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

Inspection report children‟s home: 1164379 1 Registered provider: iCare Children‟s Services Limited Interim inspection 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 to achieve their full potential through providing a family environment.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring inspection was completed on 17 August 2018 in response to whistleblowing concerns received by Ofsted.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection.

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and young people since the most recent 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

This home was last inspected in May 2018 and judged to require improvement. A monitoring inspection took place on 17 August 2018 due to Ofsted receiving concerns about the home. This interim inspection was conducted to evaluate the progress since the May 2018 inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been no registered manager since August 2017. The acting manager has submitted a registration application to Ofsted, and this is being processed. Inspection report children‟s home: 1164379 2 The recruitment of the home‟s own staff has improved since the last inspection. Two new staff have started at the home, and both were safely recruited. Agency staff are being used regularly to provide additional staff in the home. However, when agency staff are used they are not subject to the same level of scrutiny in their recruitment. Instead, managers at the home rely on the supplying agency having conducted appropriate checks on these workers. There is no verification undertaken by managers at the home to ensure that this happens. This means that young people may come into contact with potentially unsuitable adults.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are regulatory failures in the home‟s recording. For example, young people‟s files do not contain the latest updated education plans, and staffing rotas are not kept up to date or list which staff are actually working in the home on any given day. When staff impose a sanction, the record made by staff does not always show that the young person has been given the opportunity to talk to them about the sanction.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff rarely use physical restraint. However, management systems have failed to intervene when concerns arise over the use of restraint. For example, one young person was held in a physical restraint for 30 minutes and, although the manager queried this length of time, there is no corresponding record of the discussion with staff or formal review of this incident. It is therefore unclear if this restraint was necessary or proportionate. A further incident took place during which a young person complained to waking night staff about being restrained. There is no corresponding complaint record or evidence that this reported concern was investigated.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person has been discharged from the home since the last inspection and another young person has been admitted. There are key failures in how the management of the home assesses the potential impact of new young people on the existing group of young people. Although an impact risk assessment was conducted, it lacks detail on the young person‟s risks and vulnerabilities. This is despite the full information being known prior to the placement starting. This does not ensure that when a new young person arrives at the home the staff are clear about the risks and vulnerabilities and can take effective action to safeguard young people‟s welfare.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person has been missing from the home since early August 2018. This „missing‟ incident occurred shortly after the young person‟s admission to the home. Staff are conducting regular checks of the local and wider area, and there is regular liaison with the police and placing authority. However, despite the young person being missing for a significant period, there has been no escalation of these concerns by the management of the home. The manager has accepted the actions taken by other services and not challenged what has been, until very recently, the view that the young person is at low risk. The young person‟s file makes it clear that there are key risks and dangers to the safety of the young person. The management of the home has failed to take effective action despite knowing that there are serious concerns for the safety and welfare of a young person. Furthermore, this represents a failure to challenge the

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

actions of the other professionals involved.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The location risk assessment for the home lacks the required detail. There has been no Inspection report children‟s home: 1164379 3 consultation with relevant parties, as required. This means that there may be community-based risks which staff are not aware of. Similarly, the manager‟s own reporting lacks consultation with young people. As a result, the manager‟s ability to fully review these aspects of care is negatively affected.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person‟s risk assessment was not followed. This assessment stated that a separate risk assessment for travelling in vehicles should be conducted. The inspector asked for this risk assessment and was told that it could not be found. This means that there are shortfalls in the day-to-day care of the home with regards to following risk management plans for young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been some improvements since the last inspection. New paperwork systems are being introduced and are simplifying some processes in the home. Additional staff have been recruited, and there is a clear development plan to improve the home. Redecoration has taken place, with new carpets and furnishings. The manager has requested training for staff in managing sexualised behaviour and working with young people who need support in forming positive attachments. However, there are still significant gaps in staff training. For example, two members of staff and the manager have not received up-to-date training in the home‟s chosen method of physical intervention. One of the senior members of staff does not have training in supervision or appraisals. None of the senior members of staff in the home have received training in equality and diversity. These shortfalls mean that some staff lack the required skills for

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A new incentive system is now in place at the home. Although young people receive rewards for positive behaviour, there is no clarity for staff about how to score this positive behaviour. For example, staff award scores of „8/10‟ and „9/10‟ for the same behaviours. There is no corresponding guidance on how to assess behaviour. This ambiguity means that there could be confusion among staff and young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

In addition to the existing regulatory requirements from the visit of 17 August 2018, regulatory shortfalls have been identified as a result of this interim inspection. The quality of care has declined significantly in the home.

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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 children‟s home: 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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff–

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

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.

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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))* 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 31/08/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: 1164379 5 home the registered person must ensure that the 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–

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Requirement Due date

the annual accounts of the home certified by an accountant;

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Requirement Due date

a reference from a bank expressing an opinion as to the registered provider‟s financial standing;

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Requirement Due date

information as to the financing, and financial resources, of the home and the registered provider;

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Requirement Due date

where the registered provider is a company, information as to any of its associated companies; and

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Requirement Due date

a certificate of insurance for the registered provider in 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)(e)) 07/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority‟s or a relevant person‟s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child‟s needs are met in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(c)) 23/09/2018

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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 take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child‟s welfare. (Regulation 12(1), (2)(a)(vi)) 23/09/2018

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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 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(1), (2)(b)) 23/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered 23/09/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: 1164379 6 person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential promotes their welfare. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)) The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children‟s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that arrangements are in place to ensure the effective induction of each child into the home. (Regulation 14(1)(a)(b), (2)(b)(i)) 23/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20(2)) 23/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children‟s safety. The registered person may only employ an individual to work 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))* 23/09/2018*

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake continuing professional development, (Regulation 33(4)(a))* 23/09/2018*

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”) has spoken to the user about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(b)(i)) 23/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that 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)(c)) 23/09/2018

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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 are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)(c)) 23/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; ensure that the records are kept up to date; and retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. 23/09/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: 1164379 7 (Regulation 37(2)(a)(b)(c)) The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39(3)) 23/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) of regulation 45 must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(5)) 23/09/2018

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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)) 23/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 In some instances, a child may express wishes that are not always in their best interests or which may conflict with the views of other children in the home. In such circumstances, the responsible adults will have to balance the wishes of the child against what they judge to be in the best interests of the child and reach a reasonable view about the best way forward in the interests of all. The reasons for reaching any decision will need to be carefully explained to and understood by the child or children concerned. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟ page 22, paragraph 4.9). This specifically refers to ensuring that young people‟s requests are followed up and the outcome communicated to them.  Expectations of standards of behaviour should be high for all staff and children in the home. These standards should be clear and unambiguous. Children should be supported to develop understanding and empathy towards each other. Positive

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Recommendations

behaviour and relationships should be reinforced, praised and encouraged; poor behaviour should be challenged and discussed. The development of safe, stable and secure relationships with staff in the home should be central to the ethos of the home and support the development of secure attachments that, where appropriate, persist over time. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟ page 39, paragraph 8.11). This specifically refers to ensuring that there is a clearly understood and consistently applied positive behaviour management process in the home.

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report children‟s home: 1164379 8 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 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: 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 children‟s home: 1164379 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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