage the child or provide the necessary care, support and protection. A safeguarding professional said, ‘The staff genuinely care about this child, who knows this, but the pull of outside criminal influences inhibits any progress which could be made.’

p.4

improvement to be good

Children’s risk assessments lack information and clarity, and fail to provide staff with the preventive strategies and guidance to enable them to protect children. Risk assessments are not routinely updated following significant incidents. One child’s risk assessment was not updated following an incident in the home, whereby staff and children were placed at risk of significant harm.

p.4

improvement to be good

Managers and staff undertake regular health, safety, fire checks and drills. Children and staff are placed at risk due to damage being caused to fire safety equipment. Managers have failed to address this.

p.4

good

The registered manager is experienced and holds a relevant qualification. Staff report that she is committed to the home’s ethos and is supportive, making herself available to staff and the children. One staff member said, ‘She is absolutely dedicated to the children, and to ensuring they are safe, cared for and are given the best possible chances when living with us.’

p.4

good

At the last assurance visit in October 2020, one requirement and three recommendations were made.

p.4

good

The requirement related to the quality of risk assessments, specifically the measures required to mitigate risks to children. Risk assessments are lacking in this area and a further requirement is made at this inspection.

p.4

good

The recommendation relating to the recording and sharing of information when a child goes missing has been partly addressed. Information is now appropriately Inspection report for children’s home: SC059853 5 shared. Evaluation of these incidents remains lacking. A requirement is made at this inspection.

p.4

good

A recommendation was made in relation to ensuring that children see the results of their views and actions being acted on. One child told the inspector that staff and managers actively seek her views about living in the home and that these are acted on. The child gave as examples the decoration of her room, the furnishings in the home, activities for children and menu planning.

p.5

good

The final recommendation relates to children who are engaged in suitable education or training. The manager has persistently raised her concerns about one child’s lack of educational engagement and has also escalated this to her own line manager. There is no outcome at the time of this inspection.

p.5

good

The manager is registered at a second home, and works alongside an experienced, competent deputy manager. The two divide their time accordingly. Staff describe the managers as dedicated and committed, but express concern that the standards they aspire to are compromised. Some staff members report that management capacity is limited and that tasks sometimes remain incomplete.

p.5

good

The registered manager’s monitoring of aspects of the service is not robust. Management oversight of children’s records is lacking and she relies heavily on the independent monitoring carried out to inform development plans for the service.

p.5

good

Staff supervision notes are sparse and poorly recorded. Staff report that supervision does not provide them with the opportunity to reflect on their practice, or provide the guidance they require when planning their work with children. One staff member does not have the appropriate training required to undertake specific identified work with one of the children.

p.5

good

The statement of purpose gives a detailed description of the service and how this is to be provided, including the process by which children are admitted. One child was admitted to the home on an emergency basis, a process which is not described in the statement of purpose. Inspection report for children’s home: SC059853 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)) 1 May 2022

p.6

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.6

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(x)) 1 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC059853 7 Specifically, that staff are provided with supervision that enables them to reflect on their practice and the effect this has on children.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i))

p.7

Requirement Due date

Specifically, to ensure that risk assessments consider all factors relating to risk; and detail the guidance and strategies necessary for staff to mitigate and prevent the risks of harm. 1 May 2022

p.7

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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)(h))

p.7

Requirement Due date

Specifically, that missing from home incidents are evaluated to identify, record and retain evidence of what worked well. 1 May 2022

p.7

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 1 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC059853 8 that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation14 (1)(b) (2)(a))

p.7

Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensuring that children’s assessed needs can be met by the service without detriment to children already living in the home.

p.8

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any registered manager employed in the home should have sufficient capacity to ensure that the Quality Standards are met for each child in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.7)  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

p.8

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: SC059853 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Victoria Square, PO Box 29, Bolton BL1 1RU

p.9

Inspector

Jacqueline Georghiou, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC059853 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.

p.9

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10