Children's Home run by Individual Specialist Care Limited in Sandwell

Inspection report children’s home: SC481235 1 SC481235 Registered provider: Individual Specialist Care Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children and young people. The home has a qualified registered manager.

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Inspection date: 17 February 2020

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 17 February 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC481235 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be 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

Since the last full inspection, the registered manager and staff have made some progress. Regulatory breaches identified in the last full inspection have been met. The registered manager is aware of the continued progress that is needed to develop the home further.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The core staff team offers some stability to children and young people. Staff are motivated and passionate and want the best outcomes for the children and young people that they care for.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff take appropriate action to keep children and young people safe. They follow missing from home protocols and work in partnership with the police, family members and local authorities to ensure that children and young people return home safely. Return home interviews are completed because the registered manager insists that these are carried out. He understands that it is important for children and young people to speak to someone who is independent.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are still developing their skills to manage children and young people’s behaviour. On occasions, staff could use better strategies to de-escalate situations and manage children and young people’s behaviour more effectively. The registered manager is aware of this and discusses incidents with staff to improve future practice.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are times when staff physically restrain children and young people to keep them and others safe. The documentation of these incidents has improved and debriefs with staff and children and young people now consistently happen.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager and responsible individual have improved the safeguarding training that staff receive. Specifically, staff now complete training to support them to identify, and keep children and young people safe from, radicalisation, exploitation and county lines. When staff complete training, the registered manager and responsible individual spend time with them to reflect on what they have learned. This keeps children and young people increasingly safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager is more proactive in challenging professionals to ensure that children and young people get the services that they need. For example, a young person now attends an education provision because the registered manager proactively challenged other professionals and advocated for the young person to receive the educational input that she is entitled too.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are well supported and have regular supervision. Yearly appraisals now take Inspection report children’s home: SC481235 3 place. The quality of staff appraisals could be improved by reviewing the overall performance of staff rather than just focusing on training that has been, or needs to be, completed. This will help drive improvement and develop staff skills further.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff regularly consult with children and young people and their views are taken into consideration when planning the care that they receive. However, children and young people cannot easily view their records because they are kept electronically. The responsible individual is currently trying to address this and find a way to allow children and young people to have access to their records appropriately.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager and staff have positive relationships with other professionals and work in partnership with social workers. Staff share information with social workers. This ensures that social workers are kept up to date with the progress that children and young people are making or any incidents that have taken place.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The appointment of a permanent and committed registered manager has had a positive impact on the running of the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC481235 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/07/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/02/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 10/09/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/05/2018 Full Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: SC481235 5

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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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(a)) 27/03/2020

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Recommendations

 Children should be encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)  All staff must have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care. As part of the performance management process, poor performance should be addressed by a timely plan to bring about improvement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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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: SC481235 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Individual Specialist Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 65 Lodge Road, Walsall, Staffordshire WS5 3LA

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Inspector

Lisa O’Donovan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC481235 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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