Children's Home run by Child First Residential Ltd in Sandwell

Inspection report for children’s home: 2610371 1 Registered provider: Child First Residential LTD Interim 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 is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children who have experienced adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager at this home.

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Inspection date: 9 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2610371 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Four requirements were made at the previous inspection. Two of these requirements are met. Two of the requirements are raised again and four additional requirements have been raised as a result of this visit.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The previous manager has left his role. The deputy manager is now in the management position. She only very recently commenced this role. This was her second day in the role.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the full inspection, one child moved from the home in an unplanned way. Staff were no longer able to meet the child’s needs due to a significant increase in difficult and challenging behaviours. However, staff had worked hard with the child and the relevant agencies to try to support these behaviours. The child’s social worker said, ‘The staff went above and beyond to support [the child]. I cannot fault them.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

On one occasion, staff failed to report an allegation to a manager in a timely manner. This caused managers a delay in putting in safety measures to safeguard the child and staff. Managers have failed to address the delay in reporting the matter with the member of staff. In another example, a member of staff spoke to the child about an allegation they were making against them. The management team has, again, failed to pick this up. Therefore, this has not been addressed with the member of staff. This concern has previously been raised as a requirement and will be restated. The responsible individual is now taking action to address this poor practice by sourcing additional training.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home environment is clean, comfortable, furnished and decorated to a good standard. Children decorate their rooms as they wish. However, inspectors identified that essential fire safety was lacking because two fire doors did not close properly. The responsible individual took immediate action to address this shortfall that potentially puts children and staff at risk.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

While staff receive training, there are training gaps that fail to equip them with the knowledge and skills to support children’s needs. For example, staff have not received training required to meet the medical needs of a child. This leaves staff unequipped to meet all the needs of children they care for.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children have up-to-date protocols for if they go missing from home. Staff follow these protocols effectively. However, door alarms are used without full assessment of risk or whether the alarms are necessary for both children living in the home. This Inspection report for children’s home: 2610371 3 means children may have unnecessary restrictions imposed on them. This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers ensure that there are suitable levels of staff in the home to care for children. Staff have worked overtime to try and keep consistency for the children. However, the actual working hours of staff are not consistently and clearly recorded. Therefore, managers are unable to present a factual account of who is working with the children at any given time.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The approach staff use to support children’s positive behaviour is inconsistent. For example, staff mainly use restorative approaches, but on some occasions measures of control are punitive and do not link to the child’s behaviour. This inconsistent approach can be confusing for children. In addition, not all measures of control are recorded.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Restraint is proportionate to any potential risks and only used to keep children and staff safe. Managers reflect with the staff on each incident to look at whether there are lessons to be learned.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff understand the importance of children staying in touch with their families and people important to them. Children benefit from staff’s approach to travelling significant distances and staying in hotels to ensure that children spend time with these people. This means that children stay in touch with loved ones, which promotes their identity.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager’s review of the quality of care now captures the views of the children. A requirement was made about this during the last inspection and is now met. Inspection report for children’s home: 2610371 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/07/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2610371 5

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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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that staff understand children’s health needs before they move in. 2 May 2022

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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 are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that staff related to a safeguarding allegation do not question the child about that allegation. 2 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2610371 6 It also relates to ensuring that staff do not delay in sharing allegations.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children. (Regulation 24 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that door alarms are only used when necessary. 2 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, make immediate arrangements to ensure that all of the fire doors close fully. 2 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

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 the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all measures of control are recorded accurately. 2 May 2022

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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. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)) 2 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2610371 7 This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that rotas show a true reflection of who has worked in the home.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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: 2610371 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Child First Residential Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 11 Hollyhedge Road, West Bromwich B71 3BP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rajinder Kudhail

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Inspectors

Louise Battersby, Social Care Inspector Ricky D’Arcy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2610371 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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