Children's Home run by Child First Residential Ltd in Sandwell

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2610371 1

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Child First Residential Limited

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns this home. It provides care for up to two children who have experienced adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and complex behaviours. There were two children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a new manager in post who has not yet submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

On 16 and 17 November 2022, Ofsted undertook a full inspection. Ofsted found serious and widespread concerns across all areas of care. This included shortfalls in the management of the home. The responsible individual had not addressed several shortfalls previously identified by Ofsted. Insufficient action had been taken to meet two compliance notices issued under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. As a result, Ofsted judged the home inadequate and served a notice of proposal to cancel the registration of the home.

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This monitoring visit

The monitoring inspection was to consider the progress made at the home in light of written representations submitted to, and reviewed by, Ofsted in response to the notice of proposal issued to cancel the home’s registration.

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This monitoring visit

Two children were living in the home at the time of the monitoring visit. The manager in charge of the home at the previous inspection is no longer employed. A new manager and deputy manager commenced their roles at the beginning of January. Together, they have started to bring about positive change. One child described the home as ‘better’ since the new manager started working there. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2610371 2 Children have better routines and structure to their day. This is helping them to have improved emotional well-being. A mental health professional said there had been some recent progress for one child. They said the child was ‘certainly a bit more settled’ and that they like the new manager.

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This monitoring visit

The new interim manager gives careful thought to the experience of staff working in the home. In recent weeks, they have ensured that there is a balance of skill and experience. The responsible individual has also recruited new staff to improve the balance of gender in the team.

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This monitoring visit

One child who has not attended school for a considerable time is visiting new schools. The new manager is supporting them to do this. The child told the inspectors that they are looking forward to returning to school. While waiting for plans to be confirmed, the child is engaging positively with a tutor and is enthusiastic about learning. Another child is now receiving support in relation to their health. For example, they have visited the dentist.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have undertaken further training pertinent to children’s needs. This includes training in reporting and recording, mental health first aid, key working, rewards and consequences and autism spectrum disorder. The training has been undertaken recently, and the impact of this training is yet to be fully realised. Not all staff are trained in the home’s therapeutic approach and in the use of physical intervention.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have made some improvements to the home environment. Overall, the home provides a welcoming and warm environment for children to live in.

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This monitoring visit

Children are beginning to build positive relationships with some staff. However, this will take time to embed and for trust to develop. One child believes that before the new manager started, staff did not always act to keep them safe. In addition, they describe the home as ‘the house’ and ‘not a home’ and said, ‘they [staff] try but they don’t get it’. Children did not like some staff who have recently left and said that their views about this were not taken seriously by the responsible individual. This did negatively impact on their experience of living at the home. For example, the mix of staff caring for children on Christmas Day meant that one child chose to eat their Christmas dinner on their own.

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This monitoring visit

A child is no longer subject to a deprivation of liberty order, which is positive. However, staff have not prepared the child and helped them to understand what this means. As a result, they continue to feel uncertain and anxious. Recently, the new manager and deputy have started to support the child to increase their independence at a pace that is right for them.

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This monitoring visit

Work to help children understand how to keep themselves safe continues to require improvement. Key-work sessions are not child friendly and lack creativity. Staff are not always sensitive when talking to children about delicate subjects and training is underway to upskill staff. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2610371 3 Children’s risk assessments are up to date and contain accurate information. There have been no incidents of self-harm, no missing-from-home episodes, bullying or physical intervention.

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This monitoring visit

One child made an allegation about a member of staff. Managers reported it to relevant professionals promptly and the matter was fully investigated. However, when the child first made the disclosure, two staff, including the responsible individual questioned the child on two separate occasions about what had happened. They did this without waiting for direction from the local authority designated officer. This approach shows a lack of understanding about how to respond to children when they make an allegation of harm, and it has the potential to compromise any further investigation. In addition, feedback to the child about the outcome of the allegation was not presented in a child-friendly way.

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This monitoring visit

Some work has been undertaken by the new manager to review safeguarding policies and procedures. However, information between different documents does not correlate, in particular relating to the procedures for senior staff.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has commissioned a consultancy firm to support them by undertaking a review of the service. They are also providing on-going reflective supervision to the responsible individual. The responsible individual has also undertaken additional training relevant to their role. It is of concern that the responsible individual requires the level of support he does. In addition, the responsible individual has not taken action to promptly and effectively review the quality of care provided to children and taken decisive action to improve it. This reflects concerns that the responsible individual does not have the experience and skills to undertake the role effectively at this time. As a result, Ofsted has issued a compliance notice under regulation 26, fitness of registered provider.

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This monitoring visit

It is encouraging that some improvements are being made, but progress is in its infancy. Ofsted will not be issuing a notice of decision to cancel the registration of the home. However, we will continue to monitor and review the quality of care children receive. Five requirements and three recommendations have been raised following this inspection. One requirement is subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2610371 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/11/2022 Full Inadequate 25/07/2022 Full Inadequate 09/03/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 13/07/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2610371 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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must improve how they consult with children in order to understand their day-to-day lived experiences. They should respond to any concerns raised by children promptly. In addition, managers and staff must support children to understand significant changes and events.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 31 March 2023

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; 31 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2610371 6 that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(v)(vii)(e)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must ensure that staff help children to understand how to keep safe and continue to review safeguarding procedures to ensure consistency in guidance for staff and managers. Staff and managers must be familiar with how best to respond to children when they make an allegation of harm.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on —

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(h)(g)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff receive relevant training and have the skills to meet children’s needs, support them effectively and with sensitivity. In addition, the provider must 31 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2610371 7 use monitoring and review systems to understand the quality of care that children receive and ensure that practice and care in the home is developed. Managers and staff must listen to children, respond to what they are telling them about their experiences in a timely manner and that when they are providing written responses to children’s concerns, these must be written with children in mind.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the responsible individual must ensure that they have, and can demonstrate, effective skills and knowledge of practice in children’s homes and regulations to support, direct and develop the quality of care in the home as needed.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 31 March 2023

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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

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (2)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must ensure that they have a system in place to help them understand the quality of care children receive. In addition, the provider must put in place a detailed plan of action that reflects all areas of development needed in the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 28 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2610371 8 *These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the workforce plan includes accurate staffing information, staffing structures and training information. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)  The registered person should ensure that they consult with relevant local services and staff to inform their review and risk assessment of the local area. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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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.

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Children’s home details

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2610371 9 Unique reference number: 2610371

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Child First Residential Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 11 Hollyhedge Road, West Bromwich B71 3BP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rajinder Kudhail

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Inspectors

Sarah Berry, Social Care Inspector Jackie Line, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2610371 10 inspects 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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