Children's Home run by Bridge2Future Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2772513 1 Registered provider: Bridge2Future Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private organisation. It is registered to care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

On 28 January 2025, Ofsted conducted an assurance inspection of this home. Serious and widespread failures were identified at this inspection. A notice to restrict accommodation was issued, along with compliance notices under regulation 12, the protection of children standard and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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Information about this children’s home

On 1 April 2025, Ofsted conducted a monitoring visit at this home, to assess the action taken by the provider to meet the compliance notices and their adherence with the notice to restrict accommodation. While the provider had complied with the restriction of accommodation, very little progress had been made to the compliance notices under regulations 12 and 13. As a result, they were both reissued, along with a further notice to restrict accommodation.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, no children were living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was completed to assess the action taken by managers to meet the steps set out in the compliance notices for regulations 12 and 13, and to review the managers’ compliance with the notice to restrict accommodation. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2772513 2 Leaders and managers have adhered to the notice to restrict accommodation. They have now made significant progress in the steps set out in the compliance notices for regulations 12 and 13.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have completed an abundance of workshops, training and development days to ensure that staff have the skills to support children to feel safe and secure in the home. Through this learning, staff are now able to demonstrate that they can respond to and safeguard children effectively when they are in crisis.

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This monitoring visit

Managers are now implementing reflective sessions after all incidents. This provides staff with the opportunity to reflect on incidents and to enable managers to scrutinise staff practice. Consequently, leaders ensure that knowledge is embedded into staff’s practice, identify any shortfalls and amend practice as required. This also supports staff to meet children’s changing needs more effectively.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have reviewed the systems for consulting children on their views, wishes and feelings. They now include more focused discussions on children’s safety and well-being. This will enable managers and staff to have a better understanding of how children are feeling and be able to promptly intervene if concerns arise.

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This monitoring visit

There have been improvements made to leaders and managers’ monitoring systems. The manager’s monitoring of the home is now more consistent and in depth. Actions identified are now promptly completed. The responsible individual has also improved her oversight of the home. She has been visiting more frequently and supporting the manager to make improvements.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has completed management training relevant to their role. For example, she has completed designated safeguarding lead and risk assessment training. Furthermore, she has completed training on the notification of serious incidents. This has enhanced her knowledge and understanding of her role and responsibility to safeguard children.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this learning, the manager has completed critical analysis reviews of previous incidents in the home, the safeguarding actions taken by staff and to assess whether notifications to Ofsted were required. This has enabled her to complete a development plan to improve staff practice and the quality of care for children.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual has reviewed some of the organisation’s policies and procedures. For example, the on-call policy has been reviewed and amended. This policy now provides clarity to leaders in relation to the notification of serious incidents to Ofsted. This guidance will ensure that leaders are supported to complete notifications to Ofsted in a timely manner.

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This monitoring visit

The home is now fully staffed, with additional deputy managers and team leaders, who are qualified and experienced, in place. This will allow for a greater level of Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2772513 3 management oversight and support for staff. Furthermore, it will provide children with more consistency, which helps with their feelings of safety and security.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this visit, Ofsted has deemed that the compliance notices have now been met. The restriction of accommodation notice has been lifted. Requirements made at the last inspection are outside the scope of this visit. These will be reviewed at the next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2772513 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/10/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2772513 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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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—

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 11 (1)(a) (2)(a)(i)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff respond to children’s needs in line with the therapeutic approach outlined in the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and has been restated. 27 March 2025

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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

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)) 27 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2772513 6 Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children are provided with clear boundaries, structure and routine when they are not in education.

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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

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should include each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care. 27 March 2025

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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.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and 27 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2772513 7 any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that Ofsted is informed of all serious incidents.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2772513 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Bridge2future, Surestore, Ninth Avenue, Burton- On-Trent, England DE14 3JZ

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Inspector

Sonia Sullivan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2772513 9 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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