Children's home run by Motivations Activity Projects Ltd in Birmingham

Inspection report children’s home: SC470284 1 SC470284 Registered provider: Motivations Activity Projects Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This service is run by a private company and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children’s home: SC470284 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people make good progress in a number of areas, including emotional health, self-confidence, self-care skills and relationships with their families and friends.  Young people are made to feel welcome to the home, and this helps them settle in quickly and to feel safe.  Young people are able to express their views and to be involved in meaningful decisions that affect them.  Staff develop warm and caring relationships with young people.  Managers and staff are committed to the young people they care for and are always available to them if they need help and advice.  Staff manage young people’s behaviour well. Staff work successfully as a team and have a positive approach to young people in their care, including when young people are in crisis.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development

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Key findings from this inspection

 Not all staff have received training in understanding autism spectrum disorder.  Staff who conduct supervisions have not received training to help them understand their responsibilities in supervising others.  Staff do not always evaluate young people’s progress in areas such as independence and self-help skills.  In a small number of cases, managers and staff have not ensured that all required records are actually completed and obtained from the placing authority.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 14/06/2016 Full Good 15/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/07/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC470284 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

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate professional development, in particular training in autism spectrum disorder, and in undertaking staff supervision. (Regulation 33(4)(a)) 08/09/2017

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. In particular, ensure that all cross-referenced records are fully completed. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  Ensure that staff prepare each child for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or living independently. In particular, identify progress and target areas for young people. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27).  Ensure that the registered person oversees the welfare of the children in their care through observation and engagement with each child and staff. In particular, have reviewing systems in place to ensure that young people’s files have all the necessary information stored in them to help staff meet their needs, in particular,

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Recommendations

young people’s looked after medical reviews. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.23). Inspection report children’s home: SC470284 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make progress in many areas of their lives because they benefit from well- planned care that managers and staff monitor closely. Young people develop warm and nurturing relationships with staff, who are patient and attuned to young people’s needs. As a result, young people’s emotional well-being, self-esteem and confidence grows. One young person told the inspector, ‘I am very happy and do not want to move from here.’ A social worker commented that her young person is making very good progress in all areas, that she receives consistent care from staff, and that this has helped her feel safe and secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have been changes in young people living at the home. One young person’s placement ended because managers and staff recognised that they were unable to meet his needs. Young people who have recently moved into the home are settled and enjoying the opportunities on offer.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most young people are in full-time school placements. The manager has liaised quickly with other professionals about one young person who has recently moved and is without a school placement. This swift action demonstrates that the manager and staff prioritise young people’s education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have a variety of opportunities to enjoy their social and leisure time. Staff take young people on holiday, helping them have a lot of fun and creating positive childhood memories. One young person is starting a local youth club to help her broaden her horizons, and to make new friends. Staff have supported another young person to keep in touch with his family and friends. A relative told the inspector, ‘He has a lovely home, I am pleased with it. The communication with staff is excellent. They keep me involved. He keeps in touch with me and with his friends here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff promote young people’s healthcare. All young people attend routine health appointments, and managers and staff identify specialist services. For example, staff have secured the engagement of therapeutic services when needed. This has given young people increased support to secure their emotional well-being. Young people have a good healthy diet and plenty of opportunities to do physical exercise.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people help staff with house chores. Young people are particularly good at keeping their bedrooms tidy. These varied opportunities help young people to develop age-appropriate independence skills. However, managers and staff do not always review young people’s progress and identify additional skills that they need to ensure a safe transition to adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people participate in decisions that affect them. This meaningful participation means that young people have a voice on things that matter to them. For example, young people participate in meetings with staff and contribute their ideas about menus, decoration and activities. Young people comment that they are confident in telling staff if Inspection report children’s home: SC470284 5 there is anything that they are worried about, and know that staff will listen. An advocate told the inspector, ‘I have been impressed with the level of support he receives. Staff always do their best and help him if he is anxious about anything.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people live in a home that is warm, comfortable and clean. Young people decorate their bedrooms to their own taste, choosing colours and bedding. The home is due to be redecorated and refurbished soon and this will further enhance young people’s lives at the home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Young people feel safe and well cared-for. They experience consistent boundaries from staff who have a thoughtful and clear approach to behaviour management. Managers and staff reinforce positive behaviour, and as a result, the numbers of sanctions are low. Staff know each young person well and recognise when a young person’s behaviour begins to escalate. Staff step in and support young people with calming de-escalation strategies. This includes staff discussing any significant issues with young people in one- to-one discussions.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

On a small number of occasions, young people have gone missing from the home. Staff quickly liaise with police and professionals and supported the young person on their return.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There have not been any concerns about young people being at risk of child sexual exploitation or radicalisation, although individual risk assessments highlight any potential risks with strategies in place to reduce these risks.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Managers and staff are responsive to young people’s safety at all times. For example, when young people’s behaviour presents a risk to another young person, the staff escalate their concerns to other professionals. Young people’s safety improves as professionals work together to resolve difficulties. A relative told the inspector, ‘I am very happy with the care here. I know my child is safe and happy. That’s the important thing.’

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Managers have good links with local police. They attend local forums where professionals share information about risks in the community. This allows managers and staff to take appropriate action, such as avoiding certain areas, when necessary.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been in post since 2014. He is appropriately qualified and holds a level 5 diploma in leadership and management in health and social care with children and young people. He has a clear understanding of the strengths and areas for development in the home. He gathers information from internal and external monitoring by the independent visitor. The registered manager takes action to improve practice wherever necessary. His ambitions for young people in his care are high. The team members communicate well with each other to make sure that everyone stays informed Inspection report children’s home: SC470284 6 about new and changing information about young people’s circumstances.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people are cared for in line with the home’s statement of purpose, and this clearly sets out the aims and objectives of the home. The registered manager has recently reviewed this document and sent it to the regulator. Young people each receive a young person’s guide that gives young people lots of helpful information about the home and details of who to contact if they are worried about anything, or need independent advice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have a variety of skills and experience. There have been recent changes and new staff have joined the team. Staff cover gaps in the rota to make sure that young people receive a consistent service from staff they know. Staff morale is good, and staff told the inspector, ‘This is the best team I have worked with. I get really good support here from the manager and colleagues.’ Managers complete staff supervisions and appraisals in line with organisational expectations. This enables all staff to reflect on their daily practice, relationships and young people’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff complete a range of training opportunities, although not all staff have completed training to improve their knowledge about autism spectrum disorder. Consequently, some staff may be caring for young people when they are not up to date with their knowledge and skills in this area. In addition, staff who are completing supervision sessions with staff have not always received training to develop the necessary skills to complete this effectively. Some staff have completed their level 3 diploma in caring for children and young people in residential care. Those who do not have the diploma are enrolled on the course, or will start once their probationary period is completed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff make sure that they update files and records. However, one young person’s file does not include his last local authority medical assessment. This means that managers and staff do not have essential information about this young person’s needs. In addition, missing from care records, which are kept in two locations, are not consistently recorded, and give a misleading impression about whether, for example, young people were offered a debrief following the episode. If they read their records, young people may be confused about the actions staff took.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There were no requirements or recommendations made at the last inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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. Inspection report children’s home: SC470284 7 Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well

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Information about this inspection

it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC470284 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Motivations Activity Projects Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Motivations Activity Projects Ltd, Powell Studios, 33 Powell Street, Birmingham B1 3DH

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Inspector

Julia Wright, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC470284 9 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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