Children's Home run by N H Care Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report children’s home: SC432966 1 SC432966 Registered provider: NH Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for four young people who have learning disabilities. It is privately owned. A new manager has been appointed and started in post in January 2020. The manager has submitted an application to register with Ofsted. Inspection dates: 18 to 19 February 2020

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 11 December 2018

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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: SC432966 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/12/2018 Full Good 24/01/2018 Full Good 23/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 29/11/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC432966 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are flourishing because they have developed a good sense of belonging and permanence in this home. Most staff have worked here for several years and know the children and their families well. High staffing ratios mean that children have good opportunities to spend good-quality time with the adults who care for them. Children appear relaxed and at ease in their environment. Staff effectively use alternative methods of communication with one child who has specific communication needs. Both children have a good awareness and understanding of the use of photographs, signs and symbols displayed in the home. Consequently, they know about the planned day-to-day activities and details of the staff who will be caring for them. Children enjoy a wide range of activities, both in the home and in the local community. This includes sensory play and visits to local parks. At the time of this inspection, one child chose a film she wanted to see at the cinema. When she

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

returned, she told the inspector how much she enjoyed the film. Children receive good support to learn basic life skills, including developing their independence skills. Children regularly help with household chores and are encouraged to cook, shop and make snacks and drinks for themselves. These experiences raise their self-esteem and confidence and prepare them well for later life. Without exception, professionals and families who contributed to this inspection commented positively about children’s progress in this home. A parent stated, ‘The staff are fantastic, they are so kind, caring and supportive. They are so good at managing my child’s needs. My only wish is that my child could stay after she turns 18.’

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

The manager and her team are good at keeping children safe. All staff are up to date with safeguarding training and can confidently describe the actions that they would take if they had any safeguarding concerns. There have not been any safeguarding referrals required, missing from home incidents or formal complaints. The management and identification of risk is, in the main, well considered. Care plans and behaviour support plans are informative and provide staff with guidance about how to manage children’s needs and behaviours. However, risk assessments do not contain sufficient detail to identify, manage and mitigate current risks. In addition, a number of risk assessments in use are not applicable for the current children’s needs, for example missing from home and alcohol misuse. Children’s behaviour is managed well and the staff maintain clear, consistent and appropriate boundaries. Staff support children competently when they experience

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

difficult situations and emotional challenges. Since the last inspection, there have been four reported physical interventions used; these were appropriate and Inspection report children’s home: SC432966 4 safeguarded the child from harm. Following these incidents, children are supported to discuss what happened. However, senior leaders’ monitoring of these records requires improvement. They have not ensured that staff and children are provided with an opportunity to consider what could have been done differently to prevent a reoccurrence, nor have they explored how the child felt about being held. All staff, including temporary staff, are subject to a comprehensive recruitment procedure to ensure that they are suitable people to be working at the home.

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good

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has taken a planned leave of absence. As a result, there has not been a regular and consistent manager for several months. This inspection has identified shortfalls in relation to some areas of managerial and regulatory responsibilities. For example, monitoring of the quality of care provided in the home requires improvement. Leaders and managers have not always identified and then rectified omissions and inaccuracies in a range of reports completed by staff. These include children’s daily diaries, incident reports and sanction records. Senior leaders have appointed a new manager who commenced employment in January 2020. She has submitted an application to register with Ofsted. In a short space of time, she has completed a comprehensive audit of the reporting and recording systems and has an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. In response, the manager has devised a detailed

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good

development and action plan. Work has commenced to improve the physical environment, which has been refurbished and decorated. The newly appointed manager demonstrates the drive, skill and ability to move this service forward. Her appointment has had a positive impact on the home, and she is providing improved leadership and direction. Staff receive support through regular team meetings and supervision. The manager uses these forums to test staff’s understanding of the children’s current needs and in relation to their learning from training courses completed. Staff said that they feel well supported by the new manager. Inspection report children’s home: SC432966 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

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on an understanding about acceptable behaviour. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 11(1)(b)(2)(a)(i)) This is with reference to ensuring that risk management plans have clear strategies in place to minimise the risks and help children. 17/04/2020

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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 promotes children’s welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (a)(b)(2)(d)(h)) In particular, ensure that the manager has good effective oversight of all incidents and paperwork in the home to make improvements. 17/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 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— the name of the child; details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; the date, time and location of the use of the measure; 17/04/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC432966 6 a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered

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Requirement Due date

person to do so ("the authorised person")— has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 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 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii) and (c)(iv))

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: SC432966 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3 Shetland Close, Birmingham, Warwickshire B16 0RF

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Kiran Khan Joanne Humphreys

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Inspector

Sharron Escott, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC432966 8 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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