Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Birmingham

Requires improvement

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 The home does not have a registered manager. This post has been vacant for over 26 weeks. A manager is in post and has made an application to Ofsted for registration.  The home has been through a significant period of change to the staff group. A large number of staff members have left and been replaced. There has been over reliance upon bank staff leading to instability. This has negatively impacted upon the consistency of care being provided.  The staff team are new to the home and relatively inexperienced.  Young people are not being adequately supported with clear plans to develop their skills to live independently.  Some young people are not receiving the help and support they need with personal health care.  Impact assessments are not being updated.  The staff are not robustly implementing risk assessments.  Risk for some young people of drug misuse and associating with individuals of concern is not effectively managed.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 The manager has not ensured that quality of care monitoring has sufficient consultation with professionals and parents.

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The children's home strengths

 Good, consistent progress has been made with educational placements. Young people receive support with homework and attend homework clubs.  Young people are listened to. They have meetings regularly and their views are valued and acted upon where possible.  The young people know how to complain and they have trusted adults they can go to for support.  Staff support young people to maintain relationships with family and friends.  There are good inter-agency relationships in place with good communication and coordination.  The staff support young people to have interests and take part in activities.  The recruitment of staff is good.  Staff receive regular supervision and oversight of their work.  Staff members benefit from good induction and training opportunities which enhance care practice.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, 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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered person must ensure that staff- (2)(vi) help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. 20/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the health and wellbeing standard, the registered person must ensure- (1)(c) children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. 20/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure- (2)(a) that staff- (i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child's relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. b) that the home's day to day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. 20/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard 20/11/2015 In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must- (2)(c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. e) ensure the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child. f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children's home as there is no registered manager (Regulation 27(a)) 20/11/2015

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Information about this children's home

The home provides care and accommodation for young people aged between 11-18 years (11-17 upon admission). Young people referred to the home have emotional and behavioural difficulties and complex needs. The home is privately owned and provides services, through a contract to a large local authority.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

13/02/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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requires improvement

Young people experience inconsistent care from a frequently changing staff team. There has been a prolonged absence of a registered manager. This has led to a lack of management oversight, monitoring and leadership. This means that young people have not experienced consistent care that a good parent would provide. The home has a new manager in post, he brings experience and determination to improve the service.

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requires improvement

Young people experience variable outcomes. The quality of relationships between staff and young people is sometimes good and other times poor. Some young people have developed close and meaningful attachments to long-standing staff members. This is negatively counter-balanced by an ever changing staff team that hinders the development of attachments and consistent practice. A young person commented in a meeting, ‘there should be more permanent members of staff in the home’.

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requires improvement

Education is promoted and valued. Young people’s educational attainment is supported, one young person has achieved excellent school attendance and punctuality. He is enjoying school. This is creating stability and ensuring progress, supported by attendance at the homework club. Another young person recently admitted to the home is not yet in education. Robust efforts to identify an educational provision are being made. The staff have ensured this young person is supported by an education coordinator who is undertaking work with them. This means that young people benefit from having their education needs met.

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requires improvement

The young people have primary health care professionals in place. They receive annual health assessments and reviews within timescales. The home have failed to meet one young person’s dental needs. The young person has refused appointments with the dentist and is not brushing their teeth regularly. The staff have made minimal efforts to address.

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requires improvement

Some young people have difficulties with drugs and alcohol. Staff have supported them with advice, support and access to specialist services. The progress these services make is undermined by an inability of staff to prevent the young person associating with those providing them with drugs.

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requires improvement

The emotional and psychological needs of young people are mostly met. They are receiving therapeutic intervention when this is in their best interests. However, progress is impaired by an ever changing staff group and advice from therapists not being implemented in the home. Confusion over appointments, different staff members taking young people to appointments and information not being communicated. This is limiting progress young people are able to make regards their psychological and emotional wellbeing.

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requires improvement

Limited progress is being made to prepare young people to live independently. The manager and staff have not ensured that young people are supported with effective plans to develop their skills and resilience. One young person was placed at the home with the placement aim of preparation to live in semi-independent accommodation. There is no formal plan in the home to support this aim. There is no reviewing system to adjust the plan to meet changing needs. This means the young person is not being supported to develop essential skills.

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requires improvement

The manager and staff support and value young people’s contact with family members and those important to them. Contact arrangements are set, taking place within an agreed plan. This ensures the relationships are nurtured and valued when in the best interests of the young person.

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requires improvement

Young people’s meetings are taking place regularly. They are well attended and the young people set the agenda, discuss issues important to them. Staff listen and implement, where possible the requests of young people. Their rights are being met through advocacy services, knowing how to complain and having access to a range of resources and information.

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requires improvement

Young people are not fully protected as impact assessments are not comprehensive and fail to take into account significant risk factors associated with young people’s behaviour. Risk and behaviour management plans are updated in a tokenistic manner, making them ineffective in managing presenting risks.

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requires improvement

There has been some concerning incidents, including drug and alcohol misuse requiring police involvement and a young person associating with people of concern. These incidents are not addressed through individual work with young people. This leads to a culture of resignation that staff have limited power in relation to incidents and addressing the risk. This leaves young people at ongoing risk of harm.

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requires improvement

Incidents of young people going missing from care are rare. On occasion when this has taken place, young people are welcomed back by staff. They are encouraged to talk about the reasons they went missing in attempt to prevent recurrence. In this regard recording is good and procedures are followed. The risks of young people becoming involved in child sexual exploitation is understood by the manager and staff. There is active use of good quality screening assessments. This supports pro-active planning processes to prevent exploitation and keeping young people safe.

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requires improvement

There has been no incidents of physical intervention and young people receive rewards for positive behaviour.

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requires improvement

Allegations are dealt with appropriately. The manager and staff demonstrate a good and thorough understanding of their responsibilities. There are good links with the Designated Officer (DO) the manger and staff understand who and how to report any safeguarding concerns.

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requires improvement

Young people live in a home that is clean, tidy and personalised by them. They are able to decorate their rooms with posters and to their liking and taste. There is evidence of photos of young people and activities including trampolines, table football and evidence of toys. This means the home is a place they can be proud of and enjoy.

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requires improvement

The staff understand the importance of recreational activities. Young people are involved in a number of activities including: laser quest, cinema, football and using the local facilities. This means they are fully integrated into the local community. This supports their development in self-esteem and confidence.

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Inadequate

The home has now been without a registered manager for over 26 weeks. A manager has been appointed and in post since September 2015. He has considerable experience, is qualified, to level 5 Diploma in leadership and management. He has made an application to Ofsted for registration. The lack of management and leadership has impacted upon the effective running of the home. The uncertainty of management arrangements have been further compounded by constant changes to the staff team. The staffing has been in a state of flux with staff leaving and new staff starting. On the first day of inspection two new members of staff were starting at the home. Only two staff members have worked at the home for more than three months. There is now a full staff team in place. They are inexperienced in this home and new to working together. Staff show a genuine commitment to caring for the young people and wanting to make

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Inadequate

improvements in the home and the care they provide.

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Inadequate

The recruitment and vetting of new staff members is good. There are effective procedures in place to minimise the possibility of young people being harmed by those caring for them. Staff members are supported. Supervision and oversight of staff takes place, together with good training opportunities. This combined with a staff appraisal system ensures staff members receive ongoing development, guidance and support.

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Inadequate

Team meetings are taking place regularly, this supports team cohesion, improved communication and working practices.

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Inadequate

Monthly monitoring visits take place by an independent visitor. These visits focus upon the quality of service being provided by the home. The manager finds these visits helpful and informative. However, the manager has not ensured the visitor is consulting with professionals and parents sufficiently so that stakeholder views inform their assessment.

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Inadequate

Good multi-agency working supports young people. The manager and staff work with a variety of agencies, including social workers, health and education professionals. The manager and staff share information well to ensure the care needs of young people are met. This benefits young people through being supported and helped by professionals working closely.

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Inadequate

A comprehensive statement of purpose provides accurate and up-to-date information to stakeholders. Recently revised with a good level of information sets out what the manager and staff seek to provide.

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Inadequate

Robust and updated location risk assessment has been completed. This assessment has incorporated the views of key partner agencies, such as police and local authority. Information is shared regarding concerns in the local area and potential risks to young people. This supports staff and other professionals to keep young people safe.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, 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,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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