Children's home run by Bright Futures Care Limited in Bolton

Inspection report children’s home: SC456157 1 SC456157 Registered provider: Bright Futures Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for up to four children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties, learning disabilities and/or sensory impairments. The home is part of a private organisation that also offers specialist educational provision.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2016.

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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 carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 11 February 2020

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC456157 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/02/2020 Full Outstanding 24/10/2018 Full Good 20/09/2017 Full Good 15/02/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC456157 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are four children living at the home. Managers and staff respond to children with warmth and nurture. During the inspection, the inspector saw staff interacting in an attuned and responsive way with children. This approach helps to create a feeling of well-being and security for them and ensures reliable relationships between children and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff make sure that children’s educational needs are met. Staff support most children in school on a daily basis. This continuity helps children to learn and feel safe in different environments. During the period of restrictions, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the registered manager created a school environment in the home. Staff’s creative practice provided children with a familiar routine, with recognisable objects to support their educational needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff are passionate about the children they care for and their progress. Managers and staff help children to develop their communication skills. The use of signs, symbols and technology means that children feel valued and listened to. One parent commented on how the continuity of staff’s support with communication methods has helped their child to expand their vocabulary.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff have good relationships with parents. Parents are positive about the home and the regular feedback they receive about their children. The staff team actively promotes arrangements for children to see their family. As a result, children maintain and develop relationships with important people in their lives. This helps them to develop their identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop their independence skills. Staff are aware of the targets for the children and work towards these on a daily basis. Through this consistent and focused approach, children are supported to become more independent.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team has created a warm family atmosphere within the home. Children spend time together and have built good relationships with their peers. One parent said that living with other children has supported their child to make friends and widen their social opportunities. Staff and managers invest in the home environment. For example, there have been recent changes which have added additional play space for children. However, one child was without a toilet seat for two weeks in their en-suite bathroom. Although this was rectified during the inspection, this would not have been comfortable for the child.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff have a clear understanding of children’s risks and vulnerabilities. Risk assessments and plans for children are detailed. The manager and staff have Inspection report children’s home: SC456157 4 included strategies staff should use to reduce or eliminate known risks. The manager reviews these as necessary so that staff have the most up-to-date information and guidance. This helps staff to ensure that they know what action to take to care for and protect children.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff know children well and know how to support them. When they notice a change in behaviour, staff and managers take effective action to understand this. They access support from other professionals and ensure that there is a joined-up response to any changes in approach. For example, when a new behaviour was observed, follow-up action included liaison with a specialist team and an analysis of this behaviour being carried out. This curious practice ensures that children’s changing needs are responded to effectively.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The managers use additional monitoring approaches where there are concerns about the safety or well-being of children. Where these are used, it is documented in risk assessments and consent is obtained. However, ongoing reviews of these additional approaches in statutory meetings are not clear in the records. The registered manager has recognised this and is addressing it.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Managers and staff act decisively when incidents happen. Where there are difficulties in administering medication, staff seek advice and support from health professionals. Staff’s response to incidents considers the individual needs of children. This means that children’s health needs remain a priority, and appropriate action is taken. Staff’s response to incidents considers the individual needs of children.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

An up-to-date fire risk assessment is in place but not all actions documented are complete. However, there is evidence that the fire and rescue authority has deemed the home to be broadly compliant and no actions are required.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff use their training to ensure that physical intervention is a last resort. When the number of physical interventions increased, managers noted the pattern and worked to understand why this was happening. This resulted in changes to the care one child received, which subsequently led to a reduction in physical intervention. The needs of children are consistently thought about to understand their experiences of physical intervention. However, the registered manager does not justify in writing when they do not speak to children following a physical intervention. This contradicts their behaviour management policy.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The registered manager has not ensured that safer recruitment is consistently followed. On one occasion, it is not clear that reasonable action was taken to verify the reason why previous employment ended for one staff member. While infrequent, this compromises the recruitment processes that are in place. As a result, the registered manager has not assured themself of the suitability of the staff working in the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC456157 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager knows the children well and is passionate about caring for them. He leads by example and is an integral part of the home and its success. Staff say they feel well supported and parents are complimentary about managers. As a result, children make good progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive good supervision and training that reflect children’s individual needs. This is reinforced in team meetings and focused meetings about individual children. This provides staff with the skills and knowledge they need to provide effective care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has put in place effective communication systems for staff. This ensures that staff are clear on how best to support and care for children. Staff have a daily handover and consistently use a communication book. Through these methods, staff are aware of any changes or developments relating to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff understand the importance of working with partners. Managers and staff have meaningful correspondence with social workers and other professionals. This means that other professionals know about children’s progress and other relevant matters. This joined-up approach provides children with individualised care and means that children remain at the centre of practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses a number of monitoring systems. These systems provide the manager with oversight of the home. The manager recognises the home’s strengths and areas for development. As a result, the home continues to develop.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager constantly seeks to understand children’s day-to-day experiences of their care, including using pictures and observations. This is not reflected in his regular review of the quality of care children receive. This is a missed opportunity to demonstrate how the views of children influence the ongoing developments of the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC456157 6

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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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may permit an individual to start work at the home despite the fact that the requirement in paragraph (3)(d) has not been met if—

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information in respect of the individual has been obtained in relation to the matters in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

If a person has previously worked in a position involving work with children or vulnerable adults, verification so far as reasonably practicable of the reason why the employment or position ended.

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Requirement Due date

A full employment history, together with a satisfactory explanation of any gaps in employment, in writing. (Regulation 32 (1) (7)(b) Schedule 2 (4) (6))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that, so far as reasonably practicable, the reasons why staff’s previous employment or positions have ended are verified and that gaps in employment are documented. 13 May 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that the behaviour management strategy is always applied by managers and staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34)  The registered person should ensure that the regulation 45 report includes the experiences of children living at the home and any actions that they consider necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for Inspection report children’s home: SC456157 7 children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)

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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: SC456157 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bright Futures Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Bright Futures Care Limited, Asher House, Barsbank Lane, Lymm WA13 0ED

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rachelle Russell

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Inspector

Melanie Griffin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC456157 9 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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