Children's home in Birmingham

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Requires improvement at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection the home was 'Not judged' .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has been empty since 31 August 2016. It remains fully furnished and equipped to care for young people. An independent visitor continues to visit the home on a monthly basis.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite revisions to the safeguarding, recruitment and admissions policies since the last full inspection, these are untested in practice, as the home is currently empty. All of the requirements and recommendations from the full inspection are repeated.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The responsible individual has agreed to give 28 days’ notice to the regulator of an intention to admit young people.

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Information about this children's home

The children's home provides care for up to four children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 27/06/2016 Full Requires improvement 20/01/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 22/09/2015 Full Good 10/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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 within 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, with particular reference to the staff’s treatment of children the registered person must ensure that staff: (2)(b)(iii) treat each child with dignity and respect. 30/04/2016

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Requirement Due date

13. The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, with particular reference to the failure to respond to whistleblowing by staff, the registered person must: (2)(b) ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate. 30/04/2016

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety. 30/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

(4) The registered person must ensure that all employees: (b) receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. 30/08/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations:  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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Recommendations

 Records must be kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home (regulation 36 (schedule 3 (14)). This information should be shared with the placing authority and, where appropriate, with the child's parents. Evaluation of missing incidents should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. This evaluation should inform the review of the quality of care. (‘Guide to the children's home regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.31)

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Recommendations

 Encourage children to share any concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. Children must be able to take up issues or make a complaint with support and without any fear. (‘Guide to the children's home regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.13)

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Recommendations

 Demonstrate every effort to achieve continuity of staffing to prevent disruption to children's attachments. (‘Guide to the children's home regulations including the quality standards’, page 51, paragraph 10.1)

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Recommendations

 Supervision of staff practice should ensure that individual adults in the home are engaged in the safeguarding culture of the home so they understand what they would need to do if they found other staff misusing or abusing their position to the detriment of the safety of a child. (‘Guide to the children's home regulations including the quality standards, page 43, paragraph 9.14)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’.

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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 that 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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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

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

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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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