Children's home run by Bradford Children and Families Trust

Inspection report for children’s home: 2730065 1 Registered provider: Bradford Children’s and Families Trust

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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 operated by Bradford Children’s and Families Trust. It provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties. There are four children living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager re-registered on 1 April 2023, when the local authority arrangements were taken over by a trust.

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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 October 2023

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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: 2730065 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/10/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2730065 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who live at this home are happy and settled. They receive a high standard of individualised care, and they are provided with strong routines and boundaries. Staff are proud of the children. They are aspirational for children and committed to helping them to achieve their full potential. All children are making progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have improved health outcomes because of the help and support they receive from staff. Children with previously unmet health needs are now attending health appointments and they are accessing dental treatment. Children with additional and complex health needs are now accessing the right support to meet their physical and emotional health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make remarkable progress in building resilience and developing independence. Staff understand children’s individual needs, and they use creative and fun activities to help children to develop independence. Children are helped to develop the skills to live independently in the future. Children have achieved developmental milestones and can better manage their own self-care because of the support that they receive from staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress in their education. Since moving into the home, one child is now attending college and part-time employment. They have achieved formal qualifications, and they are aspirational about their future. Some children have additional learning needs. Educational professionals involved with those children said that the children are making progress in school because they are provided with stability and security at home. Additionally, staff provide them with additional support at home to compliment their formal learning. One professional said, ‘[Name of child] is thriving and flourishing. They are happy and have improved reading, writing and speech. I know staff are supporting learning at home and this has had an impact.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with a range of activities in line with their hobbies and interests. These include horse-riding, ice-skating and going on bike rides. Some children enjoy attending a youth club, Brownies and after-school clubs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children are consulted with about the home and the care that they receive. Some children have been provided with a copy of the children’s guide when they moved into the home. However, a copy of this guide has not been accessible to those children with an identified learning need and staff have not spoken to those children about the guide.

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

The risks to children have reduced since they moved into this home. Children’s risk assessments identify all known risks to the child. They are detailed and kept under review by the manager. Staff understand children’s individual risks and vulnerabilities and they are clear about the steps to take to mitigate some of those risks. Inspection report for children’s home: 2730065 4 Staff understand how children’s past experiences have an impact on their lives and behaviour. Staff talk to children about how they are feeling, and they respond sensitively when children talk about those experiences. Additionally, staff are proactive and creative in their approach to educate children about risk. They utilise a range of resources and activities which are tailored to children’s individual needs, age and understanding.

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

Children do not go missing. There are detailed plans that provide staff with clear guidance, should this happen. Furthermore, staff are clear about their responsibilities and actions to take if children go missing.

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

Children rarely show unwanted or risky behaviours. When children experience difficult emotions, staff use their relationships with the children to talk about how they are feeling. They help them to develop better coping strategies. There have not been any incidents where children have been held and consequences to behaviour are used.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and suitably qualified. He is ambitious and has a clear vision for the development of the home and staff team. The manager has a child- centred approach and role models positive practice to the staff team. He values his staff and provides them with effective leadership. This has created high morale at the home and a staff team that is aspirational about the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager keeps a good oversight of the quality of care provided to children and staff development. There are effective systems in place to review and monitor the risks to the children, the progress the children are making and staff performance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision that is reflective, and discussions are centred on the children. Team meetings happen regularly, and they provide staff with the opportunity to discuss changes to the children’s plans. Staff feel supported by the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive a good range of training. This includes additional training in areas specific to the children’s needs. Training is kept up to date and under review for all staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has built strong relationships with other professionals involved in the children’s care. There is strong partnership working with other agencies to ensure that children are receiving the right support. Professionals said that staff know the children well and that communication with the home is good.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When admitting children to the home, leaders and managers have not always ensured that the needs of those children are within the range of needs that the home is intended for, as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose. However, those children have moved into the home in a planned and supportive way. Inspection report for children’s home: 2730065 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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

keep the children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure under review and seek children’s comments before revising either document;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that an explanation is given to each child as soon as reasonably practicable after the child’s arrival about—

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Requirement Due date

how to make a complaint or representations in relation to the home or the care the child receives and how any such complaint or representations will be dealt with; and

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Requirement Due date

what advocacy support or services are available to the child, how the child may access that support or those services and any entitlement the child may have to independent advocacy provision. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(iii)) 16 December 2024

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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 16 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2730065 6 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—

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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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: 2730065 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bradford Children’s and Families Trust

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sir Henry Mitchell House (5th Floor), 4 Manchester Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD5 0QL

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Pamela Stanyon-Carr

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Inspector

Rachel Webster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2730065 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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