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

Inspection report children’s home: 2568363 1 Registered provider: Accalia Care Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The 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 manager commenced in post in January 2021 and has been registered with Ofsted since 12 May 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 22 March 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. This report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Date of last inspection:

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit was completed on 23 February 2020. This was in response to an increase in notifications and concerns regarding staff practice. Following this visit, Inspection report children’s home: 2568363 2 two compliance notices were issued under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard).

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit took place on 22 March 2021, where the compliance notices were considered met. Inspection report children’s home: 2568363 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2568363 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is registered for one child. The current child has lived at the home since April 2021 and has settled well. He has developed trusting relationships with staff in the relatively short period of time. The child seeks out staff to spend time with them and is affectionate in his interactions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is making progress in all aspects of his life. He enjoys living in a well- maintained, comfortable and homely environment, where staff work hard to create an atmosphere that is full of warmth and respect.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child receives good care from a consistent small group of motivated and skilled staff. Staff work hard to give the child positive experiences that allow him to thrive physically, emotionally and socially.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is supported to express his views and wishes to staff daily. Staff are sensitive and child centred in their approach to giving feedback to the child. This helps the child to feel listened to and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child attends school full time and his attendance is high. Staff understand the importance of helping the child to attend school. Feedback from school was positive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child takes part in a broad range of activities in the home and in the community. He accesses local leisure facilities. Staff understand the importance of relationships and supports the child to see his relatives and to develop friendships with children in the local community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child told the inspector that he likes living at the home. He likes the staff and has everything that he needs. He appeared very settled and comfortable in the homely environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has goals that he is successfully working towards. Staff praise him for every achievement and celebrate his successes.

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

The child told the inspector that he feels safe. He talks to staff if he is worried, frustrated, or angry. Relationships between staff and the child are strong. As a result, there is a reduction of incidents.

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

Staff apply clear routines and boundaries; this means that the child understands what is expected of him. Staff use positive reinforcement well. Rewards are used significantly more often than negative consequences. This approach supports the child to start understanding his own behaviours. Inspection report children’s home: 2568363 5 Staff have quality conversations with the child to help him understand his difficulties. As a result, the child is starting to make sense of his experiences and how these impact on his behaviour.

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

There are times when staff need to physically intervene to keep everyone safe. These interventions are appropriate and proportionate. Staff keep detailed records of these incidents.

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

The home is generally a safe environment for children. However, the restrictors on the office and staff bedroom windows were not in use during the first day of inspection. This oversight has the potential to place children at risk should they gain access to these rooms.

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

The provider’s recruitment processes are not thorough enough to ensure that children are cared for by safe adults. Some staff have commenced in post prior to all references being received or verified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This is the home’s first full inspection since it was registered in February 2020. The registered manager and staff are passionate and dedicated in their roles. Staff spoke highly about the registered manager’s leadership and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a good knowledge of the child in placement. Staff understand the child’s needs and the progress they are making. The registered manager and staff realise the importance of children’s education, physical activity, health and helping the child to make progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and have access to monthly team meetings. As a result, staff are provided with support and opportunities to discuss and reflect on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a comprehensive and relevant range of training opportunities, including essential courses such as safeguarding and first aid. However, one member of staff has not obtained their level 3 qualification in residential childcare within timeframes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager’s oversight and monitoring of the home is generally good. However, staff rotas do not reflect the planned and actual hours that the registered manager works at the home. This oversight was addressed on inspection by the registered manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The probation processes in place for staff are unclear and not in line with the provider’s policy. The registered manager has not kept clear records of probationary meetings with staff. In addition, staff have different probation periods without explanation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A requirement was raised at the monitoring visit as the quality of care review was insufficient. This requirement remains untested as the next report is not yet due. Inspection report children’s home: 2568363 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 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,

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Requirement Due date

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 relates to ensuring that satisfactory recruitment checks are completed for all staff. 6 September 2021

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or 6 September 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2568363 7 a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual—

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Requirement Due date

does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part- time basis. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)(6))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that all staff obtain the relevant qualification within the required timeframes. The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation; and

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Requirement Due date

provide each employee with a job description outlining the employee’s responsibilities. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The relates to ensuring that there is a robust induction and probation process in place that is in line with the provider’s policy. 6 September 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.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; 6 September 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2568363 8 ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

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.

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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

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))

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Requirement Due date

The provider must produce a quality-of-care review report that meets the requirement of regulation 45. 6 September 2021

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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 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: 2568363 9

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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 children’s home: 2568363 10 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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