Children's Home run by Resicare Alliance Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2503598 1 Registered provider: Aston Children’s Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The privately owned home is registered to provide care for up to five children with emotional and social difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in September 2020 and is suitably qualified.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

p.1

inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

inadequate

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

p.1

inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

p.1

inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2503598 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 29/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/11/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/09/2019 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2503598 3

p.2

inadequate

Four children were living at the home at the time of this inspection.

p.3

inadequate

Significant shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home and in the safety and protection of children have contributed to the inadequate judgement.

p.3

inadequate

Managers and staff do not consistently and effectively promote children’s health needs. For example, staff have not sought medical advice for a child who has been refusing to take prescribed medication. For a child who is able to self-administer medication, it is not clear how staff have prepared and enabled them to do this properly. In addition, managers and staff have not followed up on recommendations raised in a child’s statutory health assessment to ensure that the child receives all outstanding immunisations. Although children are registered with relevant health professionals and attend routine appointments, the shortfalls identified do not fully support children’s well-being.

p.3

inadequate

Children have opportunities to express their wishes and feelings through key-work sessions and children’s meetings. They have some involvement in making decisions about the day-to-day running of the home. However, children’s voices are not always heard when they raise issues and concerns with staff.

p.3

inadequate

One child repeatedly requested meals which meet his cultural needs. Staff and managers did not respond to him and explain how they were going to help him meet his dietary needs. In another example, staff did not respond promptly and effectively to a child who told them they were being bullied at school. And staff did not give another child access to a phone when she was requesting this to seek help for her emotional health at a time of distress. Not listening to children does not help them to feel valued and does not promote their welfare and safety.

p.3

inadequate

Children do enjoy some positive relationships with staff. They are settled and told the inspector that they like living at the home. Two children have moved from the home since the last inspection. Staff ensured that they had positive experiences of moving on, which helped them to settle into their new homes.

p.3

inadequate

Children’s educational progress is mixed. Some children are doing well and attending school regularly. For others, attending school and engaging in learning is a challenge. Staff provide some support in these circumstances. One child is on a reduced timetable and another child has been studying at home to prepare for exams and is looking to attend college in September.

p.3

inadequate

Staff support children to spend time with their close friends and family. Children feel able to invite their families and friends to visit them at the home. Children are building positive social networks, which helps them to keep in touch with people Inspection report for children’s home: 2503598 4 who are important to them, enables them to engage in their community and prevents them feeling isolated.

p.3

inadequate

Children have access to different leisure activities, such as going to the cinema, shopping, on day trips, going out for meals and visiting trampoline parks. Children are forming friendships and developing good self-esteem while having fun.

p.4

inadequate

The home is warm and welcoming and provides the children with a family environment. Children enjoy coming together at teatime and sharing their experiences of the day. Children have been given the opportunity to personalise their bedrooms and their personalities are reflected throughout their home.

p.4

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

Managers and staff fail to ensure that when children make allegations of physical abuse against staff and others that these are reported to the child’s placing authority and relevant local authority designated officer. Failure to report allegations appropriately reduces the external oversight of the safety of children living at the home, leaves children’s voices unheard and increases their vulnerability to harm.

p.4

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

Managers and staff do not consistently help children to understand how to keep themselves safe. For example, staff have not been proactive in undertaking keep- safe work with children regarding personal space and boundaries. This could leave children without knowledge and skills essential for their safety and that of other people.

p.4

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

Managers have failed to ensure that risk management protocols address the range of risks posed to children. For example, information in children’s missing-from-care protocols does not give staff sufficient guidance about when to notify the police and the child’s placing authority in the event that a child goes missing from the home. The lack of key information for staff could compromise children’s safe and timely return to the home.

p.4

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

Managers and staff fail to seek prompt medical advice when children disclose their intention to self-injure. In addition, staff did not allow the same child to use the house phone when she was requesting to do so. The failure by staff and managers to assess and respond to signs that indicate a deterioration in children’s emotional and mental well-being has the potential to place children at significant risk of harm.

p.4

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

Managers and staff do not consistently take action to promote children’s safety when they disclose incidents of bullying. For example, when one child told the staff they were being bullied at school, staff’s response was to tell the child to talk to a teacher. There was no evidence to show that staff had taken action to speak to school staff themselves and follow up on this concern appropriately. This can leave children vulnerable to continued bullying.

p.4

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

Managers and staff do not consistently ensure that children are protected from avoidable health and safety hazards in the home. Managers took action during the Inspection report for children’s home: 2503598 5 inspection to repair a faulty fire door. It is of concern that managers and staff do not identify and respond to such matters proactively.

p.4

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

The manager has recently reviewed the locality risk assessment. However, she did not consult partner agencies in compiling this assessment. This does not show good partnership working to keep up to date with any issues in the local community and neighbouring areas. This is a missed opportunity to further promote children’s safety.

p.5

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

Staff and the managers are able to de-escalate most situations quite quickly. As a result, the use of restraint is not regular and is only used as a last resort to keep children safe.

p.5

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

Managers’ safer recruitment processes are robust and this helps to ensure that only adults declared safe care for the children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Ineffective monitoring by the registered manager and inadequate oversight of the management of the home by the responsible individual mean that significant shortfalls in the safety and well-being of children have not been identified and addressed.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have not completed a review of the quality of care review. This contributes to them not having a clear sense of the strengths and needs of the service and what the priority areas for development are. This requirement was raised at the interim inspection and is unmet.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Record-keeping is also poor and needs improvement. This contributes to managers not being able to maintain effective oversight of care in the home. For example, the manager and staff could not find records of some key-work sessions which they had carried out with children, and some of the children’s care planning and review documents are missing. This makes it difficult for managers to show how they are reviewing children’s progress and evaluating their experiences to improve the quality of care children receive.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Only four staff, including the manager, are suitably qualified. Seven staff have not completed the level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) or equivalent qualification within the timescale set out in regulation. Managers have now enrolled these staff on a relevant course but there has been a significant delay in doing so. This does not equip staff with all the appropriate skills and knowledge to adequately meet children’s needs.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff receive regular supervision. Staff know the children’s personalities and interests well and this helps children to have some positive experiences of the home and make progress in some areas. Inspection report for children’s home: 2503598 6

p.5

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.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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. (Regulation 7 (1)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that managers and staff listen to what children say and act when they raise issues and concerns with them. 19 August 2022

p.6

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that issues relating to medication management are followed up and that recommendations from children’s health assessments are appropriately followed up. 19 August 2022

p.6

Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 19 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2503598 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

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.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(d))

p.7

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

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 31 August 2022

p.7

Requirement Due date

employ and individual to work at the children’s home; 31 December Inspection report for children’s home: 2503598 8 or 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.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualifications and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

p.8

Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

p.8

Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

p.8

Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

p.8

Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

p.8

Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b))

p.8

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff completing the level 3 diploma as soon as possible, given that they are out of timescale but are now enrolled on the course.

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

p.8

Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)) 31 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2503598 9 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.

p.8

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—

p.9

Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

p.9

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; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

p.9

Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

p.9

Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (4)(a)(b) (5))

p.9

Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 19 August 2022

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

p.9

Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2)) 31 August 2022

p.9

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2503598 10

p.9

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: 2503598 11

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aston Children’s Care Ltd

p.11

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 181 Penn Road, Wolverhampton WV3 0EQ

p.11

Children’s home details

Registered manager: Colleen Davies Jones

p.11

Inspector

Rumbi Mangoma, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2503598 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