Children's Home run by Birtenshaw in Bolton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC470797 1 SC470797 Registered provider: Birtenshaw Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and is registered to provide care for up to four children. The home’s statement of purpose states that the children may have autism spectrum disorder, physical disabilities, learning disabilities and/or sensory impairment. At the time of the inspection, four children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager in post has submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector was aware during this inspection that a serious incident that occurred at the setting since the last inspection is under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the incident were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform the inspector’s judgements.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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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: SC470797 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/08/2022 Full Good 05/10/2021 Full Good 12/02/2020 Full Good 14/11/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC470797 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a spacious and warm environment. The home is furnished to a high standard with bright, tasteful decor. Children choose how they want to decorate and personalise their bedrooms. Children’s artwork is displayed throughout the home. Staff are supportive in embedding children’s sensory needs into their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children’s likes and dislikes very well and carefully arrange activities to suit them, such as visiting the beach and going on train rides. Consequently, these opportunities enhance children’s experiences, particularly as some of the children previously found trips of this nature challenging. Children’s body language shows that they feel comfortable and relaxed in the presence of staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff provide good support to young people moving out of the home. They use a well-planned, collaborative approach tailored to each young person’s needs. This includes focusing on skill development, continuity of care and emotional support to empower them to be as independent as possible in their adulthood. These strategies ensure long-term success in adult life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are dedicated to promoting children’s independence by focusing on self-care and healthy snack preparation. By integrating these goals into individual plans, the children make significant progress. Regular reviews of their objectives, along with celebrations of accomplishments involving parents and social workers, boost the children’s self-esteem and independence, fostering a positive and nurturing environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to spend time with people who are important to them. The manager advocates for children and supports increased time spent with loved ones. In addition, staff support children to spend time with friends when it is appropriate to do so. This ensures that children maintain important relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress, supported by the adults who care for them. For example, children are encouraged to use symbols and speech sounds in line with their relevant plans. As a result, children continue to make progress in their communication and language skills.

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

Staff support children and respond extremely well to any behaviours that challenge. They demonstrate a commitment to finding different and innovative ways to manage situations that children may find difficult to cope with. This approach reduces children’s anxieties and helps to minimise incidents.

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

Staff support children with their emotional well-being. Clear plans help to guide staff in how to care for children when they feel upset, worried or anxious. Staff are able Inspection report for children’s home: SC470797 4 to quickly identify when something is not right for a child.

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

Staff only hold children as a last resort to keep everyone safe. Staff have received appropriate training. Children are offered debriefs afterwards, and staff try to understand the reasons for the behaviour to prevent reoccurrence. Managers also provide debriefs for staff after difficult incidents.

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

Restrictions are in place at the children’s home, including the locking of front and back doors to prevent children from leaving and encountering potential harm. These measures are based on comprehensive assessments of each child’s unique needs and are carefully documented. However, it is crucial to conduct regular reviews of these assessments to consider their continued relevance and effectiveness in ensuring the safety of the children.

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

Staff work collaboratively with other professionals, parents and family members to understand children’s complex needs. Managers and staff are strong advocates for children. Staff communicate well with relevant professionals to provide an all-round approach to children’s care.

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

Staff are trained in safeguarding children. However, on one occasion, staff recorded a bruise seen on a child without informing the manager at the earliest opportunity. Managers responded promptly once alerted, and the investigation is ongoing by relevant authorities.

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

Staff understand the importance of meeting children’s health needs. There is a well- managed system for administering and recording medications in a safe and controlled way.

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good

A suitably experienced manager has started since the last full inspection. The manager was swift in applying to register with Ofsted and has worked incredibly hard to build positive relationships with the children, staff team, parents and relevant professionals. The staff welcome her leadership and the change and challenge that this brings.

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good

The manager shares information with other people who are important in the children’s lives. One social worker said, ‘The manager is great. She stays in touch and always contacts us to share good news and when she needs to share concerns. I couldn’t ask for anything more.’

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good

Managers and leaders understand the home’s strengths and areas for improvement. They use monitoring tools and action plans to demonstrate how they are listening to ideas and driving quality forward. A member of staff said, ‘The managers complement each other. Their support is available whenever it is needed, and they are always coming up with new supportive ideas for children.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC470797 5 Team meetings are used as a forum for learning. Managers are not afraid to challenge and address staff practice. This helps staff to reflect on their performance and identify areas for improvement. Staff receive regular supervision. However, the recording does not demonstrate a thorough overview of the agenda. It is therefore difficult to assess and evaluate the impact of these sessions on staff practice.

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good

Children are cared for by a committed and enthusiastic staff team. Staff are either suitably qualified or enrolled on the relevant training. Staff are trained and receive ongoing mandatory training and relevant online focused training.

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good

Managers conduct annual appraisals with staff, during which staff members reflect on their work and establish targets for the upcoming year. However, these appraisals do not take into account the perspectives of children or other essential individuals. This could limit the managers’ understanding of the children’s experiences.

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good

The manager quickly addressed a parent’s concern about an incident involving their child, reporting it to the local authority designated officer and conducting internal fact-finding. However, the concern was not recorded as a complaint, and procedures and oversight were not followed. In addition, learning has not been shared with the team, which may result in missed opportunities for positive change and progress.

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good

Staff play a central role in advocating for children, and they attend regular meetings and reviews. This means that parents and professionals receive detailed first-hand information. Children’s care plans are clearly laid out and easy to read, and they provide a clear insight into each child’s needs.

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good

Managers follow up and escalate concerns if responses from agencies are not satisfactory. This helps to ensure that children receive the right support and their needs are met. The manager has addressed the requirements made at the last inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC470797 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, The 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that staff take swift action when bruising is seen on a child. 15 September 2023

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 15 September 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC470797 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(g)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that any complaint made is recorded in line with the home’s statement of purpose and fully investigated. This needs to include lessons learned being shared with all.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff appraisals include the views of other professionals who have worked with staff over the year and the views of children who have been cared for at the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)  The registered person should ensure that records of staff supervision document and reflect the quality and content of discussion that has taken place. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)  The registered person should ensure that decisions around having locks on the home’s front and back door are informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual child’s needs, are properly recorded and are kept under regular review. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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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: SC470797 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Birtenshaw Darwen Road, Bromley Cross, Bolton BL7 9AB

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Inspector

Jennifer Quest, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC470797 9 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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