Children's home run by Aspire Residential Care Home Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC441591 1 SC441591

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Aspire Residential Care Home Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It is registered for up to three young people aged 10 to 17, who have social and emotional difficulties. There is an acting manager in post who is not yet registered.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged as requires improvement to be good at the full inspection. At this monitoring visit, inspectors found that there had been no improvement and instead a further deterioration and new regulatory failings were identified. Leadership and management remains weak and ineffective.

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This monitoring visit

One compliance notice has been issued on three occasions. The first was 17 January 2018, the second was 12 March 2018, and the third, 8 May 2018. This compliance notice related to the safe recruitment of staff. Despite this high-level action to help to drive forward improvement, this visit has found ongoing weaknesses in how staff are recruited. For example, inspectors found that one new member of staff who has been recruited since the last inspection has not been subject to the necessary checks. This shows a total disregard in meeting regulation to keep young people safe.

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This monitoring visit

There has been a lack of management oversight of new young people‟s admissions. This led to one young person‟s placement lasting only three days. The admission of another young person has been equally poor. This time, not all staff have received essential training to meet the young person‟s health needs. For example, only three members of staff out of a staff team of 11 had received training in epilepsy awareness. The manager had failed to consider this as essential training for all staff. The manager has also failed to put together a specific risk assessment to help to advise staff about how to manage the young person‟s epilepsy, including managing any potential seizures. This leaves the young person at serious risk of harm. Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC441591 2 The manager and staff do not show sufficient understanding about the reasons why one young person takes specific prescribed medication. For example, the manager

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This monitoring visit

told the inspectors that the young person‟s prescribed medication was to treat autism spectrum disorder. He also told the inspectors the medication stock had been allowed to run out. However, a member of staff told the inspectors that the medication was prescribed as a precaution to help prevent a potential infection. This inconsistency places the young person‟s health at risk.

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This monitoring visit

Young people‟s views are still not secured. For example, issues raised in the young people‟s meetings are still not addressed. New systems put in place by the managers, aimed at capturing the views of young people, are ineffective. Furthermore, the manager continues to lack a basic understanding of young people‟s rights to raise complaints. For example, when one young person stated that he wished to make a complaint, the manager told him it was a grumble and not a complaint. The manager told the inspectors, „I am the manager. I can decide what is a complaint and what is a grumble.‟ This shows a complete disregard for the young person‟s rights to have their worries and concerns listened to and addressed.

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This monitoring visit

Managers continue to neglect their responsibility to implement safeguarding procedures when young people make allegations about staff practice. This means that safeguarding concerns are not shared with other professionals and the regulator. This means that the regulator is not informed about serious incidents that occur in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Managers and staff do not ensure that physical restraint is recorded in line with regulation. Consequently, the staff and young people are often denied the opportunity to receive a debrief about the use of physical intervention.

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This monitoring visit

Staff supervision of young people is poor. For example, staff reported a young person missing who was later found to be asleep in another bedroom.

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This monitoring visit

Gaps in training remain. During the full inspection, it was identified that staff lacked key training in areas surrounding medication and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Also, the manager had not received training in understanding the risks that young people face regarding child sexual exploitation.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has not ensured that he has sufficient monitoring systems in place. For example, the statement of purpose is not up to date, the young people‟s guide remains incomplete, the staff rota does not reflect the hours staff work, and the location risk assessment does not consider the risks for the current young people placed at the home.

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This monitoring visit

This deterioration in the quality of care leaves young people vulnerable and at risk. Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC441591 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 19/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/01/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 29/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC441591 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 children‟s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children‟s care and welfare and their lives.

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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 express views, wishes and feelings and help each child to understand how the child‟s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. (Regulation 7 (1)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)) 24/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that the health and well-being needs of children are met; and children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)) 24/10/2018

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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. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i)) 24/10/2018

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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 understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(v)) 24/10/2018 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC441591 5 The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child and that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(b)(2)(c)(d)) 24/10/2018

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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 understand the impact that the quality of care is having on the progress and experiences of each child, use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(2)(f)(h)) 24/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that each child‟s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)) 24/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children‟s home a statement („the statement of purpose‟) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. This is with particular reference to ensuring that the staff structure and staff details are current. (Regulation 16 (1)) 24/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children‟s home if full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (3)(d))* 24/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) („the Level 3 Diploma‟); or a qualification which 24/10/2018 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC441591 6 the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

The relevant date is in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part-time basis. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)(6)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children‟s home from abuse or neglect; and sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular, provide for liaison and co-operation with any local authority which are, or may be, making a child protection enquiry in relation to a child accommodated in the home; provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located; provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response; describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect; and describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. (Regulation 34 (1)(b)(d)(e)) 24/10/2018

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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 the name of the child; details of the child‟s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any 24/10/2018 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC441591 7 other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is

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Requirement Due date

authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”) has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 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)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv)

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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)) 24/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that they maintain in the home the records relating to scheduled 4 in relation to; A copy of the staff duty roster of persons working at the home, and a record of the actual hours worked. (Regulation 37 (2)(a)) 24/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

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)) 24/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the registered person notifies HMCI and each other relevant person without delay when a serious event occurs. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)–(e)) 24/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children („a quality of care review‟) at least once every 6 months. In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided for children; the feedback and opinions of children about the children‟s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person 24/10/2018 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC441591 8 intends to take as a result of the quality of care review („the quality of care review report‟). The registered person must

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home. The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(4)(a)(b)(5))

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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)) 24/10/2018

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home‟s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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. Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC441591 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aspire Residential Care Home Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 311f The Big Peg, 120 Vyse Street, Hockley B18 6NF

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Inspectors

Louise Battersby, social care inspector Ms Quested, social care inspector Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC441591 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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