Children's home run by Accalia Care Services Ltd

Inspection report children‘s home: SC486886 1 SC486886 Registered provider: Accalia Care Services 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

The privately run home provides care for up to four children who have experienced trauma which has left them with emotional difficulties and associated challenging behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified, and was registered with Ofsted to manage the home in October 2019.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‘s home: SC486886 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 12/06/2018 Full Good 12/12/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children‘s home: SC486886 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child‘s health. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(d)) 20/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 05/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16(5)) 07/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the 07/02/2020 Inspection report children‘s home: SC486886 4 monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24(1)(a)(b)(c)(d)) The registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

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—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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a description of the measure and its duration;

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details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

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 (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

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 05/03/2020 Inspection report children‘s home: SC486886 5 35(3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv)) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(e)) 03/01/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44(1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(4)(a)(b)(5)) 28/02/2020

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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)) 31/01/2020 Inspection report children‘s home: SC486886 6

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Recommendations

 Staff should provide a nurturing and supportive environment that is homely. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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improvement to be good

The experiences and outcomes for children who have lived at the home since the last inspection have been mixed. Ineffective care planning led to an unsettled period last year, with several children moving in and out of the home over a short period. However, another child, who was experiencing health difficulties when they moved into the home, made good progress and has returned to the care of their family.

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improvement to be good

There are good relationships between children and staff. These are forged through open and honest communication. When a child was asked what they liked most about the home, they said, ‗The staff. We are like a big family here.‘

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improvement to be good

Children make progress from their starting points. Staff understand the importance of helping children to attend school, and work with other professionals to identify the most suitable school placement for each child. One child who had been without a school place for a significant period is now attending school and making progress.

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improvement to be good

Staff seek children‘s views and opinions regularly through everyday conversations, weekly house meetings and individual social-coaching sessions. Children value this inclusive approach.

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improvement to be good

Children take part in a range of activities in the community and in the home. They access local clubs and leisure activities such as ice skating. One child had trials for a local ice-hockey team. This adds to the children‘s sense of belonging in the local community.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the importance of relationships, and support children to see their families. This can involve travelling a significant distance. Children benefit from this, as it helps them to maintain relationships even though they are living away from home.

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improvement to be good

The home has an ongoing improvement plan. However, further decoration and maintenance of the home are needed, and broken furniture has been left in the grounds. This detracts from what is otherwise a homely environment.

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improvement to be good

Inspection report children‘s home: SC486886 7 Health and safety checks are undertaken in the home. However, the five-year electrical installation check was found to be out of date. This means that the manager‘s systems for monitoring health and safety are ineffective. The responsible individual made immediate arrangements to have an electrical engineer attend the property, as out-of- date health and safety checks put children and staff at risk.

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improvement to be good

The home is set in a busy suburban area. Children can access a range of resources. Safeguards are in place to mitigate risks in the local area. However, the home‘s location risk assessment does not consider the risks posed by local roads, and an outhouse on the property which belongs to the landlord. This outhouse was found to be unlocked, and contained a range of items that children should not have easy access to. This means that some risks are insufficiently assessed.

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improvement to be good

There are times when staff need to physically intervene to keep everyone safe. These interventions are appropriate and proportionate. However, the recording of these incidents lacks the necessary detail. Failure to keep accurate records of physical interventions jeopardises children‘s well-being and compromises the staff‘s safety.

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improvement to be good

On one occasion, a member of staff intervened and prevented a distraught child from running across a busy dual carriageway. The actions of the member of staff almost certainly saved the child from injury, or worse. However, Ofsted was not notified of this incident. This compromises Ofsted‘s ability to monitor how effective safeguarding is at the home.

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improvement to be good

The home is large and staff do their best to make it homely by putting pictures and motivational statements on the walls, and ornaments on display.

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improvement to be good

The staff receive training and are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities. There is a well-embedded missing-from-care procedure. The staff are proactive if children leave the home without permission, and go and look for them. Since the last inspection, there has been only one occasion when a child has gone missing.

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improvement to be good

The staff use positive reinforcement. Rewards are used significantly more often than negative consequences. This approach encourages children to control their behaviours.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager was registered with Ofsted in October 2019. He is supported by a deputy manager. The manager is experienced and has managed other regulated settings. He has the relevant level 5 qualification. The manager and deputy are respected by the children, their families and external professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home‘s statement of purpose does not give an accurate account of the services the home offers. This is confusing for local authorities and families who are looking for a home for a child. It also does not give Ofsted the correct information, and makes Inspection report children‘s home: SC486886 8 monitoring the service more difficult.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home has surveillance systems in place in the form of door alarms. These are used as a blanket rule until a child demonstrates good behaviours. This fails to give an individual response to the needs of each child living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Monthly reports from the independent visitor are short and lack important detail. Feedback from families and professionals is not routinely obtained, or the reason for not gaining such feedback is not explained. The reports do not regularly contain feedback from families and professionals. It is not clear why this has not been obtained. Some reports have not been received by Ofsted. The reports rarely create actions for the manager to implement and the independent visitor does not assess whether the home effectively safeguards the children and promotes their well-being. These reports compromise Ofsted‘s ability to monitor the home effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The staff receive a comprehensive training package. They benefit from regular supervision with managers. This enables them to reflect on their practice in a formal setting.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager forges good working relationships with professionals and families. The feedback given to the inspector by professionals and families was consistently positive.

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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: SC486886 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Accalia Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Ciba Building, 146–150 Hagley Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B16 9NX

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Inspector

Ricky D’Arcy: social care inspector Inspection report children‘s home: SC486886 10 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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