Children's Home run by Care and Management Services Ltd in Birmingham

Inspection report children’s home: SC419229 1 SC419229 Registered provider: Care and Management 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

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to four young people who have complex needs. The registered manager has been in post since 2012 and holds a level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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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

Date of last inspection: 26 September 2018

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC419229 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/09/2018 Full Good 04/07/2017 Full Good 10/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/06/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC419229 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; Use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably; ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to— meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(vii)(c)(i)) 13/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that— the health and well-being need of children are met; children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and Children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff help each child to— understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding; understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well-being; 13/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC419229 4 that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(ii)(iv)(c)) The protection of children standard is that children are protected

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Requirement Due date

from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— help each child to understand how to keep safe; assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming reach other understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)) 13/03/2020

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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— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(e)(f)(h)) 13/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 13/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC419229 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that arrangements are in place to— manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority; that each child’s relevant plans are followed that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if— the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14 (1)(2)(b)(ii)(iii)(c)(e)(i)) The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development; receive

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Requirement Due date

practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience employees. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)) 13/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)) 13/03/2020

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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— a description of the measure and its duration 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")— has spoken to the user about the measure; and with 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. 13/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC419229 6 (Regulation 35 (3)(iv)(b)(i)(c)) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is any other incident relating to a child which the

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Requirement Due date

registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e)) 13/03/2020

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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— children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b) 13/03/2020

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Recommendations

 The statement of purpose is of particular importance to this standard (regulation 6(2)(a) and (b)(i)). Homes are required to developed and keep under review a ‘statement of purpose’ (regulation 16 and schedule 1). The home’s statement of purpose should be children focused indicating how the home provides individualised care to meet the quality standard of the children in their home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, pages 15, paragraphs 3.6) All managers working in a children’s home must have the qualification in the regulation 28(2) within the relevant timescale listed in regulation 28(3). All staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, must have the qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant timescale listed in regulation 32(5). The registered person may extend the time period if the member of staff hasn’t worked in the role for a prolonged period, such as sick leave or maternity leave,

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Recommendations

of if it is not reasonable to expect the member of staff to complete in this timescale due to the nature of the hours they work. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)

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improvement to be good

There are currently two young people living in the home. Although young people have made some good progress, this is not always maintained. Inspection report children’s home: SC419229 7 The home is not always well maintained or homely. Although young people’s bedrooms are personalised, staff do not support young people to maintain their bedrooms to an acceptable standard. Staff do not always promote young people’s health. For example, staff have not been aware of one young person’s smoking habit and taken appropriate action. This represents a missed opportunity to improve young people’s physical health. When young people are waiting for a school or college placement, staff maintain good daily routines and promote learning. The registered manager is proactive in escalating concerns when delays in young people finding a school placement occur. Staff help and support young people to stay in touch with their families and friends. This

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improvement to be good

enables young people to rebuild and maintain important relationships.

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improvement to be good

Young people’s risk assessments are not always child centred and do not contain the relevant information to help staff to protect young people. This makes it difficult for staff to prioritise young people’s specific risks. The registered manager and staff do not always review and update risk assessments. For example, one young person’s risk assessment does not reflect the current risks of her vulnerability to social media exploitation. This failure to identify and assess risk means that the registered manager and staff are not clear about how best to protect young people from harm. The registered manager and staff fail to ensure that physical intervention records contain full and accurate information. For example, some records do not detail the duration of the restraint and the registered manager does not routinely provide debriefings to staff. These shortfalls show that the registered manager does not review restraint incidents to help her

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improvement to be good

to be assured that staff practice is safe and effective. When young people require support with internet safety, including using their mobile phones, staff are too slow to use their relationships to help teach young people to keep themselves safe. When young people go missing from the home, staff act quickly to try to locate the young person. Staff work well with the police and the placing authority to consider ways to reduce risks and to prevent further missing episodes. Inspection report children’s home: SC419229 8

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

The registered manager is passionate and enthusiastic and is a strong advocate for the young people. The registered manager does not always use her monitoring and review systems effectively. For example, she has not identified that two members of staff have not completed their level 3 diploma in residential childcare in the required timescale. She has also not picked up on shortfalls in fire safety. Staff do not always receive regular practice-related supervision. As a result, staff do not have a regular opportunity to discuss their performance and learning needs. The registered manager does not notify Ofsted of all serious incidents that occur in the home. As a result, the regulator has not been able to carry out regulatory surveillance between inspections effectively. The home continues to have a high staff turnover. In the past 12 months, 13 members of staff have left the home. One young person told the inspector, ‘They [staff] do not

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

consider when they [staff] leave how this makes young people feel.’ The home’s statement of purpose has not been updated to accurately reflect changes to the staff team. An out-of-date statement of purpose has the potential to mislead those who read it.

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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: SC419229 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care and Management Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Park Business Centre, Hastingwood Industrial Park, Wood Lane, Birmingham B24 9QR

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Inspector

Patrick McIntosh, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC419229 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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