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

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

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. The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2021 and is undertaking a level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home was judged as inadequate at the first full inspection on 13 and 14 October 2021. The provider was issued with three compliance notices under regulations 12, 13 and 35. A notice to restrict accommodation at the home was also issued.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A monitoring visit was undertaken on 3 November 2021. The provider had complied with the restriction of accommodation and one child was living at the home. The published reports are available on Ofsted’s website.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the provider’s progress in meeting the compliance notices, requirements and their adherence to the restriction on accommodation.

p.1

This monitoring visit

One child lived at the home at the time of the inspection. The provider has complied with the restriction on accommodation. However, this visit identified continued serious and widespread shortfalls in the planning of children’s care, safeguarding practice, and leadership and management. Managers have failed to meet all the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2634058 2 steps outlined in the three compliance notices and have failed to meet three of the five requirements.

p.1

This monitoring visit

In respect of risk assessments, progress identified at the monitoring visit on 3 November 2021 has not been sustained. These documents fail to provide adequate guidance to staff about how to manage and reduce all known risks to the child. As a result, staff are ill-equipped to provide the child with safe and effective care and support.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Safer recruitment practices remain unsafe. Employment gaps have not been explored and managers have not been professionally curious to follow up on information that has the potential to cause concern. These shortfalls do not help to prevent unsuitable people from working at the home and caring for children.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The child does not attend an education provision. Despite initial consultation with the child’s placing authority, leaders and managers have not been proactive in challenging the lack of action by the authority’s virtual school. This has left the child without formal education for a significant period of time.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The child’s behaviour management plan does not include clear guidance for staff about the use of physical intervention, how to de-escalate situations and which techniques are best suited to supporting the child if needed. Challenging incidents are increasing and staff are not providing the necessary behaviour support to meet the child’s needs and keep him safe.

p.2

This monitoring visit

When physical intervention is required to keep the child and others safe, staff do not ensure that records of such incidents contain all the information required by regulation. In addition, managers do not provide effective oversight and review the effectiveness and appropriateness of the measures used by staff. Some staff that are not trained in the use of physical intervention have been involved in restraining the child. This is not safe practice.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The home’s most recent statement of purpose does not give accurate information about the approach to restraint that staff use. This misleads those who read this document. In addition, information about the approach to restraint is not included in the behaviour management policy.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Managers were unable to evidence that all staff have undergone relevant training in first aid and safeguarding. Management systems and arrangements to oversee training compliance are weak and this could compromise the child’s safety.

p.2

This monitoring visit

A review of the home’s rosters show that there are not enough qualified and competent staff to care for children. Despite only one child living in the home, the manager has been undertaking additional shifts, including sleep-ins. She has also worked at the home for 19 consecutive days. This has limited her ability to undertake management tasks and take action to improve the quality of care provided at the home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2634058 3 Following this inspection, the provider notified Ofsted that they are closing the service and cancelling the home’s registration. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2634058 4

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 13/10/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2634058 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

p.5

Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(vi)(vii)(viii))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that an education placement is identified, and regular contact is made with the placing authority. 9 January 2022

p.5

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.5

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults. 9 January 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2634058 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ix))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that staff understand the child’s needs and behaviours and respond to these appropriately.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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)) 9 January 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2634058 7 This relates to ensuring staff receive safeguarding training, and that risk assessments include all information about known risks to the child and set out clear guidance for staff about how to manage and reduce these.

p.6

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.7

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation13 (1)(b)(2)(a)(c)(d)(f)(h))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that there are sufficient staff and that they have received mandatory training, and that they receive induction and supervision. As well as this, the manager must review and evaluate the quality of care. 9 January 2022

p.7

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.7

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. 9 January 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2634058 8 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.7

Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(ii)(c))

p.8

Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that children have clear behaviour management plans and placement plans in place, and that these plans include relevant information to inform staff about how best to care for the child.

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1))

p.8

Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that the home’s statement of purpose includes accurate information about the home’s approach to restraint. 9 January 2022

p.8

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))

p.8

Requirement Due date

This relates to the responsible individual having the skills to supervise the management in the home and to ensure the home is run in accordance with the regulations. 9 January 2022

p.8

Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

p.8

Requirement Due date

having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children—

p.8

Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children. (Regulation 28 (1)(b)(i)) 9 January 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2634058 9 This relates to the registered manager having the skills to run the home in accordance with the regulations.

p.8

Requirement Due date

at all times, at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification. (Regulation 31 (2)(a)) 9 January 2022

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.9

Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

p.9

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,

p.9

Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.9

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)(d)) 9 January 2022

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

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— 9 January 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2634058 10 details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.9

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.10

Requirement Due date

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

p.10

Requirement Due date

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

p.10

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")—

p.10

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.10

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b)(2)(3)(a)(ii)(iv)(v)(vii)(b)(i)(ii))

p.10

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.

p.10

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2634058 11

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hand in Hand Childcare

p.11

Children’s home details

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

p.11

Inspector

James Tallis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2634058 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.

p.11

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.12

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.12

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.12