Children's Home run by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council in Barnsley

Inspection report for children’s home: SC422464 1 SC422464 Registered provider: Barnsley 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 owned and managed by the local authority. The local authority submitted an application to Ofsted to vary the conditions of registration. This was reviewed during the inspection. Ofsted agreed to the changes.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to 10 children. In emergency situations, the home can now have up to two children living in the home. The home also provides care through short-break arrangements for up to eight children with learning and/or physical disabilities, some of whom have complex health conditions.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in 2011. She has significant experience and knowledge of working with children with disabilities and complex health needs.

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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: 24 October 2022

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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: SC422464 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/10/2022 Full Good 28/09/2021 Full Good 13/01/2020 Full Good 05/04/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC422464 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

In emergency situations, the local authority has accommodated children on a full- time basis in this short-break provision. This caused disruption to the children who accessed routine short-break stays. This disruption was managed through the planning and preparation of the children’s visits. The staff worked hard to ensure that all children, no matter what their service offer was during these difficult times, received individualised care that met their identified needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress from attending this short-break provision, and it has made a positive difference to their lives. The staff spend quality time with the children. This time and support have helped the children develop their verbal communication and independence skills. As a result, children have become more resilient, as they have been helped to reduce their anxieties and frustrations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The relationships between the staff and the children are nurturing and calm. Staff know the children well and they make sure that the children’s short-break stays are fun and entertaining. The children are relaxed in their environment and they enjoy being in the company of the staff and the other children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is designed to provide a welcoming environment for the children. They have easy access to books, computer consoles, toys and a sensory room that they can use at their leisure. The cleaners take pride in their work and this is evident throughout the immaculately clean setting. The children are given the option to personalise their bedrooms during their stays. This helps the children to feel a sense of home. The garden space provides the children with an area for outside fun and exploration. This creates an environment where children enjoy spending time, so they flourish.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress with their personal care as a result of the support they receive from the staff. Staff support the children with their personal hygiene by implementing routine and boundaries during their stays. These are then shared with the children’s family so that the care provided to the children remains consistent. Family members see the changes in their children and they know that this is due to the support and guidance that their children receive from the staff.

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

The children receive a high level of supervision and support from staff, which helps to keep them safe. Staff know the children’s risks and vulnerabilities and they follow the children’s up-to-date risk assessments. This reduces the likelihood of the children being exposed to unnecessary risks, and helps them to feel safe.

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

The staff have a good understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. They record any marks or bruises on the children clearly and transparently on body maps. Inspection report for children’s home: SC422464 4 Leaders and managers create a timeline of events to determine how any marks or bruising may have happened. This practice enables further investigation, and promotes the protection of all children. It also ensures that any safety measures can be implemented when needed.

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

The staff work well with the children’s parents, so they are clear when the children’s medication regimes have changed. The staff comply with the medication procedures when they administer and record the children’s medication. On the rare occasion when medication errors occur, the staff quickly identify and address these. This reduces the impact on the children.

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

Physical intervention is used as a last resort to keep the children and others safe. The records of these events are detailed and the manager’s date and signature are evident. However, the management review and the debrief with the staff and child are not consistently recorded. Currently, the children’s feelings are not explored when they have been involved in a physical intervention. This is a missed opportunity for the manager, staff and the children to learn from the incident.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The service continues to provide much-needed support and respite for an increasing number of children and their families. The registered manager has a wealth of knowledge and she supports a stable staff team to provide good care to the children. The staff are creative. They continue to improve the home, and provide the children with new opportunities to gain new experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager takes complaints and allegations seriously. She responds appropriately and in line with the local authority’s policy and procedure. The registered manager ensures that she is transparent in her approach by sharing all information with senior leaders in the local authority, the local authority designated officer and Ofsted. Parents spoken to said that they were happy with how complaints have been dealt with and that the registered manager was thorough when investigating concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children communicate their wishes and feelings. The staff understand the children’s subtle cues and respond appropriately to their requests, excitement, feelings of unhappiness, pain or discomfort. Communication resources continue to be developed. Children are helping the staff to complete a ‘I said you did’. This approach has helped one child receive the specific bedding they wanted for their stay.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers hold regular supervision sessions and team meetings. These provide an environment for the staff to reflect on the children’s experiences, and discuss their own training needs. The support provided to the team allows the staff to develop their practice and gives them an opportunity to share their knowledge to better meet the needs of the children in their care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC422464 5 Staff receive training through an online portal and during face-to-face sessions. They are up to date with their training around physical intervention, safeguarding, and medication. However, some staff are not up to date with their training around epilepsy. This does not ensure that all staff have the up-to-date information they need to manage a child who may have an epileptic seizure. Inspection report for children’s home: SC422464 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 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

ensure that the staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)) 6 November 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that within 48 hours of the use of a physical intervention, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so, has spoken to the user about the measure, and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate, and within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 50, paragraph 9.0)

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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: SC422464 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Westgate Plaza, Westgate, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2RD

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Inspector

Gemma McDonnell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC422464 8 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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