Children's Home run by N H Care Limited in Birmingham

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The manager is particularly enthusiastic and child-centred.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff ensure that young people‟s learning disabilities are not an obstacle to their full involvement in the home. Through strong consultation processes, young people understand what is happening and increase their personal responsibilities.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Networking with other agencies, and relatives, is a strength of the service. This facilitates young people‟s progress by creating opportunities and dealing with difficulties as soon as possible.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people enjoy their home and the company of staff. They feel safe and appreciate the difference the service makes for them.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Overall, young people benefit from a high level of consistency among their carers. This is a major contribution to their good progress.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people learn to be more independent and to keep themselves safe.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff respect young people‟s rights at all times.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff give young people‟s education a high priority and address any barriers effectively. Consequently, young people engage well in education and obtain a lot from it.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The company is striving to improve its services and is investing accordingly in staff training and support. Membership of the National Autistic Society brings additional value to the service.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 This inspection identifies some shortfalls, which represent minor slippage rather than systemic deficits. Staff do not research and address young people‟s cultural identities as promptly as possible. Also, staff take insufficient care with their footwear, which is a safety issue. Improvements to the back garden are necessary to provide sufficient outdoor space.

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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

In order to meet this standard the registered person must ensure:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(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. This is with regard to ensuring that staff wear suitable footwear indoors. 05/01/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification, which is either (a) the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or (b) a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma by, in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulations 32(3)(b), (4), and (5)(b)). 05/01/2016

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the care promotes each child's welfare, taking into account the child's ethnicity and culture. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 14, paragraph 3.2)  Ensure that the registered person makes best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. This is with regard to acting on the decision to landscape the back garden. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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Information about this children's home

A small private company runs this home. The home provides care and accommodation for up to three young people who have autistic spectrum disorder.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 24/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 29/09/2015 Full Outstanding 15/12/2014 Interim Improved effectiveness 02/05/2014 Full Good

p.5

Good

Young people make good progress. Young people get on well with the staff. They express no reservations about the staff and they have a lot of fun together. To achieve this, staff use a variety of communication systems to support young people who have reduced verbal and cognitive skills. They apply these to many routine activities to improve young people‟s understanding, involvement and skills. For example, young people now compile menus and record what they have eaten. This contributes to their healthy diets, writing skills and verbal progress.

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Good

Consultation with young people leads to their views making a difference throughout the house, including decoration and furnishings. Young people improve their independence skills, such as road safety. This has led to greater involvement in the community and access to a wider range of activities, such as youth clubs and a gym. One social worker said about her young person, „He has been afforded the ability to make independent choices and he‟s absolutely loving it! Staff demonstrate sensitivity and an individualised personal approach which enables young people to feel valued.‟

p.6

Good

High staffing levels mean that each young person receives personalised care from adults with whom they are familiar. There is good continuity of care, and the team has a balance of age, gender and cultural background. However, although staff are alert to the cultural backgrounds of young people, they do not always prioritise this in the planning or recording. Consequently, there is a delay in understanding the social expectations of some young people about, for example, education and gender-specific roles.

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Good

Since the last inspection, some young people have moved to other services. These have been positive transitions to other settings that meet their needs better. Their social workers are satisfied with the service and say that they would „have no hesitation‟ in using it again. Most young people come from either the host authority or an adjacent one. Young people who come from further afield receive the same quality of service. The manager takes great care to match new young people to the existing group. As a result, young people usually get on well with each other and, in some cases, become good friends. A new young person said that he likes everything about the home. His grandmother said, „He‟s come on in leaps and bounds!‟ He would not speak before, but now he has „really come out of his shell.‟

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Good

The property is clean and comfortable. It has photographs and artwork on display, which contribute to the homely atmosphere. It has easy access to city amenities. There is a reasonable-sized back garden but it is almost entirely too steep for young people to use. Consequently, there is very little usable outdoor space. The company has agreed in principle to landscape the area to provide an outdoor play area. However, this has not been resolved since the home opened.

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Good

Some new young people arrive without an educational placement. Staff provide appropriate interim arrangements while pressing the relevant authorities for permanent placements. Staff make good use of their links with virtual school heads and other agencies that provide support with young people‟s education. Once they are in school or college, young people do well and have very high rates of attendance. One young person made sufficient progress in a short period to read letters from home. Staff adeptly interpret young people‟s behaviour, particularly when it appears to change for no known reason. This leads them, for example, to pursue school staff for information and analyses. This removes obstacles to young people‟s educational progress as soon as possible.

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Good

Young people enjoy good health and learn to take control of their lives. One young person now has a good understanding of the medication he takes. They pursue healthy, active lifestyles and learn to do so independently and as a matter of course. Staff ensure that young people use mental health services when necessary. Recently, the company has improved this aspect of the service by engaging an independent psychology service. The managers and staff now have access to a clinical psychologist who provides an important contribution to their work with young people.

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Good

Staff improve each young person‟s contact with their family, whenever possible. The re-establishment of important relationships has become a remarkably valuable journey for some young people. This provides important emotional support and helps young people look ahead optimistically. Young people enjoyed a wide range of interesting activities over the summer holidays, with theme parks and a beach holiday being particular highlights. Young people have a lot of fun in the home, too, in which there is a good-natured and happy atmosphere. The newest young person said „I think it‟s brilliant [here]! I make my own choices. Of course staff listen to me!‟

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Good

Staff work in an extremely positive and inclusive way. They have a good understanding of the risks faced by each young person. The current risk of child sexual exploitation of young people is low. Through key-worker sessions and systematic repetition, staff help young people understand the reasons why positive behaviour is necessary. As part of this philosophy, they seldom use sanctions but frequently reward young people for their effort and achievements. Bullying is almost non-existent. This approach contributes substantially to young people‟s positive progress, whether it be in their personal care, understanding of their medication, or their attempts to try new activities.

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Good

Young people feel safe and improve their ability to keep themselves safe. One young person learned to use more caution when approaching strangers and to navigate roads safely. Staff achieve this through the skilful use of a variety of techniques that successfully engage young people.

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Good

Given the complex needs of the young people, it is inevitable that their behaviour varies from time to time. Negative incidents have increased in the past few months. Staff have shown resilience in their response to assaults against them, false allegations, and young people leaving the home without permission. These were unusual events in the home. Staff kept young people safe, albeit with a greater use of physical intervention. In close liaison with other professionals and the young people, the causes of such behaviours were diagnosed and appropriate remedial action was taken. External professionals provide positive feedback. One recently said „[The staff show] impressive efficiency and dedication. There is good, collaborative working.‟ The manager routinely reviews incidents and has correctly learned lessons from those when staff did not manage quite as well as possible. In one case, for example, a member of staff repeated some relevant training.

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Good

However, these were minor issues with no direct effect on young people. Overall, young people‟s behaviour improves, which increases their social and recreational opportunities. One young person has made substantial progress with his verbal skills. Another young person has improved her reading and writing, which has had a wide range of benefits.

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Good

The property itself is safe. Staff enhance the homely atmosphere by not wearing shoes indoors. They walk around the home either barefoot or in stocking feet. This exposes them, and therefore young people, to potential injury, for example when helping young people in the kitchen or bathroom, or following them off-site.

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Good

Ofsted registered the manager in 2014. She provides enthusiastic and child-centred leadership to the team. The manager is undertaking the required management training, and the likely completion date is within the statutory timescale. She receives insightful and knowledgeable supervision from the recently appointed operations manager. The operations manager has reviewed and improved the written guidance to staff, and the staff team feel motivated by him. As part of the ongoing development of the whole company, the organisation has recently introduced a deputy manager position. This increases the career opportunities available to staff and has improved the succession planning for senior posts.

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Good

Social workers and other people who need to know about the service benefit from an up-to-date statement of purpose. This gives a satisfactory impression of the service received by young people.

p.9

Good

The last inspection was in February 2016 and raised one recommendation only. Staff now record information about physical interventions accurately. This allows a reader to understand how staff restrained young people. In turn, the manager verifies that on each occasion staff respect young people‟s rights.

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Good

The staff team has sustained a high degree of consistency since the last inspection. Staff feel that there is a happy atmosphere in the team. One staff member said, „We‟re good at praising each other.‟ Recent developments have led to a small number of staff accepting opportunities elsewhere in the company. The additional help required by some young people has required the temporary use of agency staff. This has not had a detrimental effect on the young people, and some agency staff have become permanent members of staff. All staff, including the waking night staff, receive regular supervision and development opportunities.

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Good

Staff benefit from an improved programme of training, some of which they undertake online. The vast majority of staff are either suitably qualified or are on track to become qualified within the required timescale. They demonstrate their understanding by applying it in practice. An independent reviewing officer confirmed this recently when she wrote that, „Staff provide evidence-based feedback.‟ One member of staff has not qualified within the statutory timescales because of difficulties with the previous training provider, which have now been resolved. The team understands concerns about child sexual exploitation, radicalisation, and female genital mutilation. The staff apply their learning to practical issues and feel that it helps them „think outside the box‟. For example, one of the recent training courses resulted in staff revisiting young people‟s safety online.

p.9

Good

An independent person and the senior staff undertake effective monitoring of the service. This means that they identify any shortfalls at an early stage. In one case, the visitor found minor deficits in the staff recruitment procedures. Subsequently, the company has prevented a repetition by employing someone to oversee recruitment and other staff-related processes. Records clearly reflect the good progress made by young people, and the monitoring processes track it. The company has recently given the six-monthly monitoring process more impact by including greater analysis. This contributes to the ongoing improvement of the service. Young people also benefit substantially from the National Autistic Society accrediting the home. This is an additional level of monitoring, which focuses on the specific needs of the young people. The process of improving the service is ongoing and shows a positive effect.

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Good

As part of the substantial involvement of young people in the running of the home, staff have translated many of the main documents into pictorial formats. This means that young people have a meaningful understanding of, and involvement in, practical issues such as their statutory reviews and fire safety.

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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‟. 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

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What the inspection judgements mean

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 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

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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