Children's Home run by Accalia Care Services Ltd in Sandwell

Inspection report children’s home: 2494873 1 Registered provider: Accalia Care Services Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The privately owned children’s home provides care for up to three children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The registered manager is suitably experienced and is undertaking a level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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Inspection date: 5 February 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2494873 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

Staff in the home know children well. Children are cared for by staff who are supportive and understand their behaviour. As a result, children develop greater understanding and management of their own behaviour.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has left the home and one child has moved into the home. The registered manager reviews placements when she identifies that the staff can no longer meet children’s needs. Children who have left stay in touch with the home and have happy memories of their time there.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has developed the initial matching risk assessment used to consider whether children should come to live in the home. This is now a useful document which considers impacts for all children. This means that children receive effectively planned care.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager uses regular monitoring to ensure that she knows the strengths and weaknesses of the home well. She has positive working relationships with other professionals, including schools and health staff, which helps children to be cared for within a well-informed network. Professionals recognise that despite challenges in behaviour children are increasingly able to self-regulate. One professional noted, ‘This must be influenced by the care and support [they are] having at [the] home.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff complete detailed records following incidents in the home, including incidents of restraint. The registered manager considers this information, as well as debriefs with children, when reviewing them. Staff learn from incidents and take into account children’s experiences and views; for example, risk assessments are updated following incidents. However, clarity of some protocols and use of broad statements in some risk assessments make things less clear for staff practice.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Complaints about the home are rare. The registered manager and responsible individual address any complaints about the home in a timely way. This gives confidence to complainants that their concerns are addressed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff help children to make progress in the home. Some children who have been out of school now attend according to their education plan and are maintaining this. Staff help children to emotionally regulate themselves using life coach sessions. This has resulted in physical interventions with children reducing by half over a six-month period. Parents are well informed about all aspects of their children’s lives. Because of this open communication, parents have confidence in Inspection report children’s home: 2494873 3 the work staff are doing with their children to help them develop positive behaviours.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has ensured that requirements and recommendations raised at the last inspection have been addressed. Staff have attended relevant training, and all staff are trained to use physical interventions. Staff have had meaningful conversations with children about the use of bedroom door alarms in the home and, where appropriate, these have been removed. The registered manager now ensures that internal doors are not unnecessarily locked. Staff have also developed reward systems for children to help them see their achievements. This indicates the registered manager’s desire to provide a positive experience for children in the home and to work with the regulator.

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Recommendations

 Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) In particular, protocols should be clear for staff and included in risk assessments to make practice direction clear. Inspection report children’s home: 2494873 4

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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: 2494873 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Accalia Care Services Ltd

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Leaford Williams

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Inspector

Karol Keenan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2494873 6 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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