Children's Home run by Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company in Birmingham

Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 1 Registered provider: Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by Birmingham Children’s Trust as part of the local authority and has been registered since March 2018. The home provides care for up to 12 children under the age of 18 with learning disabilities. Children can remain beyond 18 while they conclude education, if required.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted for this home since it opened and has worked as a registered manager in children’s homes since 2013.

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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.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 11 January 2022

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

On 11 January 2022, Ofsted carried out an interim inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judged that the home had sustained effectiveness. As a result of that inspection, compliance notices were raised under regulations 12 and 13.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

On 8 March 2022, Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit. The two compliance notices were deemed to have been met. Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/01/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/08/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 3

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inadequate

Serious and widespread concerns, including poor safeguarding arrangements in the home, mean that children are not kept safe.

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inadequate

At the time of the inspection, 11 children were living in the home. Since the last inspection, eight children have left the home and five have moved in. Staff do not keep children’s pathway plans up to date. Pathway plans are not current or reflective of children’s care needs. For example, one child who is approaching her 18th birthday does not have a clear plan in place for when she leaves the home. This does not prepare children well enough for their futures.

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inadequate

Children are not able to freely access all areas of the home. For example, a lounge door that gives children access to the garden was locked. There is no safeguarding reason that would require this door to be locked, as the garden area is secure and the risk of children absconding is low.

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inadequate

One child’s right to privacy is compromised because his bedroom door does not shut properly in its frame. Staff had not taken prompt action to fix this damage.

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inadequate

Most children stay connected with their family and friends. However, one child has not seen her family since January 2022. In part, this is because staff shortages have reduced the capacity to support this. As a result, the child has missed opportunities to have valuable face-to-face visits with her mother.

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inadequate

Children access activities on and off site. However, there are not always enough staff to care for children on a one-to-one basis when out in the community. This means that children must go out in groups. This lack of individual support can limit children’s social and emotional experiences.

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inadequate

Despite these shortfalls, children are making progress in many aspects of their lives. Children attend school and are making progress. Effective communication between home and school staff ensures that everyone is kept up to date about important information about children. As a result, a consistent approach to supporting children at home and in school is maintained.

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inadequate

Children have positive relationships with staff and the other children who live in the home. Children enjoy living at the home and experience harmonious group living.

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

Managers have failed to ensure that anyone living, visiting or working at the home is adequately protected in the event of a fire. Specifically, recommendations from the fire risk assessment which was completed in May 2021 have not been met. Some Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 4 fire doors were not suitable. During the inspection, Ofsted informed the local fire officer, who then visited the site on 31 May 2022. The fire officer issued a letter of recommendations that are to be met within three months.

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

The staff and the managers have not acted quickly enough to remove identified hazards. For example, wooden slats on top of walls are used as benches. The wood is rotten. During the inspection, the inspector informed the responsible individual, who then acted to remove the hazards. Furthermore, there are holes in the staff bathroom ceiling on the first floor and in a child’s shower room. Inspectors found the child’s shower room was still in use despite the hazard. This does not keep children safe.

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

Staff do not keep children’s risk assessments up to date and some contain conflicting information. For example, assessments for one child identified the requirement for two different staffing levels. This is confusing for staff and the child.

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

The registered manager has not ensured that safer recruitment checks have been completed for six non-permanent staff. This means children are at risk of being looked after by unsuitable adults.

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

Children do not go missing or engage in risk-taking behaviour. Physical intervention is rarely used. There has been one recorded use of physical intervention since the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home is managed by a suitably qualified registered manager. She is supported by a deputy manager and three assistant managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager’s use of monitoring systems has not been effective in identifying and responding to some shortfalls, such as fire prevention strategies, maintenance requirements and risk assessments. However, the responsible individual took steps during the inspection to rectify some shortfalls.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Most staff have not received their annual appraisal. As a result, staff are not provided with sufficient support and opportunities to develop their practice or receive feedback about their performance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers and staff do not challenge professionals enough to ensure that children’s pathway plans are reflective of their needs. This delay leaves children vulnerable in securing their transition from children’s services to adult services.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has met one of the two requirements raised at the last inspection. One requirement had not passed its due date. It was not monitored during this inspection and has been restated. Nine new requirements have been raised. Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(c)) 4 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

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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(d)) 4 July 2022

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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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; 4 July 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 6 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d)(h))

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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;

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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

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)(a) (2)(b)(iii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the provider has pathway plans in place and that staff follow children’s care plans in respect of their contact arrangements. 4 July2022

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises. (Regulation 21 (a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that the provider provides suitable arrangements to protect children’s privacy, specifically in relation to their bedroom doors. 4 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

make arrangements for persons working at the home to receive suitable training in fire prevention. (Regulation 25 (1)(a) (3)) 1 September 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 7 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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) (2)(a) (3)(d)) 4 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation (4)(c)) 4 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)) 4 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.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it;

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Requirement Due date

and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring this review considers the quality of care children have received and how this improves care for children. 25 July 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 8

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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: 1273663 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Third Floor Zone 16, 1 Lancaster Circus, Birmingham B4 7DJ

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Inspectors

Michelle Spruce, Social Care Inspector Lydia Isaac, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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