Children's home run by Bradford Children’s and Families Trust

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2729749 1 Registered provider: Bradford Children’s and Families Trust

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides a short-breaks service and long-term care for up to 10 children with physical or learning disabilities and/or sensory impairment. At the time of the inspection, children were receiving short breaks, and four children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The interim manager has been in post since 12 April 2023 and has yet to apply to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors 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: 2729749 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

The short-breaks service remains on reduced capacity. However, leaders and managers are clear about their priorities to help maintain and improve the service available to the children and their families. Gaps in training and other shortfalls are being brought into line. Staff have been trained on a new therapeutic behaviour support model, but this is still in its early days and the cultural shift that leaders aspire to achieve has yet to be fully embedded.

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Findings from the inspection

Children enjoy spending time with staff, who have a good understanding of the children’s needs. The children who live at the home are content in one another’s company. The calm atmosphere helps children to feel safe and relaxed.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff communicate with parents to have a better understanding of the children’s complex needs in preparation for the children’s overnight stays. This information is transferred into the children’s plans to promote a shared understanding of their needs across the team.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager responds to complaints effectively. Appropriate action is taken to find an appropriate resolution. The outcomes are then communicated to all those involved.

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Findings from the inspection

Most children living at the home attend school. One child, who has been out of formal education for a considerable time, has tutoring once a week. The manager is working with the child’s social worker and the education team to help plan for the child’s future.

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Findings from the inspection

The children’s health needs are generally well met. Food menus are varied, and children enjoy their meals. However, the home is without a qualified chef. Appropriate arrangements have been made with some families to have food brought in for the children who have special dietary requirements. Staff take turns in preparing meals for the other children.

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Findings from the inspection

Restraint is not a common practice at this home. Staff intervene using care strategies that reduce the risk of the children’s behaviour becoming unsafe. However, agreed restrictions used with one child to prevent self-injurious behaviours have not been recorded as restraints. The records that have been completed lack information about the incident. This limits the manager’s ability to have oversight of staff’s practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff understand the children’s social cues and promote reciprocal communication. Different types of conversations and consultations allow the children to share their wishes and feelings. However, staff do not always have a debrief with children when Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2729749 3 they have been involved in a physical restraint. The children’s plans lack guidance on how staff should assess the well-being of a child when the child does not use words to communicate.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been no missing-from-home incidents at this home.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff know the whistle-blowing procedure and report concerns when they are worried about a colleague’s practice. This has enabled the manager to respond to incidents and follow the safeguarding or performance management procedures. The actions that leaders and managers have taken in response to practice shortfalls demonstrate that they are determined to establish consistent professional boundaries within the team.

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Findings from the inspection

Ofsted is not always notified when serious events occur, such as a staff member falling asleep while responsible for the care of vulnerable children. This does not help the regulator to be informed or understand what the managers are doing to keep children safe. However, the manager has responded appropriately to manage the staff member’s practice.

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Findings from the inspection

The unconventional management arrangements allow the acting manager to work from the children’s home for a limited time each week as well as working from home. Daily communication does occur with the assistant managers and the staff. The manager’s knowledge and experience have had a positive impact on tackling performance issues and establishing professional standards. However, the provider has not yet secured a permanent registered manager, almost a year on. This does not provide children or staff with permanence.

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Findings from the inspection

Team meetings and practice-related supervisions provide staff with regular opportunities for support and reflection. There is a difference of opinion in the staff team about how useful it finds these forums.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers revisited training with staff, and procedures were amended when errors continued with medication administration. However, some of the changes are not having a lasting impact. Staff continue to make medication errors and are uncertain with processes, despite the work done by managers to reduce the risk of human error. Managers are now managing medication shortfalls through performance management plans.

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Findings from the inspection

The external monitoring process is currently not effective at giving leaders and managers accurate information about the experiences of children. These challenges are currently being addressed by the responsible individual.

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Findings from the inspection

The premises are suitable to meet the children’s needs. Bedrooms are decorated for the children living there according to their likes, and staff try to provide some personalisation for children visiting overnight. However, the garden in the centre of the property remains in a very poor state. The lack of attention given to the external area means that children are not always safe when playing out. Hazards, including uneven floor surfaces and loose stones and wood, could cause children injury. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2729749 4 Four out of the six requirements from the last inspection have been met. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2729749 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2729749 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

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

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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

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children have access to a garden that is well maintained and accessible.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 5 April 2024

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

is given appropriate advocacy support. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(b)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the children’s plans give staff clear guidance and direction so 5 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2729749 7 staff can have a debrief with the child after a restraint, using the child’s preferred communication method or style.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the system for the storage and administration of medication is fully understood by a competent staff team, to keep children safe. 5 April 2024

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 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. 5 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2729749 8 (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(ii)(iv)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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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 (e)) This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 5 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2729749 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bradford Children’s and Families Trust

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sir Henry Mitchell House (5th Floor), 4 Manchester Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD5 0QL

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Tereasa Denby-Wallis

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Inspectors

Aaron Mcloughlin, Social Care Inspector Edward McCallum, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2729749 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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