Children's Home run by Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council in Bolton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC040723 1 SC040723 Registered provider: Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 2018. She also manages another home nearby.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC040723 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/10/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/10/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/01/2023 Full Good 10/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC040723 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children continue to make progress from their starting points. One child has been supported to move into the home since the last inspection. Their move was well planned, and all the children were supported to manage the change. The child enjoyed visits to the home to meet staff and children before moving in and has personalised their bedroom.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children are in education; however, their experiences vary. Two of the children are making good progress and meeting their expected targets. For the other child, learning continues to be a struggle, and their attendance is inconsistent. Leaders and managers have escalated their concerns and challenged professionals regarding delays in decision- making. The child now has an education, health and care plan to support a suitable education provision being identified.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to have time with their families and other people who are important to them. This means that the children maintain relationships and close links with their families and other people who play an important role in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s healthcare needs are well supported. Staff have good links with a range of agencies to underpin healthcare and support. This includes access to support from outside agencies and information in relation to substance misuse and emotional health and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Praise is used well and children’s achievements are celebrated by the team. Each child has a memory book of photos of activities and important life events, which they can take with them when they move on from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are strong advocates for the children and the children’s views are at the forefront of their practice. Children are encouraged to share their thoughts, feelings and wishes and these are acted on by staff. This demonstrates to children that they are valued and listened to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is large and spacious. Children’s bedrooms are well furnished and personalised. Communal areas are well maintained and provide comfortable and homely spaces for the children to come together and enjoy time with each other and their friends.

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

Staff understand the risks for children and there are clear plans in place that support risk and behaviour management. Because of this, staff demonstrate confidence in addressing and managing risks, which helps children feel safe. Inspection report for children’s home: SC040723 4 Staff are consistent in supporting children to manage their behaviours and encourage them to reflect after an incident. Consequently, the number of significant incidents has reduced and there has not been a need to hold children to keep them safe.

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

Incidents of going missing have significantly reduced for some children who have a history of going missing. When children go missing from home, staff follow the procedures in place to locate them and return them home safely. The staff work with the children to help them understand the potential risks and children are always given the opportunity to speak with someone independent of the home following their return.

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

Yearly fire safety checks have not been completed within required timescales. Leaders and managers have escalated this, and arrangements are now in place for these to be carried out. However, the delay in this practice places both staff and children at risk.

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

The children are supported to engage in direct-work sessions to discuss topics that are specific to their individual needs. Staff use a variety of resources to support children to understand the impact of substance misuse, their emotional health and well-being and the importance of learning and attending education.

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

Location apps are used on children’s mobile devices as a safety measure. Leaders and managers have not ensured that permission is in place from children;s placing authorities or that this surveillance measure is detailed in the home’s statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An experienced and child-centred registered manager leads the home. She is supported by an experienced and qualified deputy manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are looked after by a consistent, experienced and qualified staff team who are ambitious for all children. Staff know the children well and spoke of feeling supported by leaders and managers. They are clear about the team’s strengths and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have good relationships with children’s social workers and work well with other agencies to ensure that the children’s needs are met. Families and professionals spoke positively about the care that staff provide to children and the progress children have made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are shortfalls in the decision-making regarding children coming to live at the home. The home’s statement of purpose is not clear and does not specify who is responsible for the admission of children in the manager’s absence. Assessments carried out before children move into the home do not consider the needs of the children already living in the home alongside those of children new to the home. This has not impacted on children’s experiences. Inspection report for children’s home: SC040723 5 Not all staff receive consistent regular supervision. This does not support staff to reflect and develop their practice and support for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place regularly and are well attended by the staff. The meetings provide staff with opportunities to discuss the children and highlight any areas where support is needed. External professionals have attended a meeting to deliver training to the team and discuss research specific to the individual needs of the children, to help inform staff practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC040723 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, 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

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered provider must ensure that checks of all fire safety equipment conducted by external agencies are completed within timescales. 10 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that consent is in place for the use of monitoring and surveillance apps on children’s mobile phones and that such use is subject to regular review. 10 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1)) 10 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC040723 7 Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all methods of monitoring and surveillance used in the home are clearly detailed.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the home’s statement of purpose clearly specifies who is responsible for decision-making about children moving into the home during the registered manager’s absence.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff have access to regular good- quality reflective supervision of their practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 32, paragraph 8.15)  The registered person should ensure that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care and that everyone working at the home understands their roles and responsibilities and what they are authorised to decide on their own initiative. There should be clear lines of accountability. The home should have clear arrangements in place to maintain effective management when the manager is absent, off duty or on leave. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20)  The registered person should ensure that pre-admission assessments provide a clear assessment of how the needs of children new to the home can be safely

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Recommendations

met alongside the needs of children already living in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: SC040723 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Victoria Square, PO Box 29, Bolton BL1 1RU

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Inspector

Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC040723 9 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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