Children's home run by Salford City Council in Salford

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

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority home that operates alongside its outreach programme.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to six children on a short- to medium- term basis. Emergency placements are also provided.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there was one child living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since April 2023.

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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: SC040511 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/05/2022 Full Good 25/11/2021 Interim Improved effectiveness 28/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/03/2019 Interim Not judged Inspection report for children’s home: SC040511 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are nurturing and put the children’s well-being at the centre of their practice. Staff have built positive relationships with the child who currently lives in the home. This has meant that the child has stability and a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff support family time in line with the child’s plans. This means that the child can maintain relationships that are important to them. Some children have returned to the care of their families. This is because staff have supported the needs of the children and their families.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child’s educational needs and engagement with school. As a result, the child has a high level of school attendance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the child’s health and well-being needs. The child attends routine medical appointments and learns about their own health needs. An example of this is that staff have educated one child to understand their own sexual health needs. This helped them to engage with appropriate health services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides short- to medium-term placements. This means a high number of children move in and out of the home. The manager and staff complete an impact assessment for each child. This is a robust document that details the needs of each child and the impact they may have on each other. This includes strategies to manage risks. However, the document does not consider whether the staff team has the skills, training and experience to meet the children’s individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and the manager have halted new admissions into the home. This is to ensure that the child currently living in the home has the full staff focus. As a result, the child has made positive progress. This means the child can now move on from the home in line with their long-term plans.

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

Leaders and managers have responded well to safeguarding concerns. They have taken all necessary action to investigate and address complaints. They work in partnership with relevant professionals, such as the local authority designated officer and social workers. They ensure that the child’s well-being is prioritised throughout the process.

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

Staff have not had to hold the child to keep them safe. This shows the effectiveness of the behaviour management strategies detailed in the child’s plans. Detailed behaviour management plans give staff clear strategies and guidance to manage risk. Staff show their understanding of these documents through their response to significant events. Inspection report for children’s home: SC040511 4 When a child has been missing from the home, staff have taken appropriate action. Staff ensure that they work with partner agencies such as the police and social workers. They take the initiative to locate and return the child as quickly as possible.

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

Staff undertake direct work with the child. This includes relevant topics such as sexual health, education and emotional well-being. This helps the child learn how to keep themselves safe. These sessions are proactive but are also delivered in response to new risks that arise.

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

There are some shortfalls in the recruitment process. Safer recruitment information is not accessible to the manager. Gaps in employment history are not always explored. Staff recruitment is not robust or in line with regulations. This does not ensure that all staff are safe to work with children.

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good

There is a manager in post who has applied to register with Ofsted. The manager shows an ambitious vision. She has high expectations for what all children can achieve. The manager’s plans are not yet embedded into the home. The staff are positive about the manager and describe a supportive environment. They describe the manager as available to provide advice and guidance.

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good

Staffing is consistent. There is a core team in place that has mandatory training. However, not all staff have completed the relevant qualification within the required period of time. Not all staff have training that is specific to the individual needs of the child. Records of staff training are not up to date. This means that the manager does not have appropriate oversight of staff training needs.

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good

The home’s statement of purpose is not up to date. This is a breach of regulation and means Ofsted does not have an accurate record of who is working at the home.

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good

The manager is not consistent in notifying Ofsted of significant events. The manager has failed to report some incidents, and others have been delayed. This affects the external monitoring of the child’s safety and welfare.

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good

Staff receive regular supervision that is practice-related. They have regular team meetings. These meetings are well attended and provide an opportunity for staff to share information.

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good

Most areas in the home are warm, welcoming and decorated to a high standard. The home is a nice place for the child to spend time. However, the hallway and stairs require some improvement to be consistent with this homely feel. 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, 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 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

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

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(g)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they have appropriate monitoring and review systems in place.

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Requirement Due date

In addition to this, the registered person must ensure that staff complete training to meet the individual needs of the children and that adequate records of training are kept. 20 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC040511 6 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that schedule 2 information is available for all staff.

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Requirement Due date

In addition to this, the registered person must ensure that staff complete the diploma, or equivalent, within the required timescales. 20 October 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. 20 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC040511 7 A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 20 October 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should consider the use of carpets around the stairs and landing area to create a homely feel and provide a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that there are procedures in place for welcoming and introducing each child to the home, and that they are sensitive to the needs of the child at the time of arrival. This should include a plan to identify if the staff team has the skills and experience to meet that child’s individual needs before the child moves into the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.7) Inspection report for children’s home: SC040511 8

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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 9

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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

Katie Tomlinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC040511 10 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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