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 Limited

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 provides care for two children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home does not have a registered manager.

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This monitoring visit

On 28 and 29 April 2021, Ofsted undertook a full inspection. The home was judged inadequate. In response to that visit, Ofsted issued a notice of restriction of accommodation. On 14 June 2021, 22 July 2021 and 23 August 2021 monitoring visits took place to monitor the notice of restriction. This had been adhered to and remains in place. On 21 May 2021, a notice of proposal to cancel the registration of the home was issued and in addition, on 3 August 2021, a notice of decision to cancel was served. As a result of this visit, a second notice of restriction of accommodation has been served.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to consider the home’s adherence to the notice of restriction. The provider has adhered to the restriction of accommodation and there are currently no children living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has appointed a new manager. He began working at the home on 1 September 2021. The manager is inexperienced and has not previously managed a children’s home. Therefore, his ability to undertake this role is untested. The manager intends to apply to Ofsted to be registered but has not yet done so.

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This monitoring visit

During the visit, the inspector was informed by the service manager that it is expected that the current responsible individual will resign. The service manager is likely to take take over this position. This decision has not yet been finalised and an application to change responsible individuals has not yet been received by Ofsted. If Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1253623 2 this proposed change is completed, it is not known how this will influence the effectiveness of the leadership team. However, the current responsible individual has not ensured that all the requirements raised at the last inspection have been met. Specifically, five requirements have not been met and have been restated.

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This monitoring visit

There are currently no staff available to work in the home. A deputy manager, two team leaders and one residential support worker have been recruited but are yet to begin their employment. This means that there are not enough staff to be able to safely admit children. As a result, the notice of restriction has been reissued.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have not been safely recruited. For example, references and certificates of qualifications were not in date or were missing from the recruitment file. The reasons for some staff leaving their previous employment had not been sufficiently explored. The failure of the leadership team to safely recruit staff does not assure Ofsted of their skills and knowledge to be able to manage this home effectively.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has not yet completed safeguarding refresher training. The newly recruited staff, who are not yet in post, will be required to undertake a programme of training before they begin working in the home. There is not yet a clear timescale for when staff will be ready and trained for children to be safely admitted to the home.

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This monitoring visit

The independent person has not provided Ofsted with reports in relation to his visits during the months of July 2021 and August 2021. Leaders and managers have not acted to address this. This does not give Ofsted confidence in the oversight and leadership of the management team.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has improved the home environment. All areas of the home have been redecorated. However, work is ongoing, with flooring throughout the home needing to be replaced. This work is underway and due to be completed soon.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has taken action to address some of the shortfalls previously identified. For example, regular fire safety monitoring is completed, the home is free from hazards, the quality of care review and location risk assessment have been completed, the records of previous admissions and discharges are now up to date, and a previous missing safeguarding notification has been shared with Ofsted. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1253623 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 28/04/2021 Full Inadequate 10/03/2020 Full Inadequate 20/11/2019 Full Inadequate 19/02/2019 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

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; and

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that staff provide good-quality care. 15 November 2021

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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. 15 November 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1253623 5 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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that staff take the necessary action to protect children from harm.

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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; 15 November 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1253623 6 ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that staff are suitably trained, experienced and qualified to deliver care that is consistent with the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that staff provide effectively planned care for children who move in and out of the home. 15 November 2021

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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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered provider ensuring that the responsible individual oversees the management of the home and takes effective action to operate the home in line with the home’s statement of purpose and children’s homes regulations. 15 November 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

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

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that all information in respect of schedule 2 is held on file. 15 November 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1253623 7 The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to monthly independent reports being sent to Ofsted. 15 November 2021

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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.

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Blessing Manyara

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Inspector

Michelle Spruce, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1253623 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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