Children's Home run by Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company in Birmingham

Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for 12 children with learning disabilities. Children can stay beyond their 18th birthday while they finish their education.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a local authority children’s trust. The registered manager has extensive experience and knowledge. It is one of four homes operated by this local authority children’s trust.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 17 February 2020

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Sustained effectiveness

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership. This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Findings from the visit

Assurance visit report: 1273663 2 We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit.

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The care of children

Children receive care and support that responds to their individual needs.

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The care of children

Staff have helped children to understand the changes in their routines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff have used a variety of communication tools, such as objects of reference, social stories and Makaton, to help children to understand about COVID-19. For example, by using social stories with children, the staff have been able to promote the importance of handwashing. Because of this open communication children have been able to receive essential support to reduce their anxiety.

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The care of children

During the national lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, staff provided the children with more activities in the home and used more of the garden. For example, staff have helped the children to build a vegetable plot. Children have enjoyed watching their vegetables grow and then the fun of using them to make meals. Children have had birthday parties, celebrated festivals, such as Edi, and enjoyed movie nights. As a result, despite the restrictions imposed due to COVID-19, children have experienced positive childhood memories.

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The care of children

Children have continued to be well supported to keep in touch with their families. Managers have purchased additional phones due to the impact on family contact because of the COVID-19 restrictions. This has enabled children to use video call features so that they can have quality time with their families despite not being able to see them in person.

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The care of children

Staff have adapted well to supporting home learning. Children have received the help that they need to complete all the work that has been set by their teachers. This has resulted in children not falling behind with their education.

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The safety of children

Staff have kept children safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff have implemented good cleaning routines, strategies for managing visitors and careful consideration to venues they have visited. Consequently, children have not contracted COVID-19.

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The safety of children

Children’s behaviour plans and risk assessments are not always written with enough detail to help to inform staff of the known risks and strategies needed to reduce them. Consequently, staff’s approach to behaviour management is inconsistent.

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The safety of children

When staff need to use a physical intervention to safeguard a child, it is always well recorded to show that the measure taken was appropriate. However, children are not always given the opportunity to talk through their experience. As a result, Assurance visit report: 1273663 3 children do not have an opportunity to understand why the intervention was necessary and to talk about their feelings.

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The safety of children

Children have been involved in personalising the home to a good standard, along with the creation of a new family room. However, some parts of the home are beginning to show signs of wear and tear and damage.

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Leaders and managers

The home has an experienced child-focused manager who knows the children well. She is supported by a large staff team who have worked at the home for a number of years.

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Leaders and managers

Staff have continued to benefit from regular supervision and team meetings during COVID-19 restrictions. These opportunities have enabled staff to reflect on their practice and sustain good staff morale, despite the impact COVID-19 has had on daily life.

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Leaders and managers

Despite the challenges faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic, managers have maintained good working relationships with other professionals and families. These positive working relationships mean that children continue to receive child-centred care.

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Leaders and managers

As a result of the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the independent visitor has moved to carrying out virtual monthly visits to monitor the progress and well-being of the children. The visitor has successfully used video technology to enable them to see and speak to children to check on their welfare.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has met three of the requirements raised at the last inspection. However, the manager has not been able to address the shortfall in staff training due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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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 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; 09/12/2020 Assurance visit report: 1273663 4 and promotes their welfare.

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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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received, and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)) 09/12/2020 Assurance visit report: 1273663 5 The registered person must ensure that within five 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.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Third Floor Zone 16, 1 Lancaster Circus, Birmingham B4 7DJ

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Inspectors

Debbie Bond, Social Care Inspector Patrick McIntosh, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 1273663 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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