Children's Home run by Building Bridges Care Homes Ltd in St Helens

Inspection report for children’s home: 1250035 1 Registered provider: Building Bridges Care Homes Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to four children, who may be experiencing social and/or emotional issues. The home is privately owned and managed.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of inspection, there were four children living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean the welfare of children and young people is not promoted or safeguarded. The care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1250035 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/05/2023 Full Inadequate 14/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1250035 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

In general, the home is welcoming and well maintained. Children are supported to decorate and personalise their bedrooms. However, one child has some broken furniture in his room which needs to be repaired or replaced.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children do not all experience positive relationships with staff. Children consistently said that they do not trust staff to listen to them. At weekly young people’s meetings, children regularly tell staff that they are unhappy and do not like living in this home. Children’s poor relationships with staff are having a negative impact on their welfare.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children have poor daily routines and structure. Children spend much of the day in their bedrooms and do not have regular times for meals, sleep or education. Children are regularly awake throughout the night and have poor sleep patterns. This has an impact on children’s wellbeing and limits the progress they can make.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s experience of education is varied. Two children have been supported to return to school, while two children are not provided with any form of regular learning. Daily planners are in place, but staff have not been successful in engaging children in these activities. When plans do not work staff do not think creatively to try to find different solutions. Children do not have opportunities to learn with their peers or reach their potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff are not able to find fun activities which interest all children. Staff have supported one child to develop her extracurricular interests. Other children in the home rarely take part in any positive leisure activities or interests. Children say that they do not want to spend time with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff have an adequate understanding of children's health needs and register them with appropriate local health services when they move in. There was significant delay in staff getting the correct delegated authority for one child. Management oversight of the child’s records did not identify this gap for some time. This had the potential to impact on the child’s access to health care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff are trained to provide a therapeutic model of care. This approach has not yet been embedded into the daily practice of the team and has no meaningful impact for children. This means that the care being provided does not meet with the standard set out in the company’s own statement of purpose.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff try to work in a child centred way and understand the needs of some of the children they are supporting. Staff generally meet the basic care needs of children, but children are not all being supported to make progress. Children do not have clear care plans for staff to follow and monitor. Inspection report for children’s home: 1250035 4

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improvement to be good

Children’s experiences of being kept safe are mixed. One child is not currently living at the home as she says she does not trust staff to keep her safe. Other children said that they feel that staff do what they can to keep them safe.

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improvement to be good

Risk management policies and processes are inconsistent. Managers do not always update children’s risk management plans following serious incidents. Risk management plans also do not include all relevant information about children’s risks. Staff do not always share sufficient information with the on-call manager when reporting incidents to allow for informed safety planning. Children’s plans do not consistently include clear strategies for staff to follow. Staff do not have all the information they need to keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

Records in relation to safeguarding incidents do not provide a clear overview of children’s risks. Information about a single incident may be held in various files, books and folders. Managers do not have good oversight of serious events.

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improvement to be good

Managers do not always share relevant information about children’s risks with other professionals. There has been delay in sharing information regarding an emerging risk of harm with one child’s social worker. The manager has also failed to notify Ofsted of serious incidents. When Ofsted has been notified, managers do not always include enough detail to provide an adequate overview of events. This places children at increased risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

Staff have had to physically hold children to protect them from harm. Staff have received training regarding behaviour management and use physical restraint appropriately. After these incidents managers have not spoken to the child or recorded their views. Management oversight of similar incidents is poor. This could compromise children’s safety.

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improvement to be good

Staff take all appropriate action when children go missing from home. As a result, one child’s risk of going missing from home has significantly reduced.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment processes are followed to ensure that children are only cared for by safe adults.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager is aware of the risks associated with the location of the home. This information is used to inform a location risk assessment which ensures that this is a suitable location for the children who come to live in this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Inspection report for children’s home: 1250035 5 The post of registered manager has been vacant since February 2023. There have been significant changes within the management team since then. There is now an acting manager in post and she has submitted her application to register.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager is not yet leading the home in a way that matches the aims detailed in the provider’s statement of purpose. Standards of care are poor and children are not consistently making progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The monitoring and review systems used by leaders and managers are not effective. Children’s files contain mistakes and information is missing. Records of management oversight are inconsistent in quality and sometimes missing from important documents. This is a missed opportunity to improve the quality of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have a limited understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. Leaders and managers have not addressed long-standing shortfalls in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not keep written records in a well organised or coherent way. Children’s files are disjointed and do not provide a sense of children's life experiences and journeys. Leaders and managers do not incorporate children’s feedback into care planning. Information about the child is not recorded in a way that is helpful them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff receive regular supervision. The quality of supervision records is varied and sometimes basic. The manager has not yet embedded the provider’s therapeutic model into staff supervision, as per company policy. Formal review of staff practice is ineffective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Morale within the staff team is low. There have been members of staff leave with little notice, which has put additional pressure on the others. Children said they didn't feel like staff were happy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

An independent person visits the home each month. The quality of their reporting is poor and this has not been challenged by leaders and managers. An opportunity for useful feedback has been missed. Inspection report for children’s home: 1250035 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, 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 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. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must make sure that notifications include sufficient detail to allow for effective oversight of incidents.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated from the previous inspection. 16 August 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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that staff— 16 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 1250035 7 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; help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare; and

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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)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must make sure that staff share information about emerging risks for children amongst the team and with other professionals.

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Requirement Due date

Also, the children are properly supervised and supported in the home to prevent conflict between children.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered manager must make sure that all staff, including leaders and managers, understand the home's safeguarding policies and procedures.

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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; 16 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 1250035 8 ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to 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

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must have the skills, knowledge and experience to understand the needs of the children being cared for and to lead staff to provide good quality care.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure adequate oversight of significant incidents and appropriate information sharing with all partner agencies.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that robust monitoring systems are being used effectively to give the manager useful oversight and review of plans, assessments and records relating to the children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all children's feedback is taken seriously and used to inform care planning.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 16 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 1250035 9 that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home's statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

that each child's relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that the child's placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child's relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child's needs;

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Requirement Due date

the child requests a review of the child's relevant plans. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(e)(i)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children have a positive daily routine and structure.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must also make sure that there is sufficient communication with and challenge to children's placing authorities when care planning clear or does not meet their needs.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child's education and training targets, as recorded in the child's relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child's learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; 16 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 1250035 10 promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child's education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child's education and training and to maximise the child's achievement;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child's relevant plans. (Regulation 8(1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(viii)(ix)(x))

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

meet each child's behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child's relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child's behaviour, in accordance with the child's age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child's respect and trust; 16 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 1250035 11 understand how children's previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(viii)(ix)(xi)(b))

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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

the date, time and location of 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

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; 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 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. 16 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 1250035 12 (Regulation 35(3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should make sure that the individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)  The registered person should make sure that the information set out in the Statement of Purpose is a clear and accurate representation of the care being provided to children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.6)  The registered person should ensure that all broken furniture is repaired or replaced. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.3)

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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: 1250035 13

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Building Bridges Care Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Mill Farm, Bull Bridge Lane, LIVERPOOL L10 6LZ

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Inspector

Nicola Shaw, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1250035 14 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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