Children's Home run by Midas Manors Ltd in Bradford

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2693113 1 Registered provider: Midas Manors Ltd

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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 a private provider. The home is registered to care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties. There was one child living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been registered with Ofsted since 12 September 2022. There is no registered manager. An acting manager has been in post since September 2023 and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Inspection date: 28 December 2023

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 28 December 2023

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2693113 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Leaders have failed to uphold the safety of children in their care.

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Findings from the inspection

 Leaders are unclear if staff have had the required training to keep the child safe.

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Findings from the inspection

 Leaders are unclear if staff know what actions they must take to keep a child safe.

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Findings from the inspection

 Leaders failed to recognise the increased risk of harm to a child without the relevant assessment of their emotional well-being.

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Findings from the inspection

The acting manager has provided stability at the home since taking over and is ambitious for children. However, financially led decisions made by the provider about ending children’s placements caused concern for the placing local authority and Ofsted. This led to discussions between Ofsted and the provider about the company’s financial situation and their suitability. Ofsted imposed a period of restriction to prevent the provider from admitting further children to the home given their lack of child-centred practice.

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Findings from the inspection

A child was not helped to access support from a medical professional after concerns escalated about their emotional well-being. Staff were unaware if the child presented a risk to themselves. Follow-up support was not considered, and the risk assessment aimed at keeping the child safe was not created until 11 days after the incident and this lacked critical information on how to achieve this. This does not ensure that staff understand the strategies needed to reduce the risk and respond effectively to the child should any further concerns arise. Leaders and managers have not assured themselves whether staff have the required training to keep the child safe.

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Findings from the inspection

The process for responding to a ligature incident is not timely and does not promote staff’s ability to act quickly and effectively. The delay in accessing ligature cutters increases the risk of harm to children.

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Findings from the inspection

Continued gaps in recruitment checks for new staff do not ensure that only suitable people are employed to work with children. For example, a second reference was not requested for a new starter; and leaders did not fully explore the information shared about the worker’s practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff talk to children and explore their feelings when they notice a change in the children’s demeanour. This helps to reduce the risk of behaviours escalating. However, the children’s behaviour plans are not individualised to their needs. They Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2693113 3 lack the guidance required for staff to respond to individual incidents and may lead to children not having their needs met.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have developed positive relationships with staff. Staff ask children about their likes and dislikes and consult them. A child described living at the home as ‘better than before’. However, these relationships have been disrupted because of financial decisions made by the provider to move the children from the home. This does not help children feel valued and impacts on the children’s confidence and trust in the adults who care for them. One child commented that they were moving because the home could not afford to keep them.

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Findings from the inspection

Progress with education varies. One child who has had disruption to their learning has been helped to return to education through college. Another child’s attendance at school is low because staff have yet to try to help them overcome some educational barriers. One child’s preparation for them to move on from the home was supported by staff helping them to learn a broader range of independence skills.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s basic health needs are met. Staff promote nutritional meals to encourage children to steer away from less healthier food choices. Children enjoy a variety of activities and experiences with staff, such as shopping trips and going out for drives in the car. The staff also support children to have meaningful time with their friends by encouraging them to spend time together relaxing at the home. Shared activities and sleepovers with friends help these relationships to blossom significantly.

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Findings from the inspection

Missing-from-home incidents are rare at this home. Staff know the actions they must take to help children return home safely should such incidents occur. The staff are clear about their responsibility to escalate concerns and understand the principles of the whistle-blowing procedure.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers have responded to the shortfalls found at the last inspection in relation to staff supervision and the team’s learning strategy. Staff are supported through practice-related supervision. This is further enhanced through reflection with the manager about the training courses they complete.

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Findings from the inspection

The provider has not ensured that a quality of care review that was due in September, after the registered manager left has been completed. This does not help the regulator or the provider to understand the areas for development at this home. This is further enhanced through the independent person’s lack of curiosity to explore the children’s views, despite feedback forms that suggest they are not content with certain aspects of their care.

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Findings from the inspection

Damage in the children’s bedrooms is not repaired in a timely manner. The requirement issued at the last inspection remains unmet because of insufficient progress in this area. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2693113 4 The regulator has not been consistently notified when serious incidents occur. This prevents the regulator from asking questions and having assurances that the actions taken keep children safe.

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Findings from the inspection

The system for ensuring that staff read and understand the children’s plans is not effective. Managers are unclear if staff read and digest the information available to them to support their care of the children.

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Findings from the inspection

Not all of the information requested by the inspector was made available due to the disorganised way records are stored. This does not support the regulatory process. Several requirements from the last inspection in relation to the home environment, recruitment practice, children’s risk assessments and care plans, and the manager’s quality of care review remain unmet and have been reissued.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/04/2023 Full Inadequate 03/01/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/11/2022 Full Inadequate Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2693113 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the register person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

damage in the children’s bedrooms is repaired without delay

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Requirement Due date

staff’s day-to-day routines ensure that all areas of the home are cleaned effectively. 11 February 2024

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; 11 February 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2693113 6 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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

they take the necessary steps to assess the children’s emotional well-being and seek medical help when needed

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Requirement Due date

the children’s behaviour support plans are individualised and provide staff with sufficient direction about how to help children

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Requirement Due date

they are reassured that all staff know the contents of the children’s risk assessments and what actions they must to take keep children safe.

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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

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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that records are maintained in a way that allows them to be easily accessible for external monitoring and inspection of the home. 11 February 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. 11 February 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2693113 7 The registered person may only—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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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)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a) (b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that they have the children’s up-to-date local authority care plans. 11 February 2024

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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

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 11 February 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person— 11 February 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2693113 8 if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home. 11 February 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2693113 9 The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5)) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2693113 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 19 Poplars Park Road, Bradford BD2 1DU

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Inspector

Aaron Mcloughlin, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2693113 11 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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