Children's Home run by Resicare Alliance Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 1 SC463639 Registered provider: Aston Children’s Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to five children with learning and/or physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

This home has not had a registered manager since May 2021. The current manager has not submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/05/2021 Full Good 08/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/02/2019 Full Good 10/10/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 3

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inadequate

Four children live in this home. Three children have lived in the home for more than two years and one child has more recently moved in. Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home.

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inadequate

The child who moved out did not experience a well-planned move. They were not informed of their move until staff took them to their new home. As a result, the child had no time to process the move, pack belongings or say goodbye to children and staff. Consequently, this had a negative impact on the quality of care and experiences they received.

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inadequate

Managers and staff do not adequately support children to express themselves when children communicate non-verbally. The inspector observed staff failing to use any communication tools to help children to communicate. The manager and staff were observed repeatedly misunderstanding a child and guessing what the child was trying to tell them. They did not use any communication aids or alternative communication methods to help the child’s views, wishes and feelings to be understood. In other examples, one child communicates using an electronic tablet at school, however, this method is not replicated in the home. The manager does not use any communication aids to help a child’s understanding of the incident. Due to the significant failure to communicate with children, Ofsted has issued a compliance notice.

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inadequate

Before the new manager took up the post, there was a lack of organisation and clarity regarding children’s health appointments. Consequently, children have missed scheduled health and assessment appointments. These have since been rescheduled and attended.

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inadequate

Staff support children to attend their education settings. Education professionals report positive communication with the staff, and children are making good progress. One child is being educated in the home due to concerns regarding his safety at his education setting. As a result of significant improvement in his progress, this arrangement is due to continue for the remainder of the summer term.

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inadequate

Staff support children to participate in a range of activities that are aimed at providing them with opportunities to relax and to enjoy their leisure time. This also promotes their independence and social skills. Recent outings included trips to a Sea Life Centre and Cadbury World. One child’s social worker reported their child had come on ‘leaps and bounds’ since moving into the home and he is now engaged in social activities that have made a positive difference to him. Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 4

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

Managers and staff fail to protect and safeguard children they are caring for. Since the previous inspection, a significant safeguarding incident has occurred as a result of staff failing to supervise children according to their known risks and vulnerabilities. This resulted in two children being harmed.

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

The new manager was not in charge when this serious incident occurred. However, they have not applied learning from this incident to prevent the possibility of further incidents occurring due to a lack of staff supervision. For example, when the inspector arrived at the home, one member of staff was caring for two children. This was not in line with children’s known risks and vulnerabilities.

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

As a result of insufficient staffing, children are left at risk of potential harm. Due to the significant concerns regarding the lack of staff and potential impact on the safeguarding of children, Ofsted has raised a compliance notice.

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

When appointing new staff, managers and senior managers do not follow safe recruitment practices. As a result, they are unable to demonstrate that they know that all the people who work in the home are safe to do so.

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

Though there has been some redecoration of the home, some areas of the home need improving. For example, poorly hung curtains fail to provide one child with privacy in their bedroom. One particular area of the home was unclean, with an unpleasant smell. Staff were quick to address this during the inspection once it was raised by the inspector. The garden offers little recreational space for children. The manager has a plan for this to be remodelled soon. These shortfalls impact negatively on a homely, welcoming and safe environment for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

This home has not had a registered manager since May 2021. Two managers have been appointed since then but did not register with Ofsted. A third manager has been appointed but has not submitted an application to register.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers are not providing children with the staffing levels as stated in their plans to keep them safe. On 13 occasions in April 2022 children did not have the required one-to-one staffing in line with their care plans. This demonstrates a lack of learning by leaders and managers from previous incidents and of understanding in how to provide safe care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager does not have previous experience of working with children with learning disabilities. As a result of this, her understanding of children’s needs and her skills in communicating with children who are non-verbal are limited. This is demonstrated by the implementation of a questionnaire for children’s meetings which has not been devised to meet the individual learning and communication needs of children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 5 The manager does not enable or ensure staff use communication aids that children require to empower them and ensure their voice is heard. Staff training in the use of the Picture Exchange Communication System has not been carried out; this was raised at the previous inspection. Consequently, staff do not have the appropriate training to communicate effectively with children and understand their wishes and feelings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management of the home has been inconsistent. Senior managers have not ensured that staff receive regular supervision. Since the new manager has been in post, there has been an improvement in the regularity of supervision. However, some staff have still not received their annual appraisals. This leaves staff and managers without opportunities to reflect on their practice, performance and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Weaknesses in management oversight mean there has been a failure to ensure that the regulator receives reports from the independent visits carried out to the home on a monthly basis. At the inspection, the manager was unable to find two of seven reports that had not been submitted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have continually failed to complete and submit a quality of care report to the regulator. A previous requirement in relation to this remains unmet and means that the regulator still does not have oversight of the service between inspections as required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The inspector did not review the allegation policy at this visit. This will be reviewed at a later inspection and therefore the requirement is restated. Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 6

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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;

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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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring the registered person provides a homely and welcoming environment for children to live in. 13 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

*The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings; 19 June 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 7 help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to prepare for any review of the child’s care relevant plans and to make the child view’s, wishes and feelings known for the purposes of that review. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that managers and staff have the training and skills to communicate effectively with children and develop positive relationships with them.

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Requirement Due date

It also relates to ensuring that managers and staff use effective communication tools to support children’s views, wishes and feelings to be understood.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs. (Regulation 10 (1)(a) (2)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that children attend all required health appointments. 13 July 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe; 19 June 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 8 have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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

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)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that they follow children’s care plans and provide children with sufficient staff to meet their needs and protect them from harm.

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Requirement Due date

It also relates to the registered person ensuring that managers and staff understand potential risk to children and that they follow risk assessments.

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that staff receive training in the use of Picture Exchange Communication System, and in the prevention of radicalisation and child criminal exploitation. 13 July 2022

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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 13 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 9 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 ensuring children are informed of moving from the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)) 13 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the person in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 28 (1)(c)) 19 June 2022

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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)) 19 June 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specially relates to staff having supervision and appraisals as per the company policy. 13 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or 13 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 10 neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the policy clearly detailing when the designated officer must be informed.

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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 must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual. (Regulation 44 (1) (7)(a)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider receiving a monthly report from the independent visitor and this being shared with HMCI. 13 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months. (Regulation 45 (1)) 13 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 11

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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: SC463639 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aston Children’s Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Aston Children’s Care Ltd, 181 Penn Road, Wolverhampton WV3 0EQ

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Inspector

Jodie Lewis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 13 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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