Children's home run by Salford City Council in Salford

Inspection report for children’s home: SC065067 1 SC065067 Registered provider: Salford City Council

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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 is a local authority children’s home. The home is registered to provide care for three children with social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in July 2024.

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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: SC065067 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/05/2023 Full Good 19/04/2022 Full Good 19/10/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/07/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC065067 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported by staff who know them well. They have positive relationships with the staff, who treat them with dignity and respect. One child said, ‘The staff are the best; they are all kind and fun. I love living here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children are new to the home their compatibility is suitably assessed based on information available at the time of referral. Children are supported to move into the home. The manager has made informed and considered decisions about when it has been necessary for children to move out of the home. Staff have worked with the child, placing authority and new placements to support children to move positively into their new home. The manager has engaged in reflective work to identify any lessons learned about individual placements when a child has moved out of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to take part in activities which meet their social, emotional and educational needs as well as satisfying their interests and practising their hobbies, such as holiday clubs, piano lessons and visits to pet shops. All three children are due to go on holiday in the coming weeks, with one child going on their first trip abroad.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support family time in line with agreed plans. However, the manager does not feel that, at times, the placing authority is making decisions regarding family time that are in the best interests of the individual child. The manager’s capacity to challenge the decisions of the placing authority is limited.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to attend school every day. Two children have received rewards from school at the end of the term due to their excellent attendance. One child has experienced some difficulties with their current education arrangement, the manager and staff are working with the virtual school to identify a solution that will better meet the child’s educational needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are met. Staff support children to attend routine health appointments and specialist appointments where necessary. The manager has sourced external training for staff to meet the specific health needs of one child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are suitable arrangements in place for the safe storage and administration of medication. However, there is not always a clear record of why pain relief medication is administered, this impacts the ability to monitor and identify and trends or patterns in children’s health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are plans in place for extensive refurbishment of the house, which will address a number of maintenance issues in the home, however this has not yet taken place. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065067 4

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

There have been no safeguarding concerns or allegations since the last inspection. Staff are suitably trained in safeguarding and know the correct processes to follow should a concern arise.

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

Children are making progress from their individual starting points. There is a strong and proactive response from the staff that has reduced actual harm to children. This has resulted in a reduction in the number of occasions children are missing from the home and involved in criminal behaviour.

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

When it has been necessary to hold a child, it is reasonable, proportionate and necessary. Children and staff receive a debrief to reflect on the incident and are offered support if they need it. The manager has suitable oversight of any physical interventions and provides an evaluation on each incident.

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

When incidents have escalated and it has been felt necessary to involve the police, the manager has reflected on this with staff to discuss the effectiveness of the police involvement and identify if any actions could have been taken to avoid the police being called.

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

There have been incidents where children have attempted to or have set fires. Staff have responded appropriately and taken suitable action in response to fire setting behaviours. Follow-up work has been completed with the children, such as time spent with the fire service and direct-work sessions around the risks and dangers of fire.

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

There has been a number of occasions when children have been missing from the home. However, these incidents have recently reduced. Staff know what to do when children are missing from home and suitable action is taken to locate the children and return them home as quickly and safely as possible.

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

Staff take suitable action in response to incidents of bullying or unkind behaviour between children. Staff have supported children to understand the consequences of bullying and have offered appropriate support and guidance to those who have been the victim of bullying.

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

Direct-work sessions take place regularly. Staff also take opportunities to complete sessions with the children relevant to what is going on in their lives. Some sessions are planned and some take place following a significant event. However, opportunities to support and educate one child about online risks while the child was using a mobile phone have been missed. The phone was removed rather than supporting the child to understand how to keep themselves safe. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065067 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a newly registered manager and deputy manager. The manager has a clear vision of what she wants to achieve for the children and for the development of the team. There are suitable arrangements in place to ensure that she has an overview of the home and can identify the home’s strengths and address any shortfalls or areas for improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been some changes of staff since the last inspection. However, there is now a steady and consistent team in place. Children are supported by staff who know them well, which provides stability for the children. Staff have clear roles and responsibilities and have a shared sense of ownership and accountability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervisions take place frequently and are an opportunity for staff to spend individual time with the management team, to discuss the children and to reflect on their own practice. They are a supportive tool for staff. In addition to this, key workers are involved in monthly key-worker supervisions to ensure that they understand their roles and responsibilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have completed training necessary to meet the individual needs of the children. However, staff have not yet completed training around substance misuse, which is necessary to support children living in at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are held regularly. They are well attended by the team and are used to share information with staff about key topics and to share updates about each of the children. They are also an opportunity to seek external support and are attended by the local authorities’ child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) cared for children team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff work in partnership with external professionals, such as the youth offending team, CAMHS, the virtual head and placing authorities, to ensure that there is a team around individual children. This promotes positive outcomes for children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065067 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 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

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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered provider must ensure that children are supported to learn and understand how to keep themselves safe, but to also provide them with opportunities to learn to take risks appropriate to their age. 20 September 2024

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; 20 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC065067 7 ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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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 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(vii)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the home is decorated and maintained to an acceptable standard and that any damage or wear and tear is quickly addressed and rectified.

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff are trained in all topics necessary to meet the individual needs of the children. 20 September 2024

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c)) 20 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC065067 8 Specifically, the registered person must challenge the placing authority if they do not feel that family time arrangements are meeting the needs of the children.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that medicines are administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Records must be kept of the administration of all medication, including the reason that pain relief medication has been administered. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)

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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: SC065067 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Salford City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Centre, Chorley Road, Swinton, Manchester M27 5DA

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Inspector

Katie Tomlinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC065067 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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