Children's home in Birmingham

Inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean, their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and their care and experiences are poor and they are not making progress.

p.2

The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 Risk assessments are inadequate. They fail to take account of all of the available information or accurately assess the level of risk to young people.  Young people are vulnerable to grooming, cyber bullying, potential exploitation and abuse, because staff do not adequately supervise their internet use.  Staff do not effectively work with other agencies to ensure that young people‟s needs are identified and met.  Staff do not ensure records for the administration of medication are accurate.  Managers and staff do not ensure young people make measurable progress in their health and education.  Young people are socially isolated and disengaged with education.  Poorly implemented risk assessment for missing from home leave staff ill prepared of the procedures to respond to risk.  Staff do not seek young people‟s views, wishes and feelings in relation to the quality of care and improving standards.

p.3

The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 Staff do not receive sufficient training to allow them to appropriately respond to the needs of young people.  Recruitment of staff is not robust and does not adequately safeguard young people.  Poorly planned admissions mean young people are exposed to situations of risk.  The environment is in need of maintenance, with failures to promptly secure repairs.  Previous ineffectual leadership and management means staff are not empowered and lack confidence in their roles, skills and abilities.

p.3

The children's home strengths

 A new manager has recently come into post and recognises the majority of the areas for development.

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

5: Engaging with the wider system to ensure children's needs are met

p.5

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the engaging with the wider system standard the registered person must, with specific reference to working in partnership with local authorities, mental health services and education -

p.5

Requirement Due date

(b) seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child's needs. 31.03.2016

p.5

Requirement Due date

7: The children's views, wishes and feelings standard

p.5

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the children's views, wishes and feelings standard the registered person must ensure that children receive care from staff who, with particular reference to key working

p.5

Requirement Due date

(2) (ii) help each child to express views, wishes and feelings. 31.03.2016

p.5

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the education standard the registered person must ensure

p.5

Requirement Due date

(iii) understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers. 31.03.2016

p.5

Requirement Due date

9: The enjoyment and achievement standard 31.03.2016 In order to meet the enjoyment and achievement standard the registered person must ensure, with specific reference to addressing social isolation -

p.5

Requirement Due date

(a) that staff help each child to - (i) develop interests and hobbies; (ii) participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child's interests and preferences.

p.6

Requirement Due date

(b) that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child's interests and hobbies

p.6

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the health and well-being standard the registered person must ensure that, with specific reference to mental health services -

p.6

Requirement Due date

1(a) the health and well-being needs of children are met;

p.6

Requirement Due date

2(c) that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. 31.03.2016

p.6

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must ensure – with specific reference to risk assessments

p.6

Requirement Due date

(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. 31.03.2016

p.6

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must ensure – with specific reference to internet use 31.03.2016 (2)(a) that staff – (ii) help each child to understand how to keep safe

p.6

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must ensure – with particular reference to repairs within the home.

p.7

Requirement Due date

2 (d) the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to his or her health. 31.03.2016

p.7

Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

p.7

Requirement Due date

In order to meet The leadership and management standard the registered person is to

p.7

Requirement Due date

1 (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. 31.03.2016

p.7

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the care planning standard ensure that children

p.7

Requirement Due date

(1)(a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children‟s home. 31.03.2016

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children‟s home. (Regulation 23(1)) 31.03.2016

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children‟s safety. (Regulation 32(1)) 31.03.2016

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1(a)(b)(c)) 31.03.2016

p.7

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation:

p.8

Recommendations

 Ensure the registered person has specified the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing from care or away from the home without permission and how staff should support the child on return to the home. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 45, paragraph 9.28)

p.8

Recommendations

 Ensure Staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

p.8

Recommendations

 Ensure children are in full-time education whilst they are of compulsory school age, unless their personal education plan contained within the care plan or other relevant plan states otherwise. The home must aim to support full time attendance at school unless the child‟s relevant plan indicates this is not in their best interests. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 28, paragraph 5.14)

p.8

Information about this children's home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people with emotional and / or behaviours difficulties. The home is owned and operated by a private provider.

p.9

inadequate

The absence of detailed care records leave staff inadequately informed of the needs of young people in their care. This leaves young people and staff vulnerable as emotional needs and risk taking behaviours are not known.

p.10

inadequate

Young people‟s mental health needs are not proactively managed. The absence of collaborative working means there are missed opportunities to ensure young people access the right support. For example, guidance from specialist mental health professionals is not being followed. This means that one young person is not receiving the required professional intervention to secure their ongoing emotional well-being.

p.10

inadequate

Young people are not afforded high quality education. Staff are not proactive in ensuring young people‟s educational needs are fully met. Consequently, young people lack focus in their day. The lack of action by the staff to escalate concerns over one young person not being in education for several months has not only hindered their learning, but also contributed to them becoming increasingly socially isolated.

p.10

inadequate

Young people are not engaged in their care planning. Plans are not individualised, making it is difficult to track young people‟s progress. Young people do not receive any structured key working, leaving them without meaningful engagement to express their wishes and feelings or to contribute to improving standards.

p.10

inadequate

Young people have caused damage to the home during periods of crisis, which is not promptly repaired. For example, a bathroom has remained boarded up for a period of six weeks. This is not conducive to providing a warm and welcoming environment for young people or giving them a positive message that they are valued. Judgement grade

p.10

inadequate

Staff are poorly informed about how to manage significant risk factors safely and reduce risk to young people. Risk assessments are not considered within the planning of day-to-day care. They are often contradictory in nature, especially against reports provided by the placing authority. They are not reviewed or updated in light of serious incidents. This absence of detail leaves young people vulnerable. For example, the home‟s assessments fail to reflect the high risks identified by the placing authority in relation to fire setting and sexualised behaviour.

p.11

inadequate

Staff are not safely managing young people‟s internet use or helping them to understand the risks of grooming and sexual exploitation. The ineffective management of young people‟s internet use, has resulted in one young person accessing the internet unsupervised and then entering into risk taking behaviour that resulted in them being arrested.

p.11

inadequate

Risk assessments over the procedures for responding to young people going missing are weak, leaving staff without clear direction in relation to ensuring prompt and appropriate action is taken to protect children. For example, risk assessments, refer to staff reporting a young person missing on the same day. They fail to take account of the young person‟s vulnerabilities and high risk needs, which require more immediate action to be taken.

p.11

inadequate

Admission planning does not take account of the different needs of young people or the experience of staff. Poor consideration of and matching of young people has led to placements breaking down prematurely. Staff are unable to manage the challenging behaviours of some young people which on some occasions has resulted in police involvement and the arrest of young people.

p.11

inadequate

Young people are vulnerable as staff are ill-equipped to respond to their individual needs, due to lack of training, especially in mental health and self-harm. Managers have failed to recognise these limitations and instead leave staff in day-to-day care of young people without the skills to meet their needs or manage their behaviours safely.

p.11

inadequate

Managers have failed to ensure care plans are specific to individual needs, leaving staff with limited information on how to response to emotional crisis. This means that staff are not able to provide an appropriate level of emotional support to young people.

p.11

inadequate

Managers do not follow safer recruitment practice. For example, they do not satisfactorily explore gaps in employment history, or follow up on the reasons why previous positions ended when applicants have worked with children or vulnerable adults.

p.11

inadequate

Staff do not ensure an accurate record for the administration of medication is secured. This compromises having a formal log that confirms that medication has been administered as prescribed.

p.12

inadequate

The home was registered in August 2015. A new manager started after the previous registered manager left in January 2016. The current manager is in the process of submitting her application to become registered manager.

p.12

inadequate

The new manager has quickly identified the majority of significant practice shortfalls in the home. For example, she has started implementing a new recording system, which takes a much more child-centred approach. At this point, it is too early to determine the effectiveness of this new system on the safeguarding of young people. The staff team say they have confidence in the new manager and are already seeing the difference in just one week. One staff member said „I think she is amazing‟….. I wasn‟t happy with how the files were, I can see an improvement.‟ Another staff member said „I believe the changes will be positive for the progress of young people, the new manager has quickly picked up issues‟

p.12

inadequate

Professionals remarked that the new manager has already made changes to the home environment. She has purchased soft furnishings to create a more homely feel. A member of the police said „the new manager has quickly picked up on the lack of homely feel. She has got it to looking more like a home‟.

p.12

inadequate

The responsible individual has taken considerable learning from the identified shortfalls in regards to previous management of the home.

p.12

inadequate

Young people‟s files have not held all the required documentation. For example, key information is missing, including assessments of young people‟s educational needs and medical records. Documents are not appropriately signed and dated. This means that managers and staff are unable to track the progress young people make, or implement well-informed and effective plans.

p.12

inadequate

The previous manager has not effectively monitored the quality of care in the home or provided staff with the training and guidance they need to safely care for young people with complex needs. Poor leadership decisions have resulted in the home working in isolation from partner agencies. Follow up appointments after young people have been discharged from hospital, have not been followed through by the home. This has left young people without access to effective healthcare to enable their health to be promoted, maintained and treated. The core staff team are committed and try their best to achieve good outcomes for young people. However, they have not been successful because they have not received the necessary guidance and support to help them understand risk and provide appropriate support to young people. Consequently young people‟s overall experience and progress has been poor.

p.12

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.

p.14

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

p.14

What the inspection judgements mean

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

p.14

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

p.15

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 .

p.15

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,

p.16

Information about this inspection

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

p.16

Information about this inspection

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

p.16

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

p.16