Children's Home run by Steps 4 Life Care Limited in Walsall

Inspection report children‟s home: 2503605 1 Registered provider: Steps 4 Life Care Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides residential care and therapeutic services for children aged between eight and 17 years old. It is registered for children who present with social, emotional and/or mental health needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The last registered manager left in September 2019. A new manager has been appointed to the home. He will take up the post in January 2020. He is working towards his level 5 qualification in leadership and management and has started his application to be registered with Ofsted.

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Inspection date: 18 December 2019

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: 2503605 2

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children 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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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children continue to make good steady progress as a result of living in this home. Children are confident to share their thoughts and feelings with staff and to start to engage with therapeutic services that are offered by the organisation.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are quick to refer safeguarding matters to the relevant professionals. This prompt sharing of information helps to keep children safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has now ensured that when agency members of staff need to be used to cover shifts that all the necessary recruitment checks are carried out in line with regulation.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s records now reflect children’s cultural needs and the manager is now challenging placing local authorities when necessary. However, the manager has failed to notice that staff do not have access to one of the children’s up-to-date statutory paperwork.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, six out of eight members of staff have achieved the level 3 diploma in residential childcare. However, one member of staff has still not obtained their qualification in residential childcare within the necessary timescale. Inspection report children‟s home: 2503605 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/06/2019 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: 2503605 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

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained— the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. The relevant date is— in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual— does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part- time basis. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)(6)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which— include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)) This specifically relates to ensuring that staff have up-to-date statutory paperwork for each child. 27/03/2020 Inspection report children‟s home: 2503605 5

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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.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: 2503605 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Steps 4 Life Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Arbor House, Broadway North, Walsall, West Midlands WS1 2AN

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Inspector

Louise Battersby, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children‟s home: 2503605 7 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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