Children's Home run by Formations Care Services Limited in Bradford

Inspection report for a children’s home: 2775218 1 Registered provider: Formations Care Services Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2024, when the home was registered. The manager is also registered for another setting with the same provider.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living in this home. They were spoken to as part of the inspection.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for a children’s home: 2775218 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/08/2024 Full Good Inspection report for a children’s home: 2775218 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has moved into the home and one child has moved out since the last inspection. The manager planned the child’s admission to the home well. They held meetings with the child’s placing authority and previous carers. Staff welcomed the child on a visit to the home and visited the child in their previous home. Staff helped the child to feel welcome and settle into the home. This helped the child to move into the home in a positive way.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to make progress. Most children attend school and engage well with this. This has resulted in improved attainment and friendships. Children are in good general health, and staff offer children emotional support when they are experiencing difficulties. Staff supported a child very well throughout a life changing event.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide children with a sense of belonging within the home. Staff and leaders promote children’s voices and empower them to make choices in their lives. Staff know the children well and understand how to meet their needs. Staff celebrate children’s achievements and offer lots of praise.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote a ‘family feel’ for children in the home. Leaders maintain the physical environment and decorate it to a high standard. Staff encourage children to relax and enjoy themselves. They have access to books, games and activities.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff avoid the use of consequences for negative behaviour. When used, staff have not recorded these to enable effective oversight by the manager to ensure that these are appropriate.

p.3

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

Children say that they feel safe within the home, and they show this through their behaviour. Staff understand the risks posed for each child. There are clear plans in place to manage these. These include an understanding of the risks posed by mobile phone or internet use.

p.3

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

Staff have worked to reduce risk to children over time and develop positive relationships with children based on mutual respect and trust. There have been fewer incidents of challenging behaviour, and staff do not need to physically hold children to manage their behaviour.

p.3

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

Staff know how to respond to children who go missing from the home. There have been very few incidents of this happening. Staff keep in regular contact with children when they are out of the home, they complete local searches, and they work with parents and professionals to locate children. Inspection report for a children’s home: 2775218 4 On one occasion, staff named in an allegation from a child then spoke to the child about this. This did not result in any harm to the child. However, this involved a conflict of interest which could have had more serious consequences.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children enjoy a stable and experienced management team. The manager and responsible individual have good oversight of practice within the home. A capable deputy manager supports them. Leaders and managers have met the previous requirement and recommendations raised at the last inspection relating to children’s safety.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children experience consistency from a staff team that is stable and motivated. Staff said that they are supported well and have access to a comprehensive range of training. Leaders tailor the training to children’s needs. Furthermore, leaders draw from feedback from a range of sources to oversee the quality of care for children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders hold staff to account for their practice through probationary reviews and appraisals. Leaders ensure that supervision of staff is holistic and reflective. Leaders are aware of the learning needs of individual staff members. Team meetings help staff to reflect on and develop their practice with children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders devise plans for children that focus on their individual needs. Staff keep records about children that are well written and capture children’s voices and their lived experiences.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders have not offered enough challenge to external professionals when they have concerns. Leaders have not made use of escalation procedures to ensure that they address this. This has resulted in drift and delay in care planning for two children. This has had a direct impact on their respective experiences of moving in and out of the home. Inspection report for a children’s home: 2775218 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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) 30 October 2025

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair and the principles as set out in paragraph 9.35 are respected. This includes ensuring that staff record the use of any consequences or sanctions. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraphs 9.35 and 9.36)  The registered person should ensure that all staff understand and adhere to the policy on protecting children from abuse and neglect. This includes handling allegations involving staff in the home. In particular, the registered person should ensure that all staff declare and avoid any actual or perceived conflicts of interest during the investigation of an allegation. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraphs 9.19 and 9.21)

p.5

Recommendations

Inspection report for a children’s home: 2775218 6

p.6

Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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 a children’s home: 2775218 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Formations Care Services Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Formations Care Services, 2 St. Pauls Road, Shipley BD18 3EP

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered manager: Victoria Crabtree-Phillips

p.7

Inspector

Sam Saxby-Brown, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for a children’s home: 2775218 8 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8