Children's home run by YCPG Services Ltd in Walsall

Inspection report for children’s home: SC392492 1 SC392492 Registered provider: DMR Services Limited Full 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 for children aged between 11 and 17 years.

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Information about this children’s home

A registered manager has been in post since June 2021 who holds a level 5 qualification.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC392492 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/07/2021 Full Good 21/10/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 02/07/2019 Full Inadequate 30/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC392492 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are four children currently living in the home. Three of the four children have been at the home for over 12 months, with one child living in the home for over three years.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children in the home are settled. However, since the last inspection, there has been a brief period of unsettlement in the home. The registered manager and the staff worked hard to respond to this and the home is now settled.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff know the children extremely well. The children have developed positive and trusting relationships with them. They informed the inspector that the staff are ‘great’ and said that if they have a problem they can talk to them and they feel listened to. During the inspection, the inspector observed the children share humorous banter and affection with the staff. These relationships contribute to the home being a fun and nurturing place for children to live.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of education. Children have made progress with their education and have had positive outcomes. For example, one child has achieved high marks for their artwork. Another child, who was not attending school before she moved to the home, is now attending on an almost full-time basis. Furthermore, she has recently completed a presentation in front of her class. This is a remarkable achievement from her starting point. Her social worker informed the inspector that since moving to the home, she has made fantastic progress with her education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are met. They have access to local health and specialist services when they need them. This means that all aspects of children’s health are considered, including physical and emotional health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support a range of activities that reflect the children’s interests and hobbies. Children enjoy activities such as martial arts classes, indoor rock climbing and visits to theme parks. More recently, children have been involved with a charity organisation, where they have provided hot meals for homeless people. The manager is motivated to provide children with activities that are not only fun but provide a sense of achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of family and will go above and beyond to support family time. For example, the manager has worked alongside a child’s social worker to support a child’s return home. The social worker for the child stated that the home has been a great support for the child and their family. For another child, their sibling moving into the home has strengthened their relationship. The social worker for the children informed the inspector that the move has been positive for both children. This helps children to maintain positive relationships with those closest to them. Inspection report for children’s home: SC392492 4 The home is spacious and there are areas of the home which are decorated to a satisfactory standard. However, some children’s bedrooms and bathrooms need improvement. For example, one bedroom has wallpaper peeling off the wall and another has a broken blind. This does not encourage children to invest in their home

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

Staff work hard to keep children safe. Risk assessments and behavioural support plans are regularly reviewed and updated. They provide effective guidance to staff about how to manage risks. As a result, staff are confident and are able to protect children.

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

Managers and staff respond quickly and proactively when children are missing from the home. Staff follow protocols, and the recording of the incident is thorough. Staff work effectively with other professionals, such as the police, to ensure that children return home safely.

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

There have been incidents involving self-harming behaviour. The records of these incidents are detailed and evidence what action staff have taken to keep children safe. In addition, direct work is completed with children in a sensitive manner to help them understand how to keep themselves safe.

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

Staff are proactive when managing risks around children who misuse substances. For example, on two separate occasions, staff smelt cannabis coming from one child’s bedroom. On both occasions, staff completed a room search. Searches are completed with the child’s consent and recordings are detailed and clear. Following such incidents, the staff will complete direct sessions with children and will liaise with other services to ensure that the right support is being provided to the children. This helps to educate children to understand risk.

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

Staff support children in developing healthy relationships and recognise when relationships may exploit them. This has included direct work about keeping safe at the home and in the community. In addition, the registered manager has acted as any good parent would and ensured that relationships children establish are positive and safe.

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

Physical interventions are used appropriately and as a last resort to keep children safe. Following a hold, the registered manager ensures debrief with the children and staff. This supports the staff to develop their practice and provides the children with an opportunity to talk about their feelings. However, on at least two occasions, records were not clear about how the child was held. This administrative shortfall has not affected children’s care or safety. Inspection report for children’s home: SC392492 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is appropriately qualified and experienced. He is supported by two deputy managers and roles and responsibilities have been established. Staff feel supported by the management team and speak highly of the managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is stable and committed to its role. Staff are passionate and animated about the children. Staff work hard to ensure that children receive positive outcomes. One member of staff informed the inspector that the staff team will go to great lengths to support children. For example, staff will cover extra shifts rather than use agency staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from a varied training programme which is designed to help the staff meet the individual needs of the children. Over half of the staff hold a level 3 qualification and those who do not are working towards it. This equips the staff with the level of knowledge and skills needed for the role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals are positive about the home and the support provided to children. One social worker said, ‘the home has an excellent understanding of my child’s needs’. Another social worker informed the inspector that the progress her child has made has been excellent.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Overall, the registered manager has effective monitoring systems in place. He has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. The manager has carried out a quality of care review, but this was not completed in the required timescales and a copy was not sent to Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The arrangements for the responsible individual are still being reviewed. Currently, the responsible individual has limited involvement in the oversight of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC392492 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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child; and enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

The specifically relates to the home being appropriately decorated, maintained and clean. 2 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home. (Regulation 26 (7)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the nominated responsible individual having oversight of the home and actively supporting the improvements required. 2 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered manager must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months. 2 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC392492 7 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

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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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

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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. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a) (3) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person completing the quality of care report in a timely manner.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny within the required time frames. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, paragraph 9.36, page 46)

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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: SC392492 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 102 Queslett Road, Streetley, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham B74 2EZ

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Inspector

Lydia Isaac, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC392492 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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