Children's Home run by Accalia Care Services Ltd in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2568363 1

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Accalia Care Services Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home was registered in February 2020 to provide care and accommodation for one child who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left the company at the beginning of February 2021. A new manager commenced in post in January 2021 and is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home has not been inspected since it was registered in February 2020.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was completed in response to an increase in notifications received by Ofsted. These notifications were in relation to staff practice concerns and an escalation in the child’s behaviour, which led to the staff seeking support from the police in responding to two incidents.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was completed remotely due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The inspector considered a sample of documents provided via email, and conducted an interview with the registered manager, deputy manager and child. In addition, feedback was obtained from the placing local authority. This is a solo placement and the same child has lived in the home since the home opened in February 2020. Serious and widespread shortfalls were identified in the leadership and management of the home and the protection of children.

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This monitoring visit

There have been significant changes in the staff team over the past six weeks. All but one of the initial staff team have left the home. The current staff team consists of eight members of staff. Four staff, including the manager, are new to the organisation and are on probation. This has left a new and inexperienced staff team. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2568363 2 The changes in the staff team have had a direct impact on the child and this is evident in an increase in her challenging behaviours.

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This monitoring visit

Although risk assessments to keep children and staff safe are in place, they are not up to date and fail to identify all risk-taking behaviours. As a result, clear strategies are not in place for staff to follow to ensure that the child is safeguarded.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not consistently follow risk assessments. For example, on one occasion staff failed to follow procedures for keeping the kitchen secure and this resulted in the child being able to ignite the cooker and set paper alight. On another occasion, staff failed to follow the child’s risk assessment regarding encopresis. Staff took insufficient action to support the child and this resulted in the child sleeping in soiled clothing overnight.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not always react to the child’s behaviours with a therapeutic response and, on occasions, staff responses are punitive. For example, the previous registered manager and staff team imposed inappropriate sanctions such as 7pm bedtimes, and told the child that she was not allowed to leave her bedroom or speak to staff after bedtime. Team meeting minutes evidence that these were planned interventions to the child’s challenging behaviours. This does not promote the child’s welfare.

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This monitoring visit

Staff place unnecessary restrictions on the child, such as locking external doors at all times and one internal door at night-time. There is a latch on the door that is out of reach of the child. In addition, staff remove items such as the toaster and microwave at bedtime to prevent her from setting fires. These interventions are not care planned or risk assessed, and such practices distract from providing a homely environment. In contrast, staff do not follow processes that would help to safeguard the child. For example, bedroom door alarms are in place but are not used; this is despite the fact that there are no waking night staff.

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This monitoring visit

Despite two members of staff supervising the child, she has been able to set fire to paper on two occasions. On one occasion, the child took this paper upstairs and burnt her duvet cover. Records reference that this extremely vulnerable child is being left downstairs alone and staff are not aware of what she is doing. As a result, there are concerns regarding the quality of her monitoring and supervision within the home.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have failed to ensure that there is an accurate rota in place that records planned and actual hours worked. This oversight means that these documents cannot be relied on to identify when staff have been at work.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have failed to ensure that all staff complete key training, such as effective safeguarding practices, complaints and allegations, COVID-19 awareness training, report writing and fire safety. In addition, staff have not completed training to support them to meet the individual needs of the child currently living in the home such as working with children with disabilities, supporting teenagers and children, and developing self-esteem in children. The child living in the home has a range of Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2568363 3 complex needs and staff have not received training to meet these significant needs. This means that staff lack the skills to meet the specific needs of the child placed in their care.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have not led or managed the home in a manner that is consistent with the aims outlined in the statement of purpose. For example, managers have not demonstrated that the care being delivered meets the needs of the child or promotes their safety and welfare. In addition, the previous registered manager failed to provide Ofsted with an updated statement of purpose within expected time frames.

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This monitoring visit

The previous registered manager’s review of the quality of care has not been sufficient. There is no analysis of incidents and they have failed to consult and consider the views of the child, staff, family and professionals.

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This monitoring visit

There is a new manager and staff team in post. The manager has been in post for four weeks and has already identified some practice shortfalls; however, she has not had sufficient time to make the necessary changes. The manager is, however, passionate and child focused and committed to making improvements. The child told the inspector that she felt safe, liked her bedroom and that everything in the home was ‘okay’. Both the child’s social worker and parents were happy with the care being provided and raised no concerns other than the recent changes in the staff team, which were expected, and planned additional services have been provided to support the child.

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This monitoring visit

Following this visit, six requirements have been raised. In addition, two compliance notices have been issued under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard).

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

This is the home’s first inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2568363 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

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(iii)(vi)) This relates to staff understanding and implementation of children’s risk assessment and their role in keeping children safe. 21 March 2021

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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— 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; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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; 21 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2568363 5 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

Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)(f)(h)) This relates specifically to the leadership and management of the home, that there is sufficient monitoring and oversight at the home, and that care is provided in line with the statement of purpose. In addition, staff must have the skills and experience to meet the needs of children. The registered person must— keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) This relates to sharing the updated statement of purpose with Ofsted within the expected timeframes. 1 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— the privacy of children is appropriately protected; children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises— is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home; is necessary and proportionate; is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iv)) This specifically relates to any restriction imposed on children and which must be risk assessed, care planned and reviewed and in line with guidance. 1 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. The registered person must— maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; 1 April 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2568363 6 ensure that the records are kept up to date; and retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)) This relates to ensuring that the staff rota shows planned and actual hours worked. The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months. In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— the quality of care provided for children; the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it;

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Requirement Due date

and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. 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 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(5)) The provider must produce a quality of care review report that meets the requirement of regulation 45. 1 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all sanctions imposed on children to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature and will help children understand the impact of their behaviour. Sanctions should not be punitive and should be appropriate to the behaviour. (‘Guide to children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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Information about this inspection

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. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2568363 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Accalia Care Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Ciba Building, 146-150 Hagley Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B16 9NX

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Leaford Williams

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Inspector

Debbie Holder, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2568363 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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