Children's home run by Icare Children’s Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1164379 1

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Icare Children’s Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural problems.

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This monitoring visit

This home was inspected at the end of November 2017 and judged to have declined in effectiveness. A notice of restriction of accommodation was put into place on 30 November 2017 to ensure that no further young people would be admitted to the home during the period specified. The notice of restriction of accommodation expires on 20 February 2018.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements from the last inspection are not, at the time of this inspection, due. As a result, this monitoring visit did not assess the provider’s progress in this regard. However, the provider has appointed a consultant, who has worked closely with the service since the last inspection. A detailed action plan, which addresses all the regulatory shortfalls, has been produced and the responsible individual confirmed that this will be shared with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted will continue to monitor this setting.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 27/11/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 23/05/2017 Full Good 02/11/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/05/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1164379 2

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who,

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff 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. (Regulation 6 (2)(b)(vi)) 22/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 22/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1)(2)) 22/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

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 22/12/2017 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1164379 3 use of the measure; and (viii) a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; (b) within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered

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Requirement Due date

person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’)— (i) has spoken to the user about the measure; and (ii) has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and (c) within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is any other incident relating to the child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 22/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h)) 22/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the employment of any person on a temporary basis at the children’s home does not prevent children from receiving such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs. The registered person must ensure that at all times at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification. (Regulation 31 (1)(2)(a)) 22/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only employ an individual to work 22/12/2017 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1164379 4 at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3): the individual is of integrity and good character; the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(3)(a)(b)(c)(d)) The registered person must ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction; ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the

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Requirement Due date

satisfactory completion of a period of probation; ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development; receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(3)(a)(b)) 22/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child, are kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 22/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; are familiar with and act in accordance with the home’s child protection policies; ensure 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. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i)(v)(vii)(b)) 22/12/2017

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Recommendations

 Ensure that young people live in an environment which meets their basic day- to-day needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)  Ensure that the children’s guide is age appropriate, provided in an accessible format and explained to each child to make sure that they understand it. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1164379 5 page 24, paragraph 4.20)

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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.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Icare Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 24 Milton Road, Smethwick B67 7HT

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Inspector

Pete Hylton, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1164379 6 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 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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