Children's Home run by Care and Management Services Ltd in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470457 1 SC470457 Registered provider: Care and Management Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to three children who have complex behaviours as a result of their childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2020.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 6 and 7 December 2022. Ofsted issued three compliance notices under regulation 10, regulation 12 and regulation 13. A notice to restrict accommodation was also issued to prevent any new children from moving into the home.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the provider’s progress in meeting the compliance notices and to review the provider’s adherence to the restriction of accommodation notice.

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This monitoring visit

The compliance notices in relation to regulation 10 and regulation 12 were met. Some aspects of the compliance notice for regulation 13 were met and others were not. Ofsted decided not to reissue the compliance notice for regulation 13 and recognised the progress made. Instead, a requirement has been raised for regulation 13.

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This monitoring visit

At the last inspection, 14 requirements were made. At this inspection, the inspector found that seven of these requirements have been met. The others were not considered and will be reviewed as part of the next inspection.

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This monitoring visit

There is currently one child living in the home. No new children have moved into the home since the last inspection. The manager has made vast improvements to the environment and the home is now free from hazards. This is now a safe place for Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470457 2 children to live. Children’s bedrooms are personalised, and new furniture has been purchased. The child told the inspector, ‘My home is looking so much better now it’s been decorated. I love my bedroom and now enjoy spending time in here.’

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This monitoring visit

The manager has now obtained statutory documentation for children, which is available to staff. Children’s health needs are recorded in their plans. Staff support and encourage children to ensure they have access to relevant services for physical, emotional and mental health. Children have been supported by staff to attend their medical appointments and specialist services. Children’s involvement in their health needs have improved and key-work sessions cover strategies to support with health needs. As a result, children’s overall health needs are now promoted.

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This monitoring visit

All staff have now received training that is pertinent to children’s needs. Risk assessments now provide staff with clear direction and information to help staff to manage children’s complex behaviours. This is ensuring that staff are better informed to meet the child’s needs.

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This monitoring visit

The manager and staff are now clear about their responsibilities to protect children. Staff understand the child protection policy and know how to report a safeguarding concern. The manager now has an effective system in place for recording, reporting and monitoring safeguarding concerns. Liaison with professionals is now effective. Information is shared swiftly with professionals to avoid delay and to ensure that children are protected from harm. The manager takes guidance from these professionals, and they work together to ensure that children are safe.

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This monitoring visit

Safeguarding records are comprehensive. They now detail the outcome of any concern, as well as further actions staff need to be aware of. Additionally, the depth of staff’s safeguarding knowledge is now reflected on during team meetings and supervision sessions.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has made some improvements to their monitoring systems. The manager has implemented a new incident checklist and monthly monitoring forms. These enable the manager to identify any shortfalls in the care that children receive and to be proactive in addressing them. This means that the manager now has a good oversight of children’s care.

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This monitoring visit

Although the manager has submitted a quality-of-care review, it does not identify the shortfalls highlighted at the last inspection. The review fails to focus on the quality of care provided by the home and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children.

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This monitoring visit

An independent person has been appointed since October 2022. They have completed three visits to the home. However, these reports have not been received by Ofsted. This limits the independent scrutiny of the effectiveness of the arrangements for caring and protecting children. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470457 3 The statement of purpose has now been submitted to Ofsted. This includes a full update of the staff who work in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has now ensured that all actions on the fire risk assessment have been completed. He has also updated the review of the premises with all known risks and ensured that this is shared with agencies.

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This monitoring visit

The home does not have enough staff to care for the number of children the home is registered to care for. As a result, the restriction of accommodation notice will remain in place. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470457 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/12/2022 Full Inadequate 14/09/2021 Full Good 15/06/2021 Full Inadequate 13/11/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470457 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

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;

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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;

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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)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the registered provider completes a full and thorough written review of all staff skills and competencies, identifying any shortfalls in skills and knowledge and areas for development. It also includes the registered provider’s improvement of monitoring systems. 1 March 2023

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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

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 1 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470457 6 that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specially relates to ensuring that all local authority documents are sought and that the matching of children is robust.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider is an individual, the individual must undertake such continuing professional development as is necessary to ensure that the individual has the skills needed for carrying on the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider is an organisation, the organisation must ensure that the responsible individual undertakes such continuing professional development as is necessary to ensure that the responsible individual has the skills needed for supervising the management of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider is a partnership, the partnership must ensure that one of the partners undertakes such continuing professional development as is necessary to ensure that the partner has the skills needed for carrying on the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered manager must undertake such continuing professional development as is necessary to ensure that the registered manager has the skills needed for managing the home. (Regulation 27 (1) (2) (3) (4))

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Requirement Due date

The manager must ensure all necessary training is completed. The responsible individual must have effective oversight of the home and support the manager’s development. 1 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. 1 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470457 7 The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470457 8 This particularly relates to ensuring that reports for restraints include all relevant information, that staff and children are offered debriefs, and the manager has oversight and uses professional curiosity.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that all case records are readily available on the home, and that full names are included on the rota. 1 March 2023

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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

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. 1 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470457 9 The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that reports are sent to HMCI within timescales.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain 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.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5)) 1 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470457 10 The quality of care review report must be sent to HMCI within timescales.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470457 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care and Management Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Park Business Centre, Hastingwood Industrial Park, Wood Lane, Birmingham, Warwickshire B24 9QR

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Inspector

Marianne Grandfield, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470457 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 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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