Children's home run by Nirmal Homes Limited

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2565542 1 Registered provider: Nirmal Homes Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private organisation. It provides care for up to two children with complex needs. The aim of the home is to maximise children’s independence, health and well-being.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since 30 August 2021. A manager has been appointed, who has applied to Ofsted to become the registered manager.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 13 September 2022

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2565542 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

There were two children living at the home at the time of this inspection. Both children are settled and happy. One child is preparing for a planned move to a new provision.

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The care of children

Both children are making good progress with education and have excellent attendance records. Building skills in independence has been a strong focus for both children and they have been supported to make excellent progress with this. One child now regularly uses public transport to attend a place of worship. They said that this makes them happy, and they are proud of their achievement.

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The care of children

Children are active in the community. They take advantage of local gyms and leisure centres to improve their well-being and stay healthy. One child has made a positive social circle with other children at their college. Children enjoy starting new hobbies, including piano lessons and learning new languages with private tuition.

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The care of children

Staff and children have close and positive relationships. Children confidently talk to staff about anything that concerns them. The manager has put in place regular key- work sessions for children and has trained staff in the effective use of these. Staff embrace and celebrate diversity and promote children’s cultural and religious needs.

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The care of children

The manager has made improvements to ensure that children’s voices are always sought and heard. Children are now asked to contribute their views to their care plans; these views are prominent in care records. Children are enjoying being part of new style house meetings, which happen in a format that suits them.

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The care of children

Children’s physical and mental health needs are closely monitored by staff. Children are helped to attend appointments. The manager ensures that up-to-date information is available and shared with health professionals. Children cook and eat healthy food, with support from staff, in preparation for further independence.

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The care of children

Children feel secure at the home and have their own spaces that are personal to them. However, the home still requires some redecoration and refurbishment to improve the homely feel. Much of this work is planned and due to take place soon, with children’s bedrooms being the priority. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2565542 3

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The safety of children

The manager has reviewed and made improvements to the assessment and monitoring of risks to children. Staff know the individual vulnerabilities of each child and their responsibilities to reduce them. Mitigating actions are proportionate and staff properly consider the balance between making progress with independence and reducing risk.

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The safety of children

Staff access enhanced safeguarding training and further training in areas of specific identified risks. They are vigilant to the risks of exploitation posed to some children and take early intervention to seek support. Children are helped to understand information about specific risks to them and how they can help to protect themselves.

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The safety of children

There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home or requiring restrictive interventions. However, the manager has developed records to provide clear detail for staff to follow and record information of concern. Staff spoken with could all clearly explain the actions that they would take if they were concerned about a child’s safety. Staff know the individual risks to each child and say that the new assessments have been regularly discussed at team meetings.

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The safety of children

Shortfalls in fire safety identified at the last inspection have been addressed. The manager has developed an improvement plan for the home to ensure that any risks to children from the environment are quickly addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager has worked in management positions in children’s social care for several years. They have applied to register with Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

There is a small consistent team of staff who know the children well. Agency staff are not used. The manager has started the process to recruit and train a small team of bank staff to cover annual leave and sickness.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Children and staff all say that the arrival of the manager has been a welcome and positive event. The manager has taken a range of actions to make improvements since starting in post. They have a comprehensive action and development plan to address the shortfalls found at the last inspection. This has been reviewed and agreed with the responsible individual and directors.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Oversight and monitoring of the home by an independent person now take place as required. Reviews of the quality of care are now carried out and submitted in the expected timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

There have been no complaints made to the home. Staff feel well supported, receive regular supervision and attend team meetings that are well structured. Staff all say that team spirit has improved significantly since the new manager started in Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2565542 4 post. They say that they feel better trained and equipped to provide good-quality support to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager has reviewed staff’s training and development needs. All staff have a tailored plan that includes personal development targets and expectations in achieving practice improvement and experience. Staff carry out written research projects for the manager to review in areas of child support, including autism spectrum disorder and the effects of trauma on children. However, two staff members will not achieve the required level 3 diploma within the required time frame. This was identified at the last inspection. Since then, the manager has taken action to ensure that these members of staff are enrolled with a suitable tutor. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2565542 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/08/2021 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2565542 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

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

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,

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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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.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1 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

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in 31 January 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2565542 7 a home on 1 April 2014, 1 April 2016. (Regulation 32 (2)(a)(b) (3)(b)(d) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should provide a nurturing, homely and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children. In particular, the garden and the paintwork of bedrooms and door frames should be maintained to a consistently good standard. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2565542 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nirmal Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 73 Francis Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B16 8SP

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Inspector

Jamie Cousins, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2565542 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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Inspector

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