Children's home run by Birmingham City Council in Birmingham

Inspection report children’s home: SC034643 1 SC034643 Registered provider: Birmingham City Council

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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 local authority service is registered to care for seven children who have learning disabilities on short-break placements. The home’s statement of purpose states that children can stay irrespective of gender, and be between the ages of five and 18 years and with a range of learning disabilities, including autistic spectrum disorder.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 14 to 15 February 2018

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 11 January 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people benefit from a wide range of activities and new experiences during their short breaks.  The staff are warm and provide young people with reassuring care. Inspection report children’s home: SC034643 2  Excellent support is available to parents.  Staff support young people to practise their religion.  Staff encourage young people to share their wishes and feelings, and to have a say about the quality of care that they receive.  Young people enjoy a homely environment.  Young people do not go missing from care.  Staff recognise that young people are extremely vulnerable and require high levels of supervision in order to stay safe.  Behaviour management plans offer staff clear guidance on how to manage each young person’s presenting behaviours.  Staff feel valued and supported by the registered manager. Staff report that they feel listened to and that their views are valued.

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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

 The registered manager has not ensured that the home’s policies and procedures are regularly reviewed.  Although staff are aware of young people’s targets and health needs, this information is not always detailed in young people’s care plans.  Not all risk assessments in relation to activities are up to date.  The registered manager has not always consulted other professionals when decisions have been made about young people’s care.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 31/08/2016 Full Good 24/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 20/11/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC034643 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, and must ensure that staff, seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5(d)) 30/03/2018

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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 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This is in reference to ensuring that policies and activity risk assessments are kept up to date. 30/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep under review and revise the placement plan as necessary. (Regulation 18(7)) 30/03/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are sensitive to young people’s needs, and promote their privacy and dignity at all times. Staff are good at using a range of communication aids that help to empower young people to make decisions and express concerns. Young people experience a wide range of activities during their short-break stays. These include visits to a donkey sanctuary, attending local youth groups and meals out. There are also bespoke activities, such as working with a local artist to design an ‘inside out’ theme for the garden. Young people are also working with graffiti artists to give them the opportunity to gain a recognised qualification in art. Young people who have obtained an art qualification have enjoyed a ‘red carpet’ evening with their friends, parents and local councillors. These unique activities create happy childhood experiences and help young people to feel a sense of achievement. Inspection report children’s home: SC034643 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff offer young people warmth and reassuring care. For example, when staff became aware that one young person was developing a liking for hats, they went out and purchased a hat for the young person. Staff then ensured that the hat was put in the young person’s bedroom ready for her arrival. The young person now takes pride in wearing her hat during the evening. Excellent support is offered to parents. For example, staff arrange coffee mornings where parents can share experiences of their young people’s short breaks. These are aimed at helping new parents to overcome their fears about residential care. Parents highly value the short-break service. One parent told the inspector, ‘We can have time to relax as a family and we can spend time in a restaurant together, which we couldn’t do without [the name of the home]. We are very grateful.’ Another parent told the inspector, ‘My son would never leave if I had my way. I cannot speak highly enough

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

of the service. I struggled to put him there, but he has thrived and I am glad I overcame my fear. He is with young people of a similar age and there are lots of activities. They put the young people first. It’s just a really great place.’ Staff work hard to help young people to understand diversity and to celebrate and practise their religion. For example, staff ensure that there is halal food available and that young people have the opportunity to attend religious festivals. Staff ensure that young people attend school every day. Close links with educational providers mean that information, concerns and good practice are shared. Young people make progress and have opportunities to develop their skills. A parent told the inspector, ‘My son’s speech has improved and he has learned how to cope in the community. He manages his behaviours much better.’ The home is well furnished and clean. There are pictures around the home of the young

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

people. Young people’s bedrooms are themed. For example, there is a ‘beach’ bedroom and a ‘Millions’ bedroom. Young people are consulted on which bedroom they would like to stay in and their personal items are laid out ready for their arrival. This sense of familiarity helps young people to feel safe and secure during their stay.

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

Young people do not go missing from care. Staff recognise that young people are extremely vulnerable and require high levels of supervision to stay safe. All staff are trained in understanding the indicators of child sexual exploitation and radicalisation. Quick actions have been taken when concerns have been raised, for example when one young person was attempting to access material on an electronic device. Quick referrals were made after this incident to ensure that all young people were safe. Behaviour management plans offer staff clear guidance on how to manage each young person’s behaviour. Staff respond to young people in a calm and measured way. Staff understand the triggers to each young person’s challenging behaviour, and as a result staff are proactive in managing challenging situations. Staff are able to redirect young people away from potentially difficult situations by using calming techniques such as

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

listening to music. As a result, physical restraint is rarely required. Young people are helped to understand harmful behaviours such as bullying. This is discussed in young people’s meetings, and staff are alert to any changes in a young Inspection report children’s home: SC034643 5 person’s behaviour. The registered manager has managed complaints appropriately and in a timely manner. As a result, parents have been satisfied with the process and outcome of the complaints. Managers ensure that the home is well maintained. This includes carrying out regular checks of electrical, gas and fire safety. Fire drills take place and help young people to know how to respond in an emergency. Staff are safely recruited, to ensure that anyone employed is safe to work with young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Although the young people are making progress and enjoying their everyday experiences, there is a lack of management oversight. The registered manager has not ensured that there is sufficient oversight of some of the home’s policies and procedures. For example, there is no policy to offer staff guidance around the use of electronic surveillance, despite this type of equipment being regularly used by staff to monitor young people’s movements. Furthermore, although staff are knowledgeable about the needs of young people, not all risk assessments in relation to activities are up to date. This could lead to inconsistencies in practice. Although staff are aware of young people’s targets and health needs, these are not consistently captured on young people’s care plans. As a result, the manager has not consistently monitored the progress of each young person to ensure that all young people are reaching their full potential and having their health needs fully met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has not always consulted other professionals when decisions have been made about young people’s care. For example, staff had planned to use a weighted blanket as part of a young person’s care package. This decision was made without any risk assessment or consultation with health professionals. More positively, the registered manager has a clear vision for improvement and is clear about most of the strengths and weaknesses of the service. Staff feel valued and supported by the registered manager. They report that they feel listened to and that their views are valued. Their needs, both professionally and personally, are being taken into account. This helps the staff to remain motivated in their care of young people. Staff benefit from regular supervision. This helps them to reflect on the needs of the young people in their care. All staff have obtained their level 3 qualification in residential childcare within the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

necessary time frame. The registered manager has made sure that the statement of purpose demonstrates the aims and objectives of the home. This helps parents and placing authorities to have a clear understanding of the service’s aims and objectives. Inspection report children’s home: SC034643 6

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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 differences 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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 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: SC034643 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Council House, Victoria Square, Birmingham B1 1BB

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Inspectors

Louise Battersby, social care inspector Gareth Leckey, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC034643 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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