Children's Home run by Hand In Hand Childcare in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2634058 1 Registered provider: Hand In Hand Childcare

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for up to three children with a variety of complex needs. A private provider operates the home.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged as inadequate at its first full inspection on 13 and 14 October 2021. The provider was issued with three compliance notices under regulation 12, due to safeguarding concerns, regulation 13, due to concerns around leadership and management and regulation 35, due concerns around physical intervention practice. A notice to restrict the accommodation of the home was also issued.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the provider’s progress towards meeting the compliance notices due to the seriousness of the concerns identified at the full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has started to make some progress in meeting the compliance notice issued under regulation 12. The risk assessment has been updated, which now gives staff a clear understanding of the child’s behaviour and risks. This also gives staff clear strategies to follow to manage the child’s behaviours based on an understanding of the child’s triggers and needs.

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This monitoring visit

The records relating to physical interventions have improved, showing progress towards meeting the compliance notice under regulation 35. The record seen relating to a physical intervention was detailed, showing the steps staff undertook to de-escalate an incident and what intervention was used. Debriefs with children and Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2634058 2 staff following the incident are also recorded, and the record includes management oversight.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has ensured that there are sufficiently experienced and trained staff on shift to support the child. This has been achieved due to the registered manager, deputy manager and two staff from the sister home covering shifts. Gaps in training have started to be addressed and further training has been scheduled to ensure that the provider meets the requirements raised in the compliance notice under regulation 13. In addition, new staff have been recruited with start dates in the coming weeks.

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This monitoring visit

Progress has been seen, with staff working with the child to get him into a better day and night routine. There is more structure in the child’s routine and staff are working with the child to ensure that he receives some educational learning while he waits for a school placement. The child’s sleep routine has seen some improvements and a referral to an agency to address concerns about the child’s sleeping is being made.

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This monitoring visit

There has also been progress in ensuring that the child’s emotional needs are being met. The provider’s in-house therapist is planning to undertake some direct work with the child.

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This monitoring visit

The social worker has informed the inspector that gaining a school placement for the child is a priority. She has liaised with the virtual school and is hopeful that a school placement will be secured soon. The social worker’s feedback confirmed that she is happy with the progress the child is making in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The visit provided Ofsted with some assurance that progress towards meeting the compliance notices is being made. The improvements made are still in their infancy and need to be fully embedded into practice.

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This monitoring visit

No new requirements were made at the monitoring inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements raised at the full inspection, the three compliance notices and the restriction of accommodation will remain in place and will continue to be monitored by Ofsted. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2634058 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/10/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2634058 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.

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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

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;

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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)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that staff receive safeguarding training, that the home’s safeguarding policy is adhered to when there are allegations made and that risk assessments include the known risks to the child. 21 November Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2634058 5 *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

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;

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(a)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that there are sufficient staff and they have received mandatory training, induction and supervision. In addition, the manager must review and evaluate the quality of care. 21 November

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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 21 November Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2634058 6 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

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; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(b) (2)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that children have placement and behaviour plans that support a consistent approach to their care.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that at all times, at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification. (Regulation 31 (2)(a)) 21 November

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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

The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or 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, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that 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)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that full schedule 2 information is obtained for staff working with children in the home. 21 November Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2634058 7 *The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”) has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 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. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(ii)(iv)(v)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all incidents of staff restraining a child are recorded. Also, this relates to the oversight of incidents requiring physical intervention with a child in the home, and the need to ensure that debriefs with the children and staff take place. 21 November Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2634058 8 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child is instigated;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(c)(d)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they notify Ofsted of incidents with children in which police involvement is required. Also, leaders should notify Ofsted and the designated officer when a child makes an allegation of abuse against staff working in the home. 21 November

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must use reasonable endeavours to ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should keep under review a statement of purpose (regulation 16 and schedule 1). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5)

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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: 2634058 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hand In Hand Childcare

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 20 Birmingham Road, Walsall WS1 2LT

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Inspector

Shazana Jamal, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2634058 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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Inspector

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