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

Inspection report children’s home: SC457013 1 SC457013 Registered provider: Motivations Activity Projects Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns this home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for three children and young people.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since September 2019 and is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 18 to 19 November 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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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

29/08/2018 Full Good 22/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 04/07/2017 Full Good 31/10/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 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 privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises–

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home; is necessary and proportionate;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iv)) 07/01/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(1), (2)(a), (3)(d)) 07/01/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC457013 4 The registered person must ensure that all employees–

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to maintaining a record of supervision for all staff. 07/01/2020

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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).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46(1), (2)) 07/01/2020

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Recommendations

 In some instances, a child may express wishes that are not always in their best interests or which may conflict with the views of other children in the home. In such circumstances, the responsible adults will have to balance the wishes of the child against what they judge to be in the best interests of the child and reach a reasonable view about the best way forward in the interests of all. The reasons for reaching any decision will need to be carefully explained to and understood by the child or children concerned. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.9)  Children must be consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Due consideration should be given to the child’s cognitive ability in the development and implementation of any consultation processes. Children should be able to see

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Recommendations

the results of their views being listened to and acted upon. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)  Regulation 19(2) details sanctions that are prohibited in behaviour management. Any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. In some cases it will be important for children to make reparation in some form to anyone hurt by their behaviour and the staff in the home should be skilled to support the child to understand this and carry it out. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38) This is in relation to ensuring that managers review the effectiveness of sanctions. Inspection report children’s home: SC457013 5

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two young people currently live at the home. Since the last inspection, one young person has moved out of the home. Staff provide a stable home environment which makes a positive difference to young people’s lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Overall, the two young people are making good educational progress. Young people’s attendance is excellent, and they regularly receive awards and achievements for their efforts at school. Staff support young people daily with their homework and revision. There is good communication between the staff and teachers to ensure that young people receive the support that they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s health and emotional well-being are well supported. Staff promote healthy eating and offer young people a full range of activities. Staff support young people in age-appropriate independence tasks to prepare them for adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is safe and has a homely appearance. Both young people have personalised their bedrooms and are happy with their rooms.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have access to an independent advocacy service, which helps young people to exercise their rights and to shape the care that they receive. However, young people told the inspector that they feel that staff can be quick to dismiss their requests without sufficient explanation.

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

Young people’s welfare and safety are promoted. Staff understand the risks and potential hazards for each young person and follow risk management strategies to promote their safety and well-being. Staff manage safeguarding concerns effectively and promptly.

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

Managers have reviewed and simplified risk assessments, which now provide clear guidance for staff to follow. However, managers have not viewed this as an opportunity also to encourage young people to contribute to their assessments. The manager has reviewed the home’s locality risk assessment. However, the manager’s review has omitted to secure feedback from relevant professionals.

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

Young people rarely go missing from the home. Staff manage incidents in the home well, and young people feel safe. Staff keep young people safe and prevent serious incidents from occurring. The manager has not reviewed the effectiveness of any sanctions imposed to ensure that they have the desired impact.

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

Managers use different forms of restrictions and monitoring without clear explanation of why they are used. For example, young people’s bedroom doors have alarms fitted and the routine locking of communal areas at night continues. These practices detract from the domestic nature of the home and potentially infringe on young people’s rights. Inspection report children’s home: SC457013 6 Managers have not always completed all safer recruitment checks prior to new staff starting in post. On one occasion, a staff member began in post prior to all their references being obtained and without all previous posts involving their work with children or vulnerable adults being verified. This means that managers cannot be assured that staff are safe to work in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been in post since September 2019. Since the last inspection in August 2018, there have been significant changes in the staff team. Managers have worked hard to ensure that the impact on young people is minimal and that young people receive consistent care. This has been achieved by recruiting new staff and using staff from another home who know the young people well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working at the home. The staff work together to ensure that young people receive good-quality care. Staff appropriately challenge each other when there is a need, and they report feeling supported by managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New staff benefit from a high-quality induction to the home and there is a full training programme in place, which means that staff have the skills and knowledge to meet the needs of young people. Five staff are appropriately qualified and have a level 3 diploma in residential childcare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers ensure that the home operates in line with its statement of purpose and that this is regularly updated. Supervision is taking place, however the manager has been slow to produce the supervision records. This means that full records of staff supervision are not available to inform and support improvements in their practice. Inspection report children’s home: SC457013 7

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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 difference 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 8

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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

Debbie Holder, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC457013 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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