Children's Home run by Accalia Care Services Ltd in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2586947 1 Registered provider: Accalia Care Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home was registered with Ofsted in July 2020 to provide care for three children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered manager in post who is working towards a suitable qualification.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2586947 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/08/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2586947 3

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improvement to be good

Five children have moved into the home and five children have moved on since the last inspection. Children make progress from their starting points. However, ineffective matching of children, combined with shortfalls in management action after significant incidents, has undermined the quality of care for children.

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improvement to be good

The staff support children’s physical health needs well. Actions from statutory medicals are followed up promptly by staff and the registered manager. The support for one child’s mental well-being has not been effective in supporting them with their childhood trauma.

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improvement to be good

Staff actively promote the children’s education. Children who were not previously engaging in education have improved levels of attendance and attainment. One child attends two education settings and this combination is helping them to make progress. This child has recently secured a place at mainstream college, which is a positive outcome.

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improvement to be good

Staff support a wide range of activities that reflect the children’s interests and hobbies. The dedicated staff team plans enjoyable activities with the children. These activities have provided the children with meaningful experiences that have enhanced their well-being.

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improvement to be good

The staff develop warm and positive relationships with children and know them well. Children observed during the inspection responded well to the staff support and enjoyed spending time with them.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and staff support children to have positive relationships with their families. Staff arrange meaningful and safe contact between children and family members. Staff are proactive when planning family time and ensure that staff support children if arrangements are changed.

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improvement to be good

On two occasions, managers have failed to follow safeguarding procedures. In one instance, an allegation of harm about a member of staff was not shared with the local authority designated officer. The member of staff left the provider’s employment without any action being logged. In another instance, following an episode of going missing, the child’s social worker was not informed of significant concerns related to this missing episode.

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improvement to be good

Children go missing from this home regularly. Staff follow children’s missing protocols and ensure that return home interviews are offered to children. However, Inspection report for children’s home: 2586947 4 the matching of children since the last inspection has increased the risk of going missing for some children. As a result, children have been exposed to unsafe situations that they would not normally have experienced.

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improvement to be good

Generally, staff respond to children’s behaviour well and ensure that situations are de-escalated. Staff support children who self-harm well. This is helping to reduce self-harming behaviours.

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improvement to be good

Medication records viewed during the inspection evidenced that systems in place for administering and recording medication in the home are safe.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risk management plans are detailed and regularly updated. They cover a range of risks and behaviours and include individual strategies that staff use to support the children. The staff monitor and discuss these in monthly team meetings. This contributes to staff having a good understanding of children’s behaviours and how to reduce risks.

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improvement to be good

Staff use appropriate consequences and rewards to help children understand their feelings and acceptable behaviour. Staff know the children well and respond to the individual needs of children.

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good

The registered manager is working towards her relevant qualification. They are introducing new approaches to supporting the children currently living at the home, but this change is slow. One staff member told the inspector that ‘the new manager is involving us in decisions.’

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good

Although other professional development is supported, the registered manager has not ensured that all staff have received the required training. For example, staff do not always complete the training needed before lone working with children, and not all staff have completed training to undertake the home’s chosen restraint model.

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good

Systems for notifying Ofsted of significant events are usually effective. However, on one occasion, the registered manager did not notify Ofsted that a child had disclosed that they had been the victim of sexual exploitation.

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good

Staff receive regular supervision sessions, which are reflective, well recorded and detailed. Staff told the inspector that they can always go to leaders for advice. They say that they are supported in their roles and are included in decision-making, through team meetings and incident debriefs.

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good

The manager understands the improvements that need to be made and has a development plan in place. However, at present, the objectives identified for improvement are not specific or measurable. Following the last inspection, leaders and managers have not taken effective action to address all recommendations and requirements. Two requirements are restated. Inspection report for children’s home: 2586947 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated from the last inspection.

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered manager appropriately matching children moving into the home and ensuring that the local authority designated officer is updated when children’s parents complain about staff working at the home. 27 April 2023

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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; and promotes their welfare.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; 27 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2586947 6 ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated from the last inspection.

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that staff are appropriately trained to support children, management oversight of restraint records and communication with children’s social workers.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation. (Regulation 40 (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to a delay of six months in sending a regulation 40 notification. 27 April 2023

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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: 2586947 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Accalia Care Services Ltd.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Radclyffe House, 66–68 Hagley Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B16 8PF

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Leaford Williams

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Inspector

Mark Dickinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2586947 8 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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