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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC369857 1 SC369857 Registered provider: Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a local authority, and it can provide short-break care for up to five children at any one time. This forms part of an outreach programme that is designed to support children and families who may be experiencing a period of difficulty or crisis. The primary aim of the service is to help children who are on the edge of care to remain living at home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since April 2020.

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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: 1 December 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC369857 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/12/2021 Full Good 28/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/09/2018 Full Good 08/08/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC369857 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

In August 2022, short-break care for children and families stopped for five months. This was because a child moved in on a temporary basis from another home. Leaders and managers carefully planned outreach services during this time, and there was little disruption for the children and families who access the service.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff build positive relationships with children in a short space of time. Staff provide children with lots of opportunities when they visit the home. Children also have other experiences, such as swimming with sharks, visiting the seaside and going to the cinema. These are happy experiences that children will go on to remember.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognised that the child struggled with education, and they used a multi- agency approach to support the child to reduce their barriers to learning. Plans were put in place to support the child back into education, which were successful. Although the steps were small, the progress the child made was good, and they have aspirations for their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who access short-break care, and the child who lived in the home, make progress with their social and emotional well-being. Children benefit from access to specialist health services. Staff work with the specialist in these circumstances to ensure that children learn how to cope with, and manage, their emotions better. Consequently, children are becoming more resilient and less anxious when out in the community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff focus on making sure that children have fun during their short-break stays. This is demonstrated in photos of the children. Careful planning gives children a chance to stay at the home with other children who have similar interests. This means that children engage positively in group sessions, learning about a variety of subjects, such as healthy eating. This enhances children’s social skills and helps them to form positive relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are effective in consulting with children and families. Their substantial knowledge of the model of care helps them to develop effective personalised programmes. This helps children to build relationships with their families. A parent said of the staff, ‘I would not be here today if it was not for them. The help was amazing.’ Overall, children and families learn to live harmoniously with support from staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC369857 4

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

Risk assessments make staff aware of known risks to the children. They give clear actions for staff to follow to manage and reduce the children’s risk of harm. Consequently, children’s risks are reducing.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. When they do, staff follow the children’s missing-from-home protocols that are in place. The registered manager makes sure that staff are aware of the actions that are expected of them in these circumstances and how to work in partnership with other agencies, including the police. This means that children can be quickly and safely located.

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

Incidents when children are physically held are used as a last resort. Documents that were reviewed are in line with regulation. Leaders and managers debrief the child and staff involved in the incident. This allows all of those involved to reflect and learn from the incident.

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

Records of safe recruitment were incomplete. It is unclear if a newly appointed member of staff’s Disclosure and Barring Service certificate is enhanced or if they have any convictions, as this information was not evidenced during the inspection. This does not demonstrate that all checks have taken place to ensure that staff are safe to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is enthusiastic and leads by example. She has high aspirations for the children, which are filtered through to her dedicated staff team. Staff who were spoken to during the inspection all speak highly of her and recognise her dedication to the home and the support that she gives them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions are reflective and support staff development. They give staff the opportunity to discuss the children and any struggles that they are facing. This ensures that staff feel valued and supported in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have received mandatory training, such as on holding children, safeguarding and first aid. Staff are also trained in specific areas if children have particular needs or risks. This provides staff with a set of skills to reduce the risk of harm to children, themselves or others. This also raises staff awareness to manage specific behaviours or respond to children’s specific thoughts and feelings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has not ensured that the locality risk assessment contains up-to-date information, and they have not consulted with relevant agencies for information that could improve the service and help staff to manage local risks. This out-of-date information hinders staff’s knowledge of current safeguarding hotspots and does not set out how to minimise risk should there be a concern.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager works with a wide range of professionals, including teachers, social workers and therapists. Communication between the home and Inspection report for children’s home: SC369857 5 these professionals is good, and this integrated approach supports children’s progress. Inspection report for children’s home: SC369857 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 review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2)) 2 April 2023

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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

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d)) 2 April 2023

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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: SC369857 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Gemma McDonnell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC369857 8 regulates and inspects 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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