Children's home run by Evergreen Children’s Home Ltd

Interim inspection report children’s home: 1241407 1 Registered provider: Evergreen Children‟s Home Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has not addressed two out of the five requirements, and the two recommendations, made at the last inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers and staff do not take sufficient action to minimise risk. For example, when staff leave the premises with young people, they fail to ensure that all the windows are securely closed. This creates a significant risk of unauthorised people entering the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered person has not assessed the impact of a decision to sell the property on Interim inspection report children’s home: 1241407 2 the safety and rights of young people living at the home. On one occasion, a prospective buyer turned up at 10.30pm wanting to view the property. This uncertainty has caused young people to be upset and unsettled.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people do not live in a homely environment. Staff show little interest in making sure that young people have access to basic necessities. For example, at the time of the inspection, young people‟s en-suite bathrooms had no toilet paper and there were no clean towels in the bathrooms. The young people‟s bedrooms were cluttered with clothes and other items all over the floor.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are health and safety concerns. The responsible individual told the inspector that she had been advised that the boiler in the home is not fit for purpose and is too small for the size of the property. Young people have been exposed to boiling hot water from the kitchen tap due to a faulty valve. One young person told the inspector that the cord to turn on his shower does not work. Staff and the young people are frustrated that the provider has not invested in their home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff told the inspector that on one night the lock to the back door was broken. An urgent repair was requested, but the provider refused to call out someone to complete an emergency repair. The provider advised the staff to put equipment in front of the door to prevent anyone from getting in. This action compromised the safety of the young people and staff, especially if the door had been required as an exit in an emergency.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has become the responsible individual. This has left the home without a registered manager. Although an acting manager is providing management cover, no new application for the registered manager has been submitted to Ofsted.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Not all staff have completed their induction training within set timescales. The responsible individual told the inspector that some staff have not been committed to progressing their professional development. Because of shortfalls in staff receiving a full induction, they do not have the required knowledge to provide good quality care to young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not ensure that young people‟s case records hold all the required documents about their care. For example, young people‟s files are missing education plans and health assessments. A young person‟s folder on planning for independence contains only a few sheets of paper. Consequently, staff have insufficient information to help them fulfil their responsibilities in meeting the care needs of young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people do go missing from home. When these incidents happen, staff do not update young people‟s risk assessments. Staff do not have clear guidance on the timescales of when to report a young person missing from home. This shortfall means that young people are at risk of harm. Interim inspection report children’s home: 1241407 3 When the registered manager was still in post, she did not ensure that there were sufficient staff on duty to meet the needs of the young people. For example, two young people who had complex needs required individual support. The inspector was told that the manager was not able to negotiate a care plan for these young people with their local authority. This resulted in a placement breakdown for these young people, who then had to move again, which disrupted their stability.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

When the registered manager was still in post, she did not receive regular supervision. This was despite a requirement being made at the last inspection to ensure that she received regular supervision by an appropriate professional.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager had not followed safer recruitment procedures when carrying out pre-employment checks. She told the inspector that she relied on the recruitment agency to undertake these checks on her behalf. She had not considered that these checks may not have been completed to satisfy the requirements set out under regulation. Consequently, there is a risk that staff working at the home may not have been suitable vetted to provide care for the young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

On a more positive note, the responsible individual has challenged the local authority care plan to help improve family contact for a young person. This is now a good experience for him, which he enjoys.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

All the young people have been attending school and are making progress with their education. They have the opportunity to develop positive relationships with their teachers and other young people. They increase their own learning, and this gives them self-confidence and a sense of achievement.

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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. Interim inspection report children’s home: 1241407 4

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children‟s home‟s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children, and use this understanding to deliver care that meets children‟s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to provide to children living in the home the physical necessities that they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6(1) (2)(b)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that young people have access to basic toiletries and safe access to warm water. Staff should ensure that the home has a more domestic feel rather than an „institutional‟ impression. 04/05/2018

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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.

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Requirement Due date

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. The premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child‟s health. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i)) 04/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the privacy of children is appropriately protected. (Regulation 21(a)) 04/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide adequate means of escape from the home in the event of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(b)) 04/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children‟s home if there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)) 04/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children‟s safety. (Regulation 32 (1)(3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. 04/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development and receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered manager must ensure that staff 04/05/2018 Interim inspection report children’s home: 1241407 5 attend training in line with their professional development and that the registered manager receives regular supervision. 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; and are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)) 04/05/2018

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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

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

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‟.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Evergreen Children‟s Home Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Fairgate House, 205 Kings Road, Tyseley, Birmingham B11 2AA

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Post vacant Interim inspection report children’s home: 1241407 6

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Inspector

Balsinder Jaspal-Mander, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: 1241407 7 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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