Children's home run by Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company

Inspection report children’s home: 1273497 1 Registered provider: Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is a short-break service for seven young people who have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been operated for over 20 years by a local authority. The service and the existing manager registered again under a newly created local authority trust in March 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people receiving short breaks from this service continue to receive good-quality care from committed and caring staff.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

All the short breaks are tailored to meet the individual needs of young people. They experience activities and opportunities in a nurturing and happy environment. Photographs around the home show young people enjoying a wide variety of fun activities, including participating in cooking, going out on trips to the park and to the Aston Villa Football Club. Young people are encouraged to develop new skills. As a Inspection report children’s home: 1273497 2 result, they are supported to reach their potential.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Introductions are carefully planned to meet the needs of the young people and their families. However, young people do not benefit from matching decisions informed by compatibility risk assessments that take into consideration the impact on other young people. For some young people this may mean that their needs are not appropriately met or for others their progress may be limited.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

When young people leave the service as they approach adulthood, staff ensure that they are effectively supported, and their families assisted with their moves to adult services. Since the last inspection, young people have benefited from a new independence area in the home where they are supported to develop their independence skills, including learning to cook and complete laundry tasks.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager understands the strengths and areas for development for the home, and she has an ambitious and achievable plan in place to ensure that the service continues to progress. The manager has responded positively to the requirements made at the last inspection. She has strengthened her consultation process with parents and professionals to inform the development of the service.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager ensures that staff recruitment now clearly records verification of references. Staff now have regular supervision which offers staff more opportunity to reflect on their practice.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff understand how to support young people to behave in socially acceptable and safe ways. This is done through skilful redirection, de-escalation and gentle guidance. Physical intervention is only ever used when it is necessary to keep young people and others safe. Staff recording now ensures that incidents are comprehensively recorded to enable effective evaluation.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Partnership working remains effective and ensures that young people are well cared for and supported during their stay. Professionals working with the home praise staff’s communication with services.

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

Inspection report children’s home: 1273497 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 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—

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home.

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to ensuring that compatibility risk assessments are completed when children start receiving their short break that take into consideration the impact on other children. 06/05/2019

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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

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. Inspection report children’s home: 1273497 4 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: Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Third Floor Zone 16, 1 Lancaster Circus, Birmingham B4 7DJ

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Inspector

Anne Daly, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1273497 5 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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