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 complex needs. The home’s statement of purpose states that staff aim to help each young person achieve their full potential through providing a family environment.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring inspection was conducted after Ofsted received significant whistle- blowing concerns:  The company operating the home is subject to formal proceedings in terms of finances.  Staffing is not sufficient to meet the needs of the young people.  There are high numbers of young people going missing from the home.  There are gang-related issues at the home.  Unsuitable adults are working in the home.  The environment is not suitable for young people. The responsible individual was present during the inspection visit. The sole director of the organisation running the children’s home was also present. There is currently an issue between the organisation and a third-party supplier of agency staffing. The inspector reviewed records at Companies House and there is, to date, no formal action listed against the organisation running the children’s home. However, the director confirmed that they are in negotiations with the third-party supplier to settle

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This monitoring visit

an outstanding payment. The inspector asked for full details of this issue to be sent to Ofsted. A regulatory requirement has also been made so that Ofsted can fully assess the financial viability of the organisation operating the children’s home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1164379 2 There are high numbers of missing from care episodes at the home. Currently, two young people are placed. One young person has been missing from the home for over a week. Another young person has been missing approximately 50 times since March 2018. Staff have liaised with both young people’s local authorities, completing searches in the community and attended strategy meetings when required. However, risk management is weak. When young people are considered to pose a risk of carrying bladed weapons, the staff team uses a hand-held scanner to search young people for concealed items which could cause harm. There is confusion about

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This monitoring visit

how this hand-held scanner is to be used. The risk assessment states that the scanner should be used when young people enter the home, but the responsible individual told the inspector that it is to be used when young people also leave the home. This is not reflected in the risk management plan. This means that it is unclear if all members of staff know this expectation. There is also a lack of professional curiosity on the part of staff that young people can potentially store bladed items nearby. Furthermore, placing authorities have not consented to the use of the hand-held scanner. Risk management plans state that one young person will have key-worker sessions about how to keep safe and the dangers of carrying bladed items. However, staff have only completed one session with the young person in the last two months. This does not support young people to develop an awareness of the danger or how to

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This monitoring visit

stay safe. Risk management plans are also not up to date and contain inappropriate actions for staff to follow. For example, one plan seen by the inspector states to ‘Get him sobered up quickly when returning to the home, by offering him strong coffee and water and advising him to take a cool shower if possible.’ This is in relation to the young person returning to the home under the influence of substances. The management of the home is not appropriately reviewing the increased risks of young people going missing from the home or potentially being involved in significant risk-taking behaviours. This lack of formal review and monitoring means that there is little or no identification of potential indicators of gang-related behaviour. As a result, there is the potential for a continuing escalation of risk to young people. The home is, overall, appropriately maintained. Staff were actively cleaning the

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This monitoring visit

home when the inspector arrived. There is sufficient food in the home and sufficient resourcing to provide for the two young people currently placed at the home. However, the young people’s bedroom doors do not self-close appropriately. This represents a potential fire safety risk. Ofsted have notified the local fire and rescue service of this concern. The inspector established that there is sufficient staff in the home for the next few days. The responsible individual is available to support the home if required and additional staffing is being sourced. As a result of this inspection visit, there are six regulatory shortfalls. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1164379 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 08/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/11/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 23/05/2017 Full Good 02/11/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1164379 4

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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 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; help each child to understand how to keep safe; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i, ii, iii) 31/08/2018

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that 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(1)(2)(d)) 31/08/2018

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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. 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))* 23/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance. (Regulation 24(1)(b)) 31/08/2018

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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 31/08/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1164379 5 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)) The registered person must provide HMCI with such information as HMCI may require for the purpose of considering the financial viability of the home, including— the annual accounts of the home certified by an accountant; a reference from a bank expressing an opinion as to the registered provider’s financial standing; information as to the financing, and financial resources, of the home and the registered provider; where the registered provider is a company, information as to any of its associated companies; and a certificate of insurance for the registered provider in

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Requirement Due date

respect of liability which may be incurred by the registered provider in relation to the home in respect of damage, death, injury, public liability or other loss. (Regulation 47(3)(a,b,c,d and e)) 07/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Angela Griffiths

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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 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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