Children's home run by Brightside North West Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2721206 1 Registered provider: Brightside North West Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private organisation. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2721206 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/10/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2721206 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has left the home and one child has recently moved into the home. Both children were spoken with during the inspection. One child said, ‘I feel safe, loved and cared for, and I trust the team.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager ensures that she spends quality time with children. One child spoke at length about the coffee mornings that they have with the registered manager, where they share interesting facts and updates. This supports children to build trusted and secure relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children contribute to their own plans. These carefully set out what approach children prefer when they are upset and struggling to manage their feelings safely. Staff consistently use these methods and receive specific training, such as on understanding autism. As a result, one child is now able to verbalise their feelings. Before living at the home, physical intervention was used to manage children’s behaviour. Although staff are trained in this area, this has not been necessary since children moved in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children know how to make a complaint, although they have not raised any complaints about their care at the home. One child has been supported to get an independent advocate to help them raise concerns they have had about their previous care experience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are attending at school and are making progress. Managers and staff are ambitious for children and want them to do well. Regular communication between school and staff means that any issues arising are addressed without delay. Children are taken by staff to and from school. These regular routines support their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to experience a range of activities and holidays. One child is making progress and has been supported to go to activities in the local community. Additionally, the child participates in a monthly litter pick, and this achievement is celebrated and rewarded.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children participate in contributing to their care plans. Managers and staff have created innovative ways to involve children, such as completing reflective sessions and quizzes about the children. This means that staff know the children well, and plans reflect individual children’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s relationships with friends and family are valued. Staff support family time by taking children to see people who are important to them, in line with their individual plans. Staff swiftly review and address any areas of concern that arise from these relationships, for example changing times of visits to when there is less impact on children’s daily routine, such as at weekends and school holidays. Inspection report for children’s home: 2721206 4

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

Children living at this home say that they feel safe. Children understand that staff caring for them place the children at the centre of their practice. A social worker said, ‘I cannot speak highly enough of the staff here and the difference that has been seen in [name of the child]. They are happy and settled here, and the staff want the best for them.’ This supports children to feel valued and safe.

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

Children engage in creating their plan that sets out what actions staff will take if there are concerns for the child’s safety. Plans are individual to each child. Children understand clearly what will happen if they are missing from home. Staff contact family and friends, and they will also search local areas and addresses to try and locate them. Children are aware that they will be visited by an independent person who will speak to them alone to understand the reasons why they have been missing from home.

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

Children who are vulnerable to child criminal exploitation know that staff will be curious about who they are associating with and will share any worries they have with social workers, police and family to reduce the risk of harm. Children, when there are continued concerns for their safety, understand that staff will escalate their concerns and revise their ways of working with them.

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

Children are involved in the decisions about their future care. Children are sensitively supported to understand the reasons for changes made about where they are living. They understand that when staff cannot ensure that they are safe, alternative arrangements will be agreed. They are part of the decision-making process and are supported to move on with the best possible endings.

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

Children understand that any internet use will be monitored by staff by way of parental controls. Staff spend time with children to understand who children communicate with online. Children are accepting of this and are supported to understand how to keep themselves safe.

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

Room searches are done when there are emerging concerns about children’s safety. When this has happened, staff explain the reason for the searches to children and record their actions, with the manager providing oversight to ensure that the search was proportionate and necessary.

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

Allegations made in relation to staff have been shared appropriately. The manager has liaised with the local authority designated officer and police to address any concerns in relation to the suitability of staff working with children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2721206 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and responsible individual have high expectations for what children can achieve and regularly review the progress children are making. They are influential in changing the lives of children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and responsible individual have created a culture of high aspiration and positivity and have high expectations of the staff team. Staff are provided with extensive training in areas such as bereavement, county lines, knife crime and understanding children who are looked after.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are treated with dignity and respect. The manager and staff are clear that this is the children’s home. Children are invited to attend team meetings to discuss what improvements can be made. Key-work sessions completed by staff are reviewed by the manager to ensure that they are meaningful for children. These are also used as a learning opportunity for staff and discussed in team meetings so that practice can be reviewed to support outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and responsible individual are committed to ensuring that staff practice continues to evolve and develop. New staff are provided with a clear induction plan, which is reviewed throughout the probation period. Where there are areas of identified weakness, the manager puts in place performance plans to ensure that staff are supported to develop and improve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and responsible individual ensure that staff can reflect, develop and improve their practice. Learning opportunities are identified through clear monthly audits and oversight of incidents. These are then addressed in regular team meetings, development days and supervision. This has led to improvements being made in record-keeping.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and responsible individual are responsive to emerging issues and have sought external professionals, such as a county lines coordinator to deliver training to the staff team to improve their understanding of the issue.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and responsible individual use an assessment tool that is child-centred to make decisions about children moving into the home, ensuring that existing children are consulted with and that the staff have the experience and skills to care for a child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities and said that they love their job, feel supported and are provided with extensive opportunities to develop and improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

No requirements or recommendations have been made. Inspection report for children’s home: 2721206 6

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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: 2721206 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Brightside North West Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 116 Shotton Lane, Aston, Flintshire CH5 1QS United Kingdom

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Inspector

Nicola Forrester, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2721206 8 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 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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