Children's home run by Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council in Walsall

Inspection report for children’s home: SC063815 1 SC063815 Registered provider: Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a local authority. The home provides care for up to four children who have experienced adverse childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager registered with Ofsted in March 2007 and is qualified and experienced.

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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

Date of last inspection: 26 October 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC063815 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/10/2021 Full Outstanding 27/02/2020 Full Outstanding 29/01/2019 Full Outstanding 09/03/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC063815 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved into the home and two children have left. At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a homely environment. Communal areas of the home are nicely decorated in a modern theme. Photos of children enjoying activities and days out adorn the walls, providing a real sense of home. Children’s private spaces are decorated to their choosing, matching their interests and identities. This helps children to develop a sense of pride in their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good nurturing care. This is because close and trusting relationships are formed between children and the adults that care for them. Staff join children in taking part in activities and hobbies and take part in group activities of meaning. For example, all children, along with adults, took part in a charity walk raising funds for charities of the children’s choosing. Positive relationships and experiences help children to improve their self-esteem through having fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the health and well-being of the children in their care. Children attend regular health appointments; direct work takes place with children who struggle to attend to support them with their worries and fears. Advice and support are sought from external health professionals to support children’s emotional health when needed. There are times, however, following children’s injuries, including from the use of a ligature, where staff have not sought medical advice. This is a missed opportunity to ensure that children are not suffering from any injuries that are not visible to the naked eye.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress with their learning. Children occasionally face barriers with education provisions; however, these are professionally challenged by the home. One child attends regular after-school homework clubs to assist with upcoming exams while another has achieved good exam results and is progressing well in college.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience positive moves to and from the home. Well-planned transition plans are followed that include visits to their new homes. When children have left the home as a departure from their original plans, they have still enjoyed meaningful leaving preparations and are provided with time to say goodbye. Following moves from the home, staff continue to keep in touch and regularly visit children once they have left. This helps children to have positive memories of their time living at this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good relationships with the people who are most important to them. Staff facilitate family time and continuously encourage children to maintain these relationships. Because of the continued efforts of the staff and manager, children Inspection report for children’s home: SC063815 4 experience more frequent time with their loved ones than they did when they first arrived.

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

Children are safe. Children told the inspector that they feel safe and their views and experiences are incorporated into the risk management plans that allow staff to understand children’s own perception of risk. Risk management plans are updated regularly to include any relevant information and recent incidents. Because of this approach, staff are provided with up-to-date guidance that helps to reduce risk.

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

Staff educate children about risk-taking and how to keep safe through direct work. Children are supported to take age-appropriate risks as part of their development and independent living skills. For example, one child has been supported to travel independently to and from college by numerous buses. This allows children the freedom to carry out tasks and activities with good risk reduction plans.

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

Children trust staff to keep them safe. Children who spoke with the inspector said that they raise any concerns should they have them with staff. Investigations into complaints and allegations of harm are handled fairly and effectively, meaning that children are kept safe from harm.

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

Despite the close and nurturing relationships between children and adults, there have been a small number of occasions when staff have not followed the ethos of this home and have spoken inappropriately to children. Managers have been swift to address these concerns and additional training has been provided to staff. In spite of the robust response after incidents, this has impacted on children’s welfare.

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

The approach to de-escalating challenging behaviours means that positive behaviour is consistently promoted. Staff are provided with a comprehensive ‘positive handling plan’ that provides guidance on de-escalation and restraint and details that physical intervention is only used as a last resort to keep children safe. There are occasions when this plan is not always followed; for example, one child has been restrained without the full de-escalation approach being implemented. Staff also removed the child’s shoes and coat and prevented the child from leaving the home inappropriately. This meant that the child’s experiences of his behaviours being managed were poor and he was deprived of his liberty.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A suitably qualified registered manager leads the home effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good oversight of the home and knows the children’s progress from their starting points well. The manager uses effective auditing systems that track accomplishments and achievements. These form part of the quality of care report along with areas for improvement. As a result, the registered manager has a good insight into the home’s strengths and areas of development. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063815 5 Children’s views are central to the running of the home. Staff consult children in all aspects of their care and support them to take increasing control of the decisions that affect them. Children confirmed that staff listen to them. This ensures that children feel that their views are valued and provides them with a degree of control. The manager ensures that children receive feedback about any requests they have made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is appropriately staffed to meet the needs of the children. When staffing levels have been affected due to absences, the team pulls together to cover shortages, which provides continuity of care for children. Staff enjoy working at the home and are positive about the support they receive from the manager. One member of staff informed the inspector: ‘Working for [the manager] is the best thing that could have happened to me. I love working under her guidance.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The majority of the team members are qualified. The small number that are not are either enrolled or are due to be enrolled on a course following completion of their probationary periods. Staff complete a number of training courses that provide them with the necessary skills and knowledge to provide effective care and security to the children. When new presenting risks have been identified, such as the use of ligatures, additional training is sourced and completed. This provides staff with the skills to care for children effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff receive regular and effective supervision. Supervision sessions provide staff with the opportunity to discuss their well-being, the children and development. One staff member informed inspectors that the manager is ‘always open, honest and available’. Staff feel valued by the senior leadership team, with one member of staff stating: ‘Emails of appreciation from senior managers also go a long way.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager forms good relationships with children’s families and professionals. A social worker confirmed that communication between them and the home is very good. This means that children receive good-quality, coordinated care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063815 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

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate.

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Requirement Due date

These Regulations do not prevent a child from being deprived of liberty where that deprivation is authorised in accordance with a court order. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)) 17 March 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to: respond to the health needs of children; administer basic first aid and minor illness treatment. This also includes seeking medical advice following injuries when children decline further medical attention. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.12)  The registered person should ensure that staff understand factors that affect children’s motivation to behave in a socially acceptable way. Staff should encourage an enthusiasm for positive behaviour through the use of positive behaviour strategies in line with the child’s relevant plans. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.13) Inspection report for children’s home: SC063815 7

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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: SC063815 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Centre, Walsall WS1 1TP

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Inspector

Kev Brammer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC063815 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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