Children's Home run by Beacon Childcare Ltd in Sandwell

Inspection report for children’s home: 2695748 1 Registered provider: Beacon Childcare Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to one child with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is qualified and suitably experienced for the role.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection since it was registered with Ofsted on 9 December 2022.

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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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2695748 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2695748 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to participate in decisions which affect his life and advocate for him. A restrictive court order was previously imposed on the child. Multi-agency working with the placing authority resulted in successful removal of the order. The child’s voice played a significant part in this decision-making process.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has begun to form positive and trusting relationships with staff. The inspector observed staff to be kind, nurturing and empathetic when the child was very upset. The staff listened to the child and allowed him to vent his frustrations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child told the inspector that he likes the staff, is happy and feels safe living at the home. He has made significant progress. In particular, the child’s health, diet, personal hygiene, sleeping and engagement in education have all improved in the relatively short period of time he has lived at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support and promote the child’s health and well-being. This was confirmed by the child’s parent, who said: ‘He is more settled, and has improved his sleep.’ Staff encouraged and supported the child to participate in an eight-week NHS Stop Smoking programme, which he successfully completed, and he no longer smokes. In addition to this, the child is engaging with a workbook to support learning about drug misuse.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Before moving into this home, the child had not been receiving any education. He now engages in education with a tutor, who visits him at home, and the registered manager has liaised with educational professionals to begin a school search.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to form positive relationships with the child’s family and friends. They understand family dynamics and support the child’s relationships in accordance with his wishes. Staff support the child to spend time safely with his friends and family, who live a distance from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help prepare the child for his future and to transition to adulthood. He is supported to learn skills to become more independent. He prepares meals for himself and for the staff team. He has also been supported to do his laundry and take care of his belongings and tidy his bedroom.

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

The staff know the child well and are vigilant and aware of situations in the community which could compromise his safety. Staff use their positive relationships to set out clear rules and boundaries, which the child follows. Staff also provide the child with consistent routines and use appropriate consequences to help him understand and to make positive choices. As a result, the child is learning from his behaviours, is more able to regulate his emotions, feels safer and risks are reducing. However, the child’s risk assessment does not include all the known information regarding the child’s behaviour which posed Inspection report for children’s home: 2695748 4 a risk to staff. This meant that staff did not have clear guidance when responding to a similar incident.

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

Staff only use restraint as a last resort. When this is unavoidable, they act quickly to keep the child safe. The use of the measures is reasonable and proportionate and the child’s views are sought. However, debriefs are not always completed with the staff, and this reduces the opportunity for them to reflect on their practice and identify any learning. Additionally, the manager maintained oversight of an incident of restraint that he was involved in and did not allow for independent scrutiny.

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

The child’s episodes of going missing have reduced significantly since he has been living at the home. There have been two occasions when the child went missing and staff responded in line with his plans. The child was helped to return home quickly and safely. However, on these occasions, the child did not have the opportunity to engage with an independent return home interview and this was not successfully escalated by the manager to the local authority.

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

The registered manager completes a regular assessment of the location of the home. He assesses areas where the child visits regularly to see friends. This helps staff to understand risks in those areas. This regular assessment is consistently informed by the views of other professionals. This strengthens the overall picture of the location of the home.

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

Safer recruitment processes are in place to reduce the opportunity for unsuitable staff to work in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A suitably qualified and experienced manager leads the team. He is child-focused and ambitious and aspires for the best possible outcomes for children. The manager is also motivated and dedicated to providing the child with care that is nurturing and supportive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals praise the communication with the manager and staff and the standard of care provided for the child. One social worker stated: ‘Staff have stabilised the child’s placement and formed positive relationships with him. I’m so pleased with the child’s progress and the excellent care he receives.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff spoke positively about working in the home. A staff member stated: ‘The manager creates an open-door policy. He is supportive and empowering.’ Staff also told the inspector that the induction they receive is comprehensive and provided them with the information they needed to take on their role. Staff feel supported and valued as team members.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is currently fully staffed. However, several staff left soon after the home was registered. Remaining staff were supported for a period of time by agency staffing. While staff employed by the home receive regular supervision, agency staff did not. The Inspection report for children’s home: 2695748 5 quality of staff supervision varies. Some supervision records lack reflective practice to help staff learn from challenges that arise to help improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A workforce development plan is in place but lacks information regarding the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of the staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some aspects of the manager’s oversight require improvement to ensure that the manager identifies emerging trends and themes and the strengths and weaknesses of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2695748 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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that any risks posed from known behaviours are considered, with clear strategies to reduce and prevent harm. 8 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))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all staff supervision sessions are reflective in order to improve staff practice and promote effective working practices with the child.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, ensure that all staff receive supervision, including agency workers. 8 June 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2695748 7 The registered person must ensure that—

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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

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

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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (3)(a)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all staff involved in physical interventions receive debriefs and the effectiveness of any measure is reviewed by someone who is not involved in the restraint. 8 June 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the workforce development plan is updated to reflect how the staff are supported to progress their professional development. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)  The registered person should ensure that they escalate within the local authority when an opportunity has not been provided for a child to have a return home interview when they have been missing. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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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: 2695748 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Beacon Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 28 Phoenix Business Park, Avenue Close, Birmingham B7 4NU

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Inspector

Glenis Staiger-Grant, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2695748 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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