Children's Home run by Better Futures Care Limited in Bradford

Inspection report for children’s home: 2775770 1 Registered provider: Better Futures Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in March 2024 and is operated by a private company. It provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since July 2024. He is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2775770 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy and settled, and they are making progress. They enjoy secure and trusting relationships with staff, who know them well. Children respond to the positive routines, structure and boundaries in place at this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are aspirational for the children. They celebrate children’s achievements and talk about them with warmth and care. Staff provide children with a high standard of care, which means that children’s day-to-day experiences are positive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are being met. Staff help the children to attend routine health appointments and support them to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Children’s emotional and mental health is understood by staff, and where there is an identified need for therapy, children are accessing the right support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress in education from their individual starting points. One child has completed formal examinations, and there is a plan in place for their future education. Other children are receiving a combination of formal and informal learning. Staff understand the barriers to some children’s education. They provide children with encouragement and support, which has helped one child who has previously not attended school to access education again.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with a range of activities that reflect their individual hobbies and interests and provide them with new experiences, such as go-karting, horse riding and gymnastics. One child is supported to attend a local youth group. Children’s experiences during their time in the home are captured in memory books.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s key-work records show that staff are having lots of conversations with children, and they are seeking children’s wishes and feelings. However, there is a lack of planned direct work with children about topics that are specific to children’s individual needs and risks.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to spend time with the people who are important in their lives, in line with their individual plans. Staff support parents and the children to develop and maintain positive relationships. One parent said, ‘Staff are fantastic. This is the best home [name of child] has lived. I know they are happy living there.’

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

Children’s risk assessments are detailed, and they are kept under review by the manager. There has sometimes been a tendency to assess potential risks that are not always reflective of the known risks to the children. This approach means that the steps in place to mitigate those risks are sometimes restrictive and have the potential to limit opportunities for children to take balanced risks. Inspection report for children’s home: 2775770 3 Children who live at this home do not go missing. Children’s individual plans are detailed, and they provide staff with clear guidance, should this happen. Staff are clear about their responsibilities to children who go missing.

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

Serious incidents are rare. There has been one incident that happened in the community and led to one child being arrested. Staff responded to the child sensitively and provided them with reassurance. Direct work has been identified but has not yet started because the incident is under police investigation.

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

There is a positive restorative approach to children when they show unwanted behaviour. Consequences to behaviour are not used at this home and there have not been any incidents where children have been held.

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

Staff ensure that there are safeguards in place to monitor children’s access to the internet. When concerns about some children have arisen, the response from staff has not always been consistent. The response to restrict one child’s access to devices has not been proportionate. There has not been any direct work carried out with the child about online safety, and access to devices continues to be restricted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the strengths of the home and has a clear plan for development. He understands children’s needs and is a positive role model for staff. The manager is a strong advocate, and he is aspirational about children achieving their full potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has introduced improved systems to review the progress that children are making, the risks to children, and staff development. There is a clear plan to develop these systems further and to ensure that they are embedded in quality assurance practices at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staffing is sufficient to ensure that children are provided with consistent care from staff who know them well. Most staff have completed the relevant training for their role. There are some gaps in newly appointed staff accessing training for the safeguarding of children in a timely way. The manager has addressed the shortfalls by providing staff with resources and activities to test their knowledge as an interim measure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff said that they feel supported by the manager. They are receiving regular supervision that is reflective, and the children’s plans are discussed. Regular staff meetings take place and are well attended.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been one complaint made by a child. The manager has investigated the complaint in line with the home’s complaints policy, and the child has been provided with feedback.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has established strong relationships with professionals involved in the children’s care. There is evidence of multi-agency working, which means that children Inspection report for children’s home: 2775770 4 are receiving the right help and support. The manager confidently challenges others to ensure that children’s plans are being met and that the actions taken are in children’s best interests.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has not ensured that all records for children are up to date. This relates to one child’s education plan and the care plan written by the placing authority. One child does not have a placement plan held on their records. Inspection report for children’s home: 2775770 5

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ix)) 11 November 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.

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii)) 11 November 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which— 11 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2775770 6 include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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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: 2775770 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Better Futures Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Floor 2 - Better Futures Care, Merchants Quays, Shipley, West Yorkshire BD17 7DB

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Leighonie Parlour

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Inspectors

Rachel Webster, Social Care Inspector Rachel Fairhurst, His Majesty’s Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2775770 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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