Children's Home run by N H Care Limited in Birmingham

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC467264 1 SC467264

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns this home. The home provides care for up to four children aged eight to 17 years with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has submitted her application to be registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC467264 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection as there were no children living at the home.

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Findings from the inspection

On 9 February 2023, an assurance inspection was completed and serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children were identified.

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Findings from the inspection

This inspection is to review progress and the provider’s readiness to accept children.

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The care of children

Managers and leaders made a decision not to accept any children into the home for the foreseeable future due to staff shortages. Managers have safely recruited two staff and further staff are going through safer recruitment processes.

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The care of children

Shortfalls identified at the last inspection linked to children’s care planning, education and health needs have not yet been adequately addressed by managers and leaders. This is work in progress.

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The care of children

The home environment is not yet ready for children. Maintenance work is underway. Some areas of the home are being repainted, new furniture is being ordered and a deep clean is being organised. In addition, the garden is in need of maintenance, and the managers are going to order new outdoor furniture for children to enjoy.

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The safety of children

With a staff team not yet in place, managers and leaders have not been able to work with staff to prepare them for new children moving into the home and set expectations regarding good safeguarding practice and building positive relationships with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Managers and leaders devised an action plan outlining how they were intending to meet all shortfalls identified at the last inspection. They have not yet implemented this plan or taken opportunities to reflect on what happened. Some new systems are being developed, but there have been missed opportunities for managers to show learning from the last inspection and set out what they will do differently to meet children’s needs effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

All requirements raised at the last inspection have been restated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

As a result of this inspection, Ofsted have issued a notice of proposal to impose a condition on the home’s registration that will require the provider to inform Ofsted of Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC467264 3 their intention to admit children three months before a child will commence living at the home. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC467264 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/07/2021 Full Inadequate 02/01/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 06/08/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC467264 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 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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 30 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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 achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement; 30 June 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC467264 6 help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vi)(x))

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 30 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 30 June 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if 30 June 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC467264 7 necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 30 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 30 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which— 30 June 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC467264 8 include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 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. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 30 June 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC467264 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 69, Steward Street Business Lofts, Steward Street, Birmingham B18 7AF

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Inspector

Rumbi Mangoma, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC467264 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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