Children's home run by NH Care Limited in Birmingham

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Ofsted judged this service to be good at the last inspection. Overall, staff have sustained this standard of care. The last inspection identified that improvement was necessary to the leadership of the service. The operations manager is driving and facilitating change. He provides good support to the home’s manager. The manager noted, ‘There has been a change in attitude at all levels.’ The work to develop the senior team is continuing in order to develop those staff and ensure that there is sufficient back-up for the deputy and manager.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people feel comfortable in the home and have good relationships with staff. New young people integrate quickly. Staff promote young people’s independence well and this sometimes leads to unexpected challenges. For example, one young man used his new understanding of public transport to go missing. Staff address such issues effectively and safeguarding issues are rare. Discussions with other agencies mean that staff apply a proportionate approach to any restrictions and avoid depriving young people of their liberty. This topic is receiving the attention it requires to meet the particular needs of residents who have learning disabilities.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Each individual young person is making good progress. This means that one young person now sees his family more often. After close liaison with teachers, another has settled well into a new school.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In fully addressing previous requirements, staff have explained to young people their legal rights. Documents such as the statement of purpose and children’s guide now reflect them too and reminders are on display. The most obvious improvement, however, is the investment in the property. Communal areas and young people’s bedrooms now show an appropriate level of commitment and value. Staff are pleased with the changes and are keen to maintain this progress, which has stimulated and engaged everyone. Senior staff have arranged for further improvements, for example to bedroom door locks. This will give young people greater privacy and safety.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A less visible but an important improvement is staff training. Ongoing training is helping to improve the staff’s understanding of important issues. Senior staff monitor their progress. However, managers are not prioritising courses. This means that some staff have completed interesting courses but not essential ones. This creates potential shortfalls in staff knowledge. In the past, the manager has not paid sufficient attention to staff, including agency staff, being suitably qualified. This is now receiving greater attention and staff are making appropriate progress. The manager or the deputy manager do not work at weekends or at night. The manager is therefore considering methods of ensuring that there is sufficient monitoring and supervision during these periods.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The operations manager provides a good level of support to the manager. The whole team perceives his contribution positively and additional types of monitoring are now in place. This helps to ensure that the care of young people is as good as possible. The manager is refining his own monitoring to ensure that it is sufficiently evaluative. There is a particular need for such reports to reflect the feedback and opinions of young people about the home. Visits by an independent person supplement such exercises. These visits shed light on important issues but are not sufficiently clear about the visitor’s opinion about welfare and safeguarding. This obscures the manager’s judgement.

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Information about this children’s home

A private company provides this service. Up to seven children who have learning disabilities are accommodated.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 27/06/2016 Full Good 17/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18/08/2015 Full Good

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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

Ensure that the independent person produces a report about a visit (‘the independent person’s report’) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether (a) children are safeguarded effectively; and (b) the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. This is with regard to these conclusions being recorded clearly. (Regulation 44(4)) 10/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

Complete a quality of care review by establishing and maintaining a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care that they receive in it. (Regulation 45(2)(b)) 13/03/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  The registered person should have a workforce plan, which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of Regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training (such as safeguarding, health and safety, and mandatory qualifications). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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 0300 123 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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