Children's Home run by Adecyn Children’s Homes Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC423617 1 SC423617

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to three young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is operated by a private company.

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This monitoring visit

This home was last inspected in June 2017, and was judged to require improvement. Regulations were made under education, leadership and management, and staffing. Since the inspection of June 2017, Ofsted has received several anonymous concerns. These concerns related to: a serious incident where a young person was arrested, finances, racial language by staff, company policies, safety of young people when contractors are working in the home, management and staffing.

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This monitoring visit

An incident occurred on 21 June 2017 which culminated in a young person being arrested. Subsequent to this arrest, the young person was in an altercation with police where a taser was used on the young person in the home’s garden. This serious incident was notified to Ofsted shortly after its occurrence. This inspection visit scrutinised the records of this event and also discussed it with staff who were involved. The actions of the provider were appropriate in that they were trying to defuse the young person’s increasingly challenging behaviour. Staff supported the young person as an appropriate adult while they were detained by the police. No regulatory concerns were found as a result of this monitoring inspection. The young person has since left the home. Ofsted has contacted the young person’s placing authority to ensure that appropriate medical attention was offered following the young person’s arrest and subsequent removal from the home.

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This monitoring visit

Rotas in the home show that there are sufficient staff working in the home, and that shifts are covered by appropriately experienced staff. There has been some staff turnover, with some staff leaving the home. However, the home is currently caring for a reduced number of young people so the shortfalls in staffing are not affecting Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC423617 2 the young person in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector checked the food stocks in the home and found no concerns. The young person was also spoken to, and confirmed that they have plenty of food and access to paid activities. The responsible individual also confirmed that resources were available for additional activities.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are working proactively to promote an awareness of different cultures and values in the home. The staff team is ethnically diverse and embracing of diversity. Young people in the home are appropriately challenged when they display prejudiced views. This is further supported by staff by ensuring that any concerns noted from educational placements in this regard are challenged effectively.

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This monitoring visit

When maintenance contractors visit the home to complete repairs, they are chaperoned by staff and not left alone with young people. This inspection visit found no concerns about how external contractors work in the home or how they are supervised. The home’s policies were reviewed as part of this inspection visit. Some of the management of the home are related to each other. While there is a clear understanding of how to refer concerns about family members, this has not yet been fully tested against the local authority’s published safeguarding procedures. A recommendation has been made to ensure that the provider seeks advice from the local authority around this aspect of allegation management.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector walked around the children’s home with staff. Some defects with regard to fire safety were noted. These included a self-closing door mechanism not being fully attached to the door and a kitchen door propped open. This door is a fire door. A requirement has been made to address this shortfall. Furthermore, the responsible individual confirmed, during the inspection, that they will immediately contact the local fire and rescue service to ensure that they are fully compliant with the appropriate fire regulations.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this monitoring visit, one regulation and one recommendation have been made. These are in relation to fire safety and the home’s child protection policy.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 13/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/03/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 22/08/2016 Full Requires improvement 25/04/2016 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC423617 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25(2)(b)) 31/08/2017

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Recommendation

 Ensure that the home’s policies and procedures around the protection of children reflect any requirements of other relevant legislation. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.22)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC423617 4

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Inspector

Pete Hylton, social care inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC423617 5 to 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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