Children's home run by N H Care Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC446152 1 SC446152

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Nh Care Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for three children who have learning disabilities and/or emotional and social difficulties. The home is privately owned.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left on 11 January 2019. A new manager started in post on 2 July 2019. He intends to submit an application to register.

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Information about this children’s home

A restriction of accommodation notice has been issued. The notice is in effect from 11 June 2019 until 2 September 2019.

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This monitoring visit

At a full inspection on 5 and 6 June, the home was judged inadequate. At the full inspection, a restriction of accommodation notice and four compliance notices were issued by Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit is to check that the service has complied with the restriction of accommodation notice and to evaluate the provider’s progress in meeting the four compliance notices and two requirements in line with their set completion dates.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors found that, since the last inspection, the provider has complied with the restriction of accommodation notice. As a result, two children are currently living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

The progress made to address all four compliance notices has been slow. As a result, only one out of the four compliance notices has been met. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC446152 2  Although some action has been taken to update children’s risk assessments, these plans are still not detailed to show how staff reduce risk. For example, there continues to be no clear missing from care protocol in place for one child who is identified to be at high risk of going missing from care.  Managers are still not evaluating the impact on children’s care when staff work alone with children.  Managers are still not providing enough managerial oversight of the home. Consequently, managers are still not able to identify the progress that children have made since the last inspection.  Although managers have taken some action to review and update children’s placement plans, the manager told inspectors that the home’s plans for

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This monitoring visit

children are still not shared with the children or significant others.  There has been no progress in carrying out direct work with children to address specific needs such as sexual health, personal hygiene and cleanliness.

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This monitoring visit

Two new concerns have been raised at this visit:

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This monitoring visit

 There are significant shortfalls in the administration of medication. Inspectors found that prescribed steroid cream is administered without having in place a clear record of when staff have administered this medication to a child.  Managers told inspectors that a child had been physically restrained on 14 and 15 July 2019. However, there are no records of these physical interventions.

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This monitoring visit

More positively, managers are now ensuring that staff cover provides a better continuity of care for children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have received training that is relevant to children’s individual needs. There has been significant improvement to the physical condition of the home. Staff have worked hard to ensure that the house is clean, and that food is stored safely. A new carpet in the upstairs hallway and new furniture, including a new dining table and chairs and a new television cabinet and tables to the lounge, have helped to create a homelier environment for children.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s teachers reported that children are arriving at school better dressed and, overall, happier.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have ensured that the home’s statement of purpose is now up to date. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC446152 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 05/06/2019 Full Inadequate 07/11/2018 Full Good 12/07/2017 Full Good 20/12/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC446152 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 health and well-being standard is that the health and well-being needs of children are met. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)) 28/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on mutual respect and trust and positive responses to other children and adults. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; strive to gain each child’s experiences respect and trust; understand how children’s previous and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children; are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to

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Requirement Due date

do the same; de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children; that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(c)(2)(i)(iv)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(b)) 28/08/2019

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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. 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; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(v))* 26/08/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC446152 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 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the

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Requirement Due date

registered person to understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(2)(a)(f)(h))* 26/08/2019

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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; that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(f))* 26/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. In particular the registered person must ensure that a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1)(2)(c))* 26/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. (Regulation 32 (1)(3)) 28/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 28/08/2019

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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 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 authorised by the registered 26/08/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC446152 6

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Requirement Due date

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)* The registered person must maintain in the home the records in schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (2)(a)) 28/08/2019

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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)) 28/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 28/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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 children. (‘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: SC446152 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3 Shetland Close, Birmingham, Warwickshire B16 0RF

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Inspectors

Alison Cooper, social care inspector Debbie Bond, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC446152 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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