Children's home 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:

 Strategies for young people to express their wishes, views and feelings are still not good enough. The statutory requirement from the last inspection is repeated.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Lack of communication resources compromise young people‟s ability to make full sense of the running of the service, or to promote their full potential. This statutory requirement from the last inspection is also repeated.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Young people‟s records are not yet child-centred. They do not help young people or their parents to gain insight into their experience and progress at the home. The recommendations from the last inspection are repeated.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Essential records such as behaviour management plans and risk assessments are too lengthy and hamper access to essential information.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Parts of the home present as institutional. Young people‟s bedrooms are not furnished or personalised with items that can withstand some of the destructive behaviours presented by young people. There is a strong clinical smell of disinfectant on entering the home.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Records for young people‟s financial reparations are not recorded.

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The children's home strengths

 Safeguarding remains strong with good security and consistent staff supervision.

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The children's home strengths

 The new management team shows promise in managing change and making the improvements that are required at this home. The team has made significant inroads since the recent departure of the registered manager.

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The children's home strengths

 Staff are extremely dedicated and are innovative about how they work with young people. They embrace change and the new leadership in the home.

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The children's home strengths

 Young people enjoy better quality and more meaningful contact because of improving communication and behaviour management strategies.

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The children's home strengths

 Managers and staff are keen to visit other providers and work in partnership with schools to look for and implement new ideas at the home.

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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 the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(b)(vii) provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably (viii) provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding. 31/05/2016

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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:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(b)(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. 31/05/2016

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Requirement Due date

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

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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: (2)(a)(i) ascertain and consider each child's views, wishes and feelings (ii) help each child to express views, wishes and feelings. 31/05/2016

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Requirement Due date

22. Contact and access to communications:

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Requirement Due date

(4)The registered person must ensure that a disabled child accommodated in the home is provided with access to such aids and equipment as the child may require as a result of the child's disability in order to facilitate the child's communication with other 31/05/2016 persons. 35. Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

(3)(a)The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— (i) the name of the child (ii) details of the child‟s behaviour leading to the use of the measure (iii) the date, time and location of the use of the measure (iv) a description of the measure and its duration (v) details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure (vi) the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used (vii) the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. 31/05/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Record information about the child in a way that will be helpful to the child. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Recommendations

 Keep all children's case records up to date. This is with particular regard to streamlining and prioritising information in young people's care, risk and behaviour management plans. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Recommendations

 Support children and their parents to understand the nature of records kept in the home and how to access them. Staff should understand their important role in encouraging the child to reflect on and understand their history, according to their age and understanding. Staff should keep and encourage children to keep appropriate memorabilia of the time spent living at the home and help them record significant life events. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 62, paragraph 14.5)

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Information about this children's home

This local authority children‟s home is registered to care for five children with learning disabilities. The home‟s statement of purpose states that the home currently cares for all males, but would provide care to females should a vacancy arise. Children can stay at the home up to the age of 18 years. Some young people may go beyond their 18th birthdays while they await adult placement.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 25/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/10/2015 Full Requires improvement 26/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 19/11/2014 Full Adequate

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Requires improvement

The quality of individualised care is still not good enough. While more toys and sensory equipment are now in place, steps to develop communication processes are in their infancy.

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Requires improvement

Recommendations about developing more accurate and child-centred records are not met and are repeated from the last inspection. Young people cannot make sense of their experience with the current handwritten records.

p.8

Requires improvement

Consultation with young people is compromised, as improvements to introduce more symbols, sign language and pictures progress slowly. The care planning framework is yet to fully embrace the individual communication processes of young people. Working in partnership with young people‟s schools to develop communication processes is ongoing, but progress is slow.

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Requires improvement

Young people do not experience a homely environment. There is a clinical presentation with a strong smell of disinfectant. Bedrooms lack personalisation and are sparsely furnished. Some young people only have a bed in their rooms, as they cause high levels of damage to their rooms. While staff state that these arrangements are due to the young people‟s sensory intolerances, communal areas remain intact. For example, the dining room has bright murals and young people tolerate the decor in this room.

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Requires improvement

Young people have lived at the home for several months and years and still have behaviours that result in destruction of their own personal space and possessions. They have few keepsakes to show their journey of growing up. Lack of personalisation in their rooms demonstrates that the physical environment is not robust enough to deal with the challenging behaviours displayed by the young people.

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Requires improvement

The management team acknowledges the requirement for improvement in the setting up and recording of the targets for young people‟s steps to independence. Momentum is gaining as staff work hard to develop communication processes. They understand that setting out morning and bedtime routines in symbol form goes hand in hand with enabling independence skills. While staff have started these developments, they are not yet fully implemented. Young people lack clear structure in developing and determining their own routines and independence.

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Requires improvement

Young people thrive at the home. Fond and meaningful relationships with staff help their emotional stability. As young people build trust, they are more able to express their emotions, often smiling, seeking out staff and enjoying a hug. Their physical well-being also improves. They have better posture, greater mobility, clearer skin and are growing taller and stronger. Young people now shower with staff support, understand the importance of hand-washing and use some symbols to communicate their needs.

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Requires improvement

All young people attend full-time education. Recent changes in staffing arrangements, better connections with schools and liaison with school transport mean that young people prepare for school in a positive way.

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Requires improvement

Individualised transition plans support young people to positively move on from the home. Proactive staff ensure that young people are involved at each stage of their transition. This includes choosing their preferred placement.

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Requires improvement

Young people feel prepared and less anxious about moving because positive partnership working leads to a succession of small and practical steps for young people. Social storybooks and staff working shifts across both homes enable young people to feel increasingly comfortable with the changes ahead. They settle well, and continued communication between staff supports ongoing and individualised placement planning.

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Requires improvement

Good insight into the young people‟s backgrounds and circumstances facilitates meaningful contact. Improving use of communication systems helps young people to better manage contact visits with parents. Laminated posters setting out times of visits and photos of parents now become a focus for young people‟s excitement and anxiety. Staff support transport and also support parents to see their children at the home. Discreet and sensitive staff supervision helps manage young people‟s behaviour and improves the quality of contact.

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Requires improvement

Staff are able to advocate the best interests of children and young people. They work collaboratively with parents and agencies. Staff are assertive and skilled in delivering difficult messages to parents in order to benefit young people. These skills are integral to on-going family reunification plans and ensuring that young people receive appropriate assessment of their needs.

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Requires improvement

Young people‟s health outcomes improve. Staff liaise with medical professionals to promote better emotional and mental health. For example, positive partnership working means that young people‟s behaviour and medication needs are regularly reviewed and adjusted accordingly.

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Requires improvement

An increase in physical and outdoor activities has a double benefit for young people. Their behaviour is calmer and they also enjoy the benefits of exercise, fresh air and better health. Outcomes also improve as young people‟s food intake is regulated. They maintain good weight and this supports good health. Judgement grade

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Good

Monitoring of security and safety promotes a safe physical environment for young people to live and play in. They do not go missing due to the secure environment and risk management when out in the community.

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Good

Managers and staff are mindful to liaise with social workers and safeguarding agencies when child protection concerns arise. There are no child protection concerns at the home. Some young people‟s behaviour, such as tapping others, is addressed with high levels of staff supervision. There are no other concerns about bullying.

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Good

Supervision and vigilance ensure that individuals who may wish to harm young people cannot have access to them. There are no concerns about child sexual exploitation for the young people at this home.

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Good

Information sharing and risk assessment identify risks such as self-injurious, sexualised and other challenging behaviours. Staff liaise with mental health agencies and school staff to gain insight into young people‟s complex needs and to develop joint behaviour management strategies. For example, staff have good insight into obsessive compulsive disorders. Positive interventions mean that young people with driven habits will now tolerate sharing their activities with staff and sometimes other young people.

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Good

Young people‟s behaviour improves. They are better able to self-regulate as staff have more insight into their triggers and anxieties. For example, regulating access to computer tablets and greater one-to-one supervision promote calmer behaviour and better interactions with others.

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Good

Reward processes are good and clearly help with self-esteem. Photos of the monthly achievement and star awards take pride of place the dining room. Rewards reinforce acts of kindness and helping others, as well as achievement in school. This approach enables young people to develop qualities that are essential to their interactions with others and the challenges of autism.

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Good

Staff are quick to seek guidance and take direct action to ensure the safety of both the young people and staff at the home. This includes the use of physical intervention to keep young people and others safe.

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Good

Effective medication procedures are in place to protect young people‟s medical and health needs. Young people live in a safe environment due to a succession of health and safety checks.

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Requires improvement

Management of the home continues to require improvement due to ongoing shortfalls and slow progress.

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Requires improvement

Progress and development have been interrupted with the resignation of the home‟s registered manager. All staff are qualified in caring for children and young people. Regular supervision supports and monitors staff practice and development. Core training is well managed and kept up to date.

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Requires improvement

The management team and staff work consistently to bring stability to the young people. Acting-up arrangements and use of familiar relief staff ensure that young people enjoy a sense of permanence. Levels, and the skill set, of staffing ensure that the aims and objectives of the home‟s statement of purpose and young people‟s needs are met.

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Requires improvement

While the provider works to recruit a new manager, the current management team works hard to push improvement. The team members are practical and measured in their efforts. They show promise in managing change and making the improvements that are required at this home.

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Requires improvement

Significant inroads are being made, and managers‟ comments such as „we have to make the best of what we have got‟ show good resourcefulness. For example, a change to night shift times means that more staff are available to support young people with their transition to school. All staff buy into these changes because greater consistency of staffing means that young people experience smoother and calmer transition on school days.

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Requires improvement

Measured and practical strategies to drive improvement in recording processes are embedding in the home‟s structure. For example, changes to handover meetings now focus on staff reading from young people‟s records. This practical change brings a greater child focus to the meetings, while making staff think about how they write about the young people. This tactic is an effective stepping stone in driving child-centred recording in the home.

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Requires improvement

However, some records are not always up to date. For example, sanctions for young people‟s financial reparations are not recorded and may present a lack of continuity in managing behaviours. In addition, key information about risk and behaviour management run parallel to each other. Lack of crossover means that information may be missed or diluted because key information is not easy to access.

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Requires improvement

The extension of partnership working is having a good impact on the quality of care in the home. For example, links with an occupational therapist have led to improved assessment of young people‟s transport arrangements to and from school. This link is now due to extend to further assessment of the physical environment in the home.

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Requires improvement

Working to obtain exclusive occupational hours for the five local authority‟s learning and physical disability homes demonstrates a strong commitment to on-going partnership working. Occupational therapy support in the home will speed up assessment, improve staff practice and make the home‟s facilities more conducive to the needs of the young people.

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Requires improvement

Managers appreciate the importance of embracing and communicating well with their partners. For example, sharing information about the individual needs of the young people means that the activities and care staff work together to gain insight into the complex needs of young people. As a result, young people are less anxious and have greater participation and enjoyment.

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Requires improvement

Regular independent monitoring drives improvement. The acting management team is due to carry out additional internal monitoring in light of recent change. The team members have a good understanding of the strengths and areas for development and are rewriting the home‟s development plan. The management and staff team is keen to embrace contact with other providers, look at good practice and use ideas to improve the home. The team is also currently using research from other providers in order to develop the service.

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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 children looked after 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 that 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 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 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

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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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