Children's Home run by The Spring Children‟s and Transitional Care Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1253623 1

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The Spring Children’s and Transitional Care Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This service is operated by a private provider and is registered to provide care and accommodation for two children who have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The interim manager of the home has applied for registration.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate on 10 March 2020 for the second time. A notice restricting accommodation was issued following this inspection. A monitoring visit was undertaken on 7 April 2020. Following this monitoring visit, 11 requirements, including a compliance notice for regulation 13, and one recommendation were made.

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This monitoring visit

This inspection examined progress made against the compliance notice and requirements. Progress made in addressing shortfalls in leadership and management, including that of the responsible individual, remains poor. Inspectors found that the compliance notice, 10 requirements and the recommendation were not met. Ofsted has re-issued the restriction of accommodation notice.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors conducted this monitoring visit remotely to comply with government guidance regarding COVID-19. Inspectors were emailed documents, which were reviewed, and telephone calls were carried out with the child living in the home, staff, the manager, the responsible individual and a social worker.

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This monitoring visit

During her time in the home, the young person has made some progress in some areas. However, the manager and responsible individual have still not put in place effective progress-focused monitoring systems. Staff do undertake life skills work with the child, and there is some creativity in this. However, it is not clear what the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1253623 2 measurable outcomes are, and so monitoring progress is not clear beyond anecdotal information. Without regular consideration of progress, staff cannot put in place extra support where the child needs it.

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This monitoring visit

The manager and responsible individual do not have an effective system to ensure that they have the child’s up-to-date documents relating to care planning, education and health. The manager and responsible individual have not been effective in escalating concerns about planning delays for the child. This means that staff are not able to work effectively to current plans, and the child is left worried about her future.

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This monitoring visit

The child makes reasonable requests for items for the home so that she can develop her interests. This is more relevant now as social activities have stopped due to COVID-19. The child requested a number of items, some of which have not been provided. This means that staff do not always act on her wishes.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual and manager have not ensured that the statement of purpose is accurate. It purports to have arrangements in place for a clinical psychologist to visit young people at the home ‘as and when needed.’ Prior to this it also states that children/young people will be ‘…encouraged to engage with the clinical and educational psychologists.’ When asked during the inspection, the manager was not clear about the psychologist’s details.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual and manager have some ideas to improve the home, but these are not based on a sound understanding of regulations and guidance. Therefore, improvements are delayed while they seek guidance from others. For example, the responsible individual commissioned an external inspection report, but recommendations have not been acted on. This means that the child continues to live in a home where development and improvement do not happen.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers do not recruit safely. The responsible individual has checked recruitment files and notes that they are complete. However, two records were reviewed by the inspector. One recruitment record still shows gaps in employment noted in previous inspections and a previous position has not been adequately explored. The other file did not contain proof of identify including a recent photograph. The manager continues to be unable to be assured of the full employment history and suitability of staff.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual has not made sure that the independent visitor provides a report that assures them about the safety of children in the home. The responsible individual has now followed guidance from a consultant and employed a new independent visitor. This concern was first noted at the inspection in November 2019. The action to address this shortfall has been significantly delayed. This has meant that the home has not had effective independent scrutiny, a key element for safeguarding the well-being of children, for several months. Although the responsible Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1253623 3 individual has recently appointed a new independent visitor, at the time of this inspection, Ofsted has not received their first report.

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This monitoring visit

The manager and responsible individual have completed a review of the quality of care children receive. Much of this review is identical to the previous inadequate review. This indicates that large sections have been copied and key areas have not been reconsidered. Shortfalls identified through inspection are not included in the review, and the manager has also not consulted with others to gain their views. As a result, the child continues to live in a home where care does not develop or improve.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has completed a review of the location of the home. There is no evidence to show that the manager has sought the views of relevant people outside the home, so the report appears insular. This limits the effectiveness of the review.

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This monitoring visit

The manager and responsible individual have reviewed the children’s guide to the home. The guide does not include details about the complaints process, so the child does not know what will happen if she complains. It is also not clear how the child can get help from an advocate if she needs it. This means that the child is not empowered to have her views heard.

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This monitoring visit

The behaviour policy in the home has been revised. This now provides more guidance to staff about how to promote positive behaviour.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 10/03/2020 Full Inadequate 20/11/2019 Full Inadequate 19/02/2019 Full Good 19/12/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1253623 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c)) 05/07/2020

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7 (1)(c)) 05/07/2020

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in 05/07/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1253623 5 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;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)(f)(h)) The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (‘the statement of purpose’) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1)) 05/07/2020

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Requirement Due date

satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c); and

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(a)(b)) 05/07/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(d)) 05/07/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 05/07/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1253623 6 When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)(4)(a)(b)) 05/07/2020

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (‘the quality of care review report’).

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(5)) 05/07/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). 05/07/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1253623 7 When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1)(2))

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Recommendations

The children’s guide should help children to understand:  the statement of purpose of the home (the care they can expect to receive while living there);  how to make a complaint in line with the home’s complaints procedure;  how they can access advocacy support or independent advocacy if eligible (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22) In particular, the children’s guide should be written and presented in a way which is accessible to all children who live in the home and should include all the required information.

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Information about this inspection

Ofsted is aware of the challenges that COVID-19 (coronavirus) is currently posing to those we regulate. During this visit, the inspectors took into consideration the impact of any measures being taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 by the home. This has included the effect these have had on staffing arrangements. The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Spring Children’s and Transitional Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 9 Grenville Drive, Birmingham B23 7YX

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Blessing Manyara

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Post vacant Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1253623 8

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Inspectors

Karol Keenan, social care regulatory inspector Michelle Spruce, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1253623 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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