Children's home run by Motivations Activity Projects Ltd in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC470284 1 SC470284 Registered provider: Motivations Activity Projects Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It provides care for three children who have experienced childhood trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post is currently vacant.

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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.

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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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good

Date of last inspection: 25 November 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Recent inspection history

Inspection report for children’s home: SC470284 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/11/2019 Full Good 03/12/2018 Full Good 25/07/2017 Full Good 03/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC470284 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children were living at the home at the time of the inspection. They are extremely settled and have been living at the home for between two and three years. The children attribute this to the consistent nurturing care and compassion they receive from staff and the positive relationships they have formed with staff. They feel highly valued and listened to by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and partner agencies involve children in making decisions about their day-to- day care. Staff and managers have high aspirations and ambitions for the children and provide them with an environment where they can flourish. Staff have put in place child-friendly placement plans which help children to understand the care and support they will receive from staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children currently living at the home have made amazing progress considering their starting points. For example, one child has done exceedingly well with their learning and will be progressing to college, which is a positive step considering their complex needs. Another child is predicted to achieve excellent academic results.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have supported children to understand what COVID-19 is and appropriately explained to them the reasons for certain restrictions and changes to normal routines. Staff have been sensitive in their approach and mindful of the potential effect of these on children’s emotional health. When restrictions were in place, staff did their best to keep children occupied and entertained. Staff and children created ‘lockdown time capsules’ as a way of capturing the memories of these extraordinary times.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children were unable to attend their normal education provision for periods of time during the pandemic, staff worked hard to support them to complete allocated education work in the home. Staff recognised when children were anxious about returning to their education provision and spent quality time with each child to explore their worries and provide them with reassurance. This helped the children to successfully transition back to their education placements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff advocate for children to live healthy lifestyles. Staff encourage children to eat healthily, exercise and attend health appointments, and they promote good sexual health and appropriate relationships. Children’s health and general well-being are improving.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy various activities in the community and at home, such as day trips, seaside holidays, riding their bicycles, and simple pleasures such as playing in their garden, spa days at home, themed cultural dinner nights and baking. These activities have been beautifully captured in the home’s annual ‘pride awards’, which Inspection report for children’s home: SC470284 4 recognise the contribution that each child and member of staff has made in making the home the best place to live and work.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and the manager have started doing excellent independence work with all the children. For example, they explain to the children what medication they are taking, the dosage, the reasons they are taking this, and how to order and where to collect their medication. They also track how often the child is requesting the medication and do a review with them in preparation for the child to self-medicate. Children with complex needs are now travelling independently on public transport, which they are enjoying. Children’s self-esteem and confidence are increasing.

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

Staff and the manager are proactive in identifying any potential risks to children, and they put support in place to enable children to keep themselves safe. Children have completed ‘keeping safe’ work and, consequently, there has been a reduction in children going missing from the home.

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

Staff work well with professionals to ensure that children are safe. For example, managers and staff invited the local police community support officer to the home. This has helped the children to understand the positive role that the police play in keeping children and others safe.

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

Behaviour-management plans and risk assessments identify known and potential risks to children. Staff respond to children’s challenging behaviours in a positive way, and the use of restraint is kept to a minimum. When restraint incidents do occur, they are managed well.

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

Staff provide the children with consistent routines and boundaries. Children are getting better at regulating their own emotions and are keeping themselves and others around them safe. There has been a significant reduction in the number of times some children are putting themselves at risk in the community and there are fewer self-harming incidents. However, the recording of restorative practice needs to improve to better evidence the work staff do with children in repairing and restoring relationships.

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

Safer recruitment is compliant with regulation and so children are looked after by suitable adults. Regular health and safety checks are carried out on the environment, which helps to safeguard children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The current manager is new in post and is currently in the process of applying to Ofsted to be registered. The manager was formerly the deputy manager of the home and therefore already has an established understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. Inspection report for children’s home: SC470284 5 The manager is committed to ensuring that the staff team delivers good-quality care to children. Managers and staff speak positively of the children they care for. They want children to succeed and achieve the best outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager continues to ensure that there are enough staff in the home to meet the children’s needs. There have been some changes to staffing, but the manager used consistent staff when cover was needed to ensure continuity of care to the children. The manager has now managed to recruit a full staff team and so any shortfalls in sufficiency have been addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager understands the benefits of a well-trained and skilled workforce. All staff are up to date with mandatory training. The manager and staff use staff meetings to enhance their knowledge of children’s regulations and to discuss children’s needs and progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive good-quality reflective supervision, which supports them in undertaking their roles effectively. The manager praises and thanks staff for how well they are helping children to experience positive outcomes at the home. Staff thrive on this good support and feel valued in their roles. Inspection report for children’s home: SC470284 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any sanctions used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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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 for children’s home: SC470284 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Motivations Activity Projects Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: St Matthews Business Centre, Duddeston Manor Road, Birmingham B7 4LZ

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Inspector

Rumbi Mangoma, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC470284 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, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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