Children's home run by Bright Futures Care Limited in Bolton

Inspection report children's home: SC456149 1 SC456149 Registered provider: Bright Futures Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is privately owned. It can care for up to six children who may have autism, learning disabilities and sensory impairments. Four children were living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was closed for refurbishment between February and September 2023. As a result, the home was not inspected in the 2022/2023 inspection cycle.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 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 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: 23 November 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC456149 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/11/2021 Full Good 05/12/2018 Full Good 11/10/2017 Full Good 08/03/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report children's home: SC456149 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children thrive in the care of nurturing and skilled staff. Staff are ambitious for children. As a result, children quickly begin to make significant progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the home reopened, there has been good decision making in terms of children coming to live at the home. Assessments completed prior to admission do not yet evidence consideration of the needs of the children already living in the home alongside those new to the home. This has not impacted on the experiences of children and they live together happily.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have a beautiful home to live in. Children have bedrooms that are personalised for them and they have helped to create. One older child is able to live in a self-continued annex within the home. This helps him to build skills towards independence. The child still has access to all other areas of the home and continues to spend time with the other children in the home and build positive relationships with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have toys, books and games that meet their sensory and cognitive needs. They have lots of opportunities to have fun. As children develop their creative play, they spend less time on electronic devices. Staff support them to develop their social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are being supported to develop their methods of communication. Staff use picture, symbols and social stories to aid children’s ability to participate in decision making about their daily lives. One child is learning to use an electronic communication device to develop her ability to communicate using symbols that generate spoken words. This helps her to express herself in a way she was previously unable to do.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Families say they feel welcomed in to the home. Parents are able to remotely access the electronic recording system used by staff to record children’s day to day care. This provides parents with detailed information about their child and helps them remain involved in their child’s lives and understand their progress and experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Close working relationships between care and education staff mean that children receive a consistent response from the adults in their lives. Staff support two children to remain at school in their local community and transport them to and from school each day. This has enabled the children to benefit from some stability and familiarity, during in a time of change when they are being looked after away from their family home. Inspection report children's home: SC456149 4

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

Staff work in the least restrictive way while keeping children safe. Staff use positive behaviour support strategies to respond to children when they display distressed or anxious behaviours. This helps children to build trusting relationships with staff.

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

The registered manager has a good understanding of practice in relation to children who are deprived of their liberty through orders of the court. She ensures that there are plans in place to reduce restrictions on children’s liberty when it is safe to do so. These plans are shared with the court, parents and placing authorities to inform decision making. The manager’s work in this area of practice is exemplary.

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

There has been one serious incident since the home reopened. Although this did not result in any harm to the child, the incident was preventable. The response to this from leaders and managers was swift and appropriate. Information was shared with the child’s parents and all relevant parties, including Ofsted. Measures have been put in place to prevent this recurring.

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

Internal meetings are used effectively to share information about children’s care plans across the staff team. Key workers regularly review children’s progress and update plans and assessments as needed. This ensures that the written information available to staff helps them to care for children to a high standard and keeps children safe.

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

There are some isolated examples of inaccuracies in some children’s records. This has not impacted on children’s care however it does not help children or families to feel valued if mistakes are not identified and rectified.

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

Children are encouraged to take risks and try new activities taking into consideration their cognitive, physical and developmental needs. This helps children to develop confidence and to make progress.

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

The provider follows safe recruitment processes to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children and staff benefit from strong, child-centred leadership. The registered manager is experienced in leading and managing homes for children with additional needs. She uses her skills and knowledge to ensure that children receive a good quality of care and are helped to make progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and the staff team are all new to the home, coming into post when the home reopened after refurbishment. Most staff are new to residential childcare and therefore have not yet achieved their formal qualification. Staff, Inspection report children's home: SC456149 5 without exception, show enthusiasm and commitment to their role. They work well as a team. Staff say they experience high quality support from the manager and deputy manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff bring a range of experience from other settings for children and adults with additional and complex needs. This prior experience provides the staff team with a mix of skills and knowledge which contributes to children being well cared for and kept safe in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New staff receive a comprehensive induction and training that provides staff with the skills they need to meet children’s needs. Staff receive regular supervision of their practice. However, supervision records do not always evidence reflection on the care and progress of children and it is unclear how staff are being supported to develop and reflect on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has robust systems in place to monitor and evaluate the quality of care experienced by children. She has high aspirations for children, and clear expectations of the staff team. She is creating a learning culture in the home and promotes the individual needs of each child to ensure that practice in the home is continually developing. Inspection report children's home: SC456149 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that pre-admission assessments provide a clear rationale about how the needs of children new to the home, can be safely met alongside the needs of children already living in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, clear and accurate recording of information about the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that records of staff supervision demonstrate that staff are being given opportunities to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children in their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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 children's home: SC456149 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bright Futures Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Bright Futures Care Ltd, Asher House, Barsbank Lane, Lymm WA13 0ED

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Inspector

Dawn Parton, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC456149 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 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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