Children's Home run by Resicare Alliance Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report children‟s home: SC463639 1 SC463639 Registered provider: Aston Children‟s Care 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 children‟s home is operated by a private company and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five young people who have learning and/or physical difficulties. The manager was registered with Ofsted in August 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 13 to 14 February 2019

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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: 10 October 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC463639 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/10/2017 Full Good 29/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/09/2016 Full Outstanding 08/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC463639 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(d)) 28/03/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children‟s home; and the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. 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, a description of the measure and its duration; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and 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 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

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Requirement Due date

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 (1)(a)(b) (2)(3)(a)(iv)(vii)(v)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 28/03/2019

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Recommendation

 All children must have access to appropriate advocacy support, and where possible this should be provided by a person that the child chooses. Looked-after children are entitled to an independent advocate to advise them and ensure they have the support needed to express their views, wishes and feelings about their care and lives. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 23, paragraph 4.16) Inspection report children‟s home: SC463639 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make good progress as a direct result of living at the home. A key strength is how staff quickly form nurturing and caring relationships with young people. Staff practice is warm and young people develop because of these positive attachments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff make sure that young people‟s experiences are full of fun. This is apparent from the display boards set up around the house that have photos of the young people participating in different activities. Young people benefit from a range of activities that enhance their social experiences and offer them new opportunities. These include activities in the home, such as baking and arts and crafts, going out into the community to the cinema, going to discos and enjoying various day trips.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to enable young people to stay in contact with family. Young people are supported to spend time with their families, both in the home and out in the wider community. This ensures that young people continue to build relationships and attachments with those who are significant to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most young people attend school full time and their attendance and punctuality are good. Teachers regularly liaise with staff to discuss young people‟s educational progress and any areas of difficulty. This routine communication helps to ensure that young people‟s welfare and learning are promoted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with young people to understand their preferred methods of communication. For one young person, this help has enabled him to increase his range of vocabulary and means that he is more able to express his wishes and needs. Through support, one young person is now able to join other young people for his meals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager ensures that young people are treated fairly and in an inclusive manner. Despite staff valuing young people‟s views and wishes, young people do not have clear access to advocacy services. This reduces the opportunity for young people to talk to someone independent about their views, wishes and feelings about their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people‟s moves into and from the home are well planned. Any move is set at a pace that meets the young person‟s individual needs. Young people are well prepared for semi-independent living, or their moves to adult care. They are helped to take more responsibility for their bedrooms, laundry and personal care. This approach helps to promote young people‟s self-confidence and self-esteem.

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

Young people feel safe living at this home. Staff know them well and can keep them safe from harm. Staff identify risks to young people and follow safeguarding procedures effectively. Incidents of concern are clearly recorded, and managers take effective Inspection report children‟s home: SC463639 5 action.

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

Staff focus on promoting positive behaviour. When young people‟s behaviour falls below the expected standard, staff patiently support young people. They communicate with each young person in a way that matches their understanding and ability. However, young people‟s behaviour management plans do not consistently provide staff with clear guidance. Strategies available to support young people in times of crisis are not sufficiently detailed to ensure that a consistent approach is achieved.

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

Physical intervention is only used as a last resort. However, physical intervention records are not thoroughly completed in line with the organisation‟s policy and procedure. They do not consistently detail the young person‟s response or the duration of the intervention. This hinders the opportunity for monitoring and review to be effective.

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

Young people do not go missing from home. Staff recognise that young people are extremely vulnerable and require high levels of supervision to stay safe. Staff are alert to the potential risks of exploitation. This includes staff receiving awareness training around the risks of child exploitation. This training helps to increase the staff team‟s knowledge in keeping young people safe.

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

Staff understand their own responsibilities for protecting young people. They are particularly alert to any changes in young people‟s behaviours or reactions that may indicate abuse or harm. This allows the opportunity for early help and intervention. This good practice promotes young people‟s safety.

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

Staff have a good knowledge of fire safety and ensure that fire evacuation drills take place on a regular basis. However, the recording of fire evacuation drills does not specify the time of the evacuation or the response of the young people. This hinders the opportunity for monitoring and review to be effective.

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

Good safer recruitment practice means that young people are only looked after by appropriate adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has experience in residential childcare. He uses his extensive knowledge to sustain a good level of oversight of young people‟s day-to-day care. All recommendations made at the last inspection have been actioned. The registered manager works hard to retain staff and to help them to feel valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff are enthusiastic and passionate in their aim to provide high-quality care to young people. This includes ensuring that young people continue to make progress across all areas of their development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager keeps the home‟s statement of purpose under review. Staff receive regular and good-quality formal supervision. The registered manager uses these meetings to help staff to reflect on and assess their practice and to consider their Inspection report children‟s home: SC463639 6 learning needs. Training programmes mirror young people‟s individual, and often complex, health and welfare needs, and the overall aims and objectives of the service. This means that young people work with staff who have the specific skills, knowledge and qualifications to meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Social workers have very positive views about staff. They are clear that young people‟s progress is due to the strong relationships that young people have with staff and the firm boundaries that are in place. Staff work collaboratively with social workers to ensure that local authority plans and targets are adhered to and regularly reviewed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager works closely with the independent visitor to address any identified shortfalls in order to improve the quality of care for young people. The staff team has high aspirations for young people and its members are very clear about their responsibilities.

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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: SC463639 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aston Children‟s Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 73 Dudley Road, Dudley, Staffordshire DY3 1TF

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Inspector

Lisa Walsh, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC463639 8 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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