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

Inspection report children’s home: SC446152 1 SC446152 Registered provider: N H 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 three children who have learning disabilities and/or emotional and social difficulties. The home is privately owned.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager was registered on 23 April 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 2 December 2021 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on our website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 24 September 2019

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC446152 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/09/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/06/2019 Full Inadequate 07/11/2018 Full Good 12/07/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC446152 3

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inadequate

Some staff do not have the confidence or skills to make simple decisions to allow for the smooth running of the home. This means that the registered manager is often inundated with questions and requests from staff. This detracts from the registered manager’s time and capacity to lead the home. The registered manager recognises that this is an area of development for some staff but has yet to implement a staff development plan to address this.

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inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that there is a stable and consistent staff team caring for children. One child shared with the inspector that she feels sad that unfamiliar staff come in and out of the home. Although the use of agency and non-permanent staff accounts for a small proportion of the staff used in the home, this has increased over the last three months. This use of non-permanent staff has contributed to the variable quality of care and compromises children’s engagement.

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inadequate

One child shared with the inspector that some staff do not spend much time with her and that she would like to go on more activities with staff. This view was not consistent with staff views or case records. However, planned children’s meetings do not always take place and staff do not always support children to engage with these meetings. This is a missed opportunity for staff to understand and listen to children’s wishes and feelings.

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inadequate

Staff have had some successes with children. For example, children attend school and are making good progress. Staff have, in some instances, used praise and creative incentives to reward good behaviour and to celebrate children’s achievements. As a result, incidents of children going missing from home and the need for physical interventions have reduced.

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

Managers and staff have not identified and acted on concerns related to the fire safety of the home. For example, the self-closing mechanisms on a number of doors cause them to shut with force. This has resulted in damage to a number of door frames. For example, the kitchen door does not close properly due to the damage to the door frame. This could affect the doorway’s capacity to slow the spread of a fire in an emergency.

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

The registered manager reviewed the fire risk assessment in February 2021. However, in discussions with the inspector, she was unable to confirm if all the actions identified in the previous assessment had been addressed. This does not assure Ofsted that the registered manager has the required skills and knowledge to undertake this fire assessment review. Inspection report children’s home: SC446152 4 The responsible individual and director visited the home on the first day of the inspection. On the second day of the inspection, they advised that they had identified various maintenance issues the previous day. These included the concerns related to the kitchen door not closing and the problems with the self-closing door mechanisms. This observation had not been shared with the inspector. Furthermore, no action had been taken by the provider to address these issues. This does not demonstrate effective leadership in addressing safeguarding concerns.

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

One child living in the home has been assessed to have some behaviours related to fire safety. However, records provide a confused and unclear assessment of the levels of potential risk. This is because the registered manager has not used internal risk assessment processes correctly.

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

The location risk assessment does not accurately reflect the known geographical risks to the home. For example, the assessment does not identify that there is an entrance to a canal only a short walk from the home. As such, staff are not given guidance on how to manage this potential risk. Staff have been approached on two occasions by members of the public in an antagonistic manner. The relevance and impact of this has not been fully considered. The registered manager advised that the local area is a known area for solicitation. This information has not been considered as part of the assessment. A requirement in relation to the location of the home has been raised at the previous two visits. The registered manager has failed to ensure that this requirement is met. Ofsted are not assured by this.

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

Prior to a child moving into the home, the registered manager completed an assessment to determine whether the home was able to meet the child’s needs. The assessment includes a score for the likelihood and severity of risk. This was not calculated correctly. As a result, an inaccurate assessment was made when considering the impact this child would have on the children currently living in the home.

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

A senior manager had oversight of the registered manager’s assessment of this new placement. However, during the inspection they shared that they had not seen the completed impact assessment or supporting documentation. The senior manager had relied on a two-page summary which provided limited information about the child. This shows a lack of professional curiosity from senior managers when ensuring the safeguarding of children.

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

Managers have failed to ensure that safeguarding procedures are followed. The findings of an internal safeguarding investigation completed following an incident have not been shared with the designated officer. This prevented the designated officer from being able to advise whether any further action was required. Furthermore, training identified by the internal investigation has not yet been provided to staff. This is a missed opportunity to ensure that all staff have the required training to keep children safe.

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

One member of staff told inspectors that a child had recently made a disclosure to them following contact with a family member. The staff member had not shared or Inspection report children’s home: SC446152 5 documented this information. This shows that some staff have a poor understanding of their role and responsibilities.

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

The registered manager does not ensure that safer recruitment checks are completed for those agency staff working in the home. As a result, children may be cared for by staff who are not appropriate to do so. Children’s safety is therefore compromised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management monitoring systems are not effective in enabling managers, including the responsible individual, to identify and address shortfalls. Inspectors found that the requirements made during previous visits by Ofsted had not been met; this included requirements that had been raised at the full inspection in June 2019.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager is relatively new in post. To support her, a senior manager has been undertaking quality assurance visits. However, records of these visits are not maintained. As a result, learning from these visits is either not known, not acted upon or not shared with key people such as the responsible individual. This has contributed to the failure of the registered provider in identifying and acting on shortfalls in the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager receives supervision from a senior manager. These supervisions have not enabled the registered manager to develop a realistic understanding of the quality of care being provided to children or to take timely action to address areas of development. Supervisions have not fully supported the registered manager’s personal development or ensured that the care provided to children is of a consistent or appropriate standard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

All three children currently living in the home require transport to school. Due to the availability of staff, the registered manager is required to transport children to school. This impacts on the time available to her to complete her own management tasks. The registered manager told the inspectors that she could adapt the staff rota to overcome this problem but has not yet done this. The availability of staff and the management of the staff rota are affecting the registered manager’s ability to provide effective management oversight. Inspection report children’s home: SC446152 6

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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.

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vii)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff’s understanding of their roles and responsibilities and safeguarding procedures. 13 June 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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 13 June 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC446152 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

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;

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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) (2)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the management oversight of the safeguarding arrangements for children, the quality of care provided to children and ensuring that there is a stable staff team in place. This requirement is repeated from the last assurance visit. *The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)) 13 June 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC446152 8 This specifically relates to ensuring that full consideration is given to all available information prior to a child moving into the home. The rationale related to such a decision should be recorded. After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

provide adequate means of escape from the home in the event of fire;

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Requirement Due date

make arrangements for persons working at the home to receive suitable training in fire prevention; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire.

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(1) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

paragraph (1) does not apply; and the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. In this regulation, “the fire and rescue authority” means the fire and rescue authority under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004(2) for the area in which the home is located. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d) (2)(a)(b) (3))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that fire safety in the home has been reviewed, and any shortfalls acted on. 13 June 2021

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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

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Requirement Due date

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, 13 June 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC446152 9 if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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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(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the registered manager has completed safer recruitment for all staff who work at the home, including any non-permanent staff.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33 (a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that supervision supports staff’s continuous professional development. This is a repeat requirement from the last assurance visit. 13 June 2021

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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). 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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Requirement Due date

This is a repeat requirement from the last assurance visit. 13 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC446152 10 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: SC446152 11

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Sam Dulay-Kainth, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC446152 12 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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