Children's Home run by Motivations Activity Projects Ltd in Sandwell

Inspection report children’s home: SC457013 1 SC457013 Registered provider: Motivations Activity Projects Limited

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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 service is for children who have social and/or emotional difficulties arising from traumatic life experiences. The manager was registered with Ofsted in 2017.

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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 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: 22 January 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC457013 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 04/07/2017 Full Good 31/10/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 01/06/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC457013 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 keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) 29/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

Consult with the fire and rescue authority and provide adequate means of escape from the home in the event of fire. (Regulation 25(1)b) 29/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

Complete a quality of care review by establishing and maintaining a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating (a) the quality of care provided for children; (b) the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it. (Regulation 45(2)(a)(b)) 29/10/2018

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Recommendations

 Just as in a family home, children should be able to access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. Limits on privacy and access may only be put in place to safeguard each child in the home (regulation 21(c)(i)). Any decisions to limit a child’s access to any area of the home and any modifications to the environment of the home, must only be made where this is intended to safeguard the child’s welfare. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual child’s needs, be properly recorded and be kept under regular review. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10) This is with regard to ensuring that the assessments of risks are sufficiently clear and that they address children’s bedroom door alarms and the locking of communal areas at night. Inspection report children’s home: SC457013 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children experience well-planned admissions. Staff follow this positive process by arranging imaginative and personalised activities, which help the child to feel part of the home. One child is making a DVD to help new children to get an informed and friendly welcome. Children make marked improvements in their school achievements. For example, one child achieved good school grades and another child recently passed his exams. These successes give children increased self-confidence and increased motivation to succeed in their learning. Staff engage well with every child. Staff address sensitive issues, such as children’s backgrounds. This work is completed in interesting ways to help children to engage. As a result, children stay safe and make good progress. Staff routinely consult the children about personal and general issues. Children have contributed to the high standard of presentation of the house, both inside and outside.

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

Most children make good progress in keeping themselves safe and they feel safe in the home. They understand their own improvements, for example in exerting self-control. Staff liaise well with other professionals to minimise the risks to children by sharing information. Staff have a good understanding of the risks presented by each child and they update their records regularly. However, some parts of the written risk assessments are not sufficiently clear. This has the potential to hinder new members of staff who do not have the same knowledge of existing staff in keeping children safe. Managers use different forms of restrictions and monitoring without a clear explanation of why these are used. For example, children’s bedroom doors have alarms fitted and there is a routine of locking communal areas at night. These practices detract from the domestic nature of the home and potentially infringe on children’s rights.

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

The only fire exit for the home is fitted with a key lock. This is a potential hazard in the event of a fire, especially if the key is not accessible.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager gives clear and enthusiastic leadership to the service. He shows close attention to detail and is keen to make improvements. The statement of purpose indicates that the home can take children who have a learning disability. This is misleading because this is not the service’s area of expertise. Also, the Inspection report children’s home: SC457013 5 statement of purpose does not describe the company’s approach to the use of surveillance for the monitoring of children. The responsible individual has recently arranged improvements to the quality of the independent visitor’s reports. However, the manager’s analysis of his service lacks sufficient evaluation. For example, it is missing the children’s views and has not analysed the use of sanctions. Staff address children’s targets particularly well. Staff hold detailed meetings with children and help them to make clear progress. For example, staff have helped children

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

with their independence skills. Staff enjoy working at the home. They challenge each other and are well supported by their seniors. The staff create a calm and positive atmosphere in the home that helps children to feel well cared for. Staff benefit from a high-quality training programme, which the manager supplements with training in well-organised staff meetings.

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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: SC457013 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Motivations Activity Projects Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: St Matthews Business Centre, Duddeston Manor Road, Birmingham B7 4LZ

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Inspector

David Morgan, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC457013 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 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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