Children's Home run by Care and Management Services Ltd in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC419229 1 SC419229 Registered provider: Care and Management Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is one of a group of four homes run by the same organisation. The home provides care for up to four children who exhibit complex behaviours due to their childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2022 and is working towards a level 5 diploma in leadership and management.

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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 inadequate

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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: SC419229 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/10/2022 Full Good 27/01/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 06/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/02/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC419229 3

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improvement to be good

One child lives in the home. They have lived here for over a year. The overall experiences of children and the quality of care that they receive are compromised by staffing vacancies and the high use of agency staff. Issues are compounded by ineffective management oversight. Despite these challenges, there are positives. The child is making progress.

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff work in partnership with the placing authority, the child and specialist agencies. These relationships enable staff to provide personalised care that supports and reflects the child’s complex needs. Professionals are positive about the child’s progress.

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improvement to be good

The child has made some progress in education. For example, their attendance at school has improved after a significant period of non-attendance. They are enjoying learning and making new friends. Consequently, the child is working towards positive educational outcomes.

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improvement to be good

The child has built strong relationships with the consistent team of staff who care for them. This helps the child to build trust and to feel safer and relaxed in their surroundings.

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improvement to be good

The child takes part in activities that they enjoy with staff. This provides the child with the opportunity to gain new experiences and have fun. For example, the child has enjoyed trips to the cinema, bowling and escape rooms.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child with their health and well-being. Staff demonstrate an ability to seek specialist help when this is necessary and have carried out research to meet the child’s specific needs. The multi-team approach means that the child’s needs are responded to appropriately.

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improvement to be good

Most of the home is warm and welcoming and has a family atmosphere. The child’s belongings fill the home, and their photos are on display. However, other areas in the home do not create a nurturing environment. This is due to poor maintenance work and outstanding issues not being addressed promptly. For example, the carpet on the stairs is torn and the front garden is overgrown. This does not help the child to invest in their home and feel valued.

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improvement to be good

Staff educate the child around risk. This direct work includes self-harm, emotional well-being and alternative strategies to help the child stay calm. This positive work Inspection report for children’s home: SC419229 4 enhances the child’s knowledge of risk and allows them to take lead in their learning.

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improvement to be good

Staff have the skills and knowledge to keep the child safe. The child does not go missing from the home. Concerns about the child going missing from care have reduced, and there have been no missing-from-care incidents while they have lived at the home. If a child was to go missing from the home, there are clear risk assessments in place which give the staff clear direction on how to respond and manage this risk.

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff listen to the child’s views. The child knows how to make a complaint, and any complaints are taken seriously. As a result, the child feels listened to and valued.

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improvement to be good

Managers have failed to ensure that the home environment is safe for the child to live in. A range of health and safety checks are carried out to assess whether there are any hazards which could pose a risk to the child. However, shortfalls have not been identified. For example, there are exposed wires on a newly fitted fire alarm system and fire doors were propped open, making these non-compliant. The manager took prompt action during the inspection to rectify these issues.

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improvement to be good

The inspector found that the front door was locked during the inspection. This restricts the child’s access around the home. This is also a fire exit door, which means that the child cannot use this as a route of escape in an emergency.

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improvement to be good

Managers work in partnership with placing authorities to protect the child and promote their safety. The effectiveness of these relationships helps the child to feel safe and secure. Staff are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities, and they have a good knowledge of whistle-blowing procedures. On one occasion, following an allegation from the child, the manager did not notify statutory bodies within the required timescales. The details of this had not been recorded in the safeguarding log nor was the risk assessment updated following this.

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improvement to be good

Restraint records do not contain all the essential information to meet regulation 35. For example, there is no recorded evidence that staff have a debrief with someone independent of the incident, to reflect on what has happened. Managers have not identified these shortfalls and taken steps to address them. As a result, it is not clear whether restraint practice is safe and proportionate.

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improvement to be good

Staff and managers work in partnership to support the child with their emotional health. Safety plans and positive behaviour support plans are kept up to date, therapeutic professionals and the child have supported in writing these. However, risk assessments relating to self-harm do not give staff direction in how to respond effectively to a child after incidents of self-harm. For example, room searches were not carried out following a child using a piece of crockery to self-harm. Six days later, the child used this same item to self-harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Inspection report for children’s home: SC419229 5 The registered manager has been absent from the home since February 2023. In his absence, the deputy manager has covered the management of the home. The covering manager has continued to work full-time hours in a caring role. Although senior managers have offered some additional support, these gaps have compromised managerial capacity and oversight and contributed to several significant management shortfalls.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Current staffing arrangements fail to provide the child with consistent care. There has been a high use of agency staff since the last inspection. Inspectors found that children have been cared for by 29 different agency staff over the inspection period.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager does not provide all staff with regular supervision. In some cases, the manager can assess whether staff are making progress and understand their roles and responsibilities in providing care to the child and how to keep them safe. However, poor staff practice is not always challenged. Supervision sessions for senior members of staff have not been carried out for consecutive months. No agency staff have received practice-related supervision despite their regular use, and senior staff delivering supervision have not been trained to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers’ monitoring is ineffective and fails to protect the child from harm. There has been no senior management presence in the home for several months. The manager told the inspector that the responsible individual has visited the home three times in the last year. They do not monitor, review and evaluate significant incidents effectively. Managers lack professional curiosity and fail to identify shortfalls and inconsistencies in staff recording.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The rota does not include all staff who have worked at the home, in line with requirements. This means that information is not readily available to review now or if needed in the future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have a lax approach to visitors to the home, which fails to safeguard children. For example, the manager told the inspector that visitors are not always asked to sign in when they visit the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Most staff hold the relevant qualifications for their role. However, one member of staff has not attained a level 3 qualification in residential childcare within the required time frame. This means that not all staff have been trained to the required level to meet the child’s needs. However, staff receive good-quality training which is closely linked to child’s individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has built positive relationships with professionals. This ensures good communication and means that the child receives the care that they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff morale is good. Staff are positive about the support they receive and enjoy working at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC419229 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 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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the home is well maintained and that any maintenance issues are addressed promptly. 3 September 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 necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; 3 September 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC419229 7 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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vi)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that: staff have clear directions around management of self-harm; the manager has effective oversight of incidents and uses professional curiosity; child protection procedures are followed; and the home is a safe place for children to live.

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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 the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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)(d)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The manager must ensure that there is effective oversight of the home and that there are enough staff to provide continuity of care for the child. 3 September 2023

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises. (Regulation 21 (b)) 3 September 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC419229 8 An individual may only carry on a children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (5).

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Requirement Due date

satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c); and

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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 (1) (7)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The responsible individual must ensure that they have the capacity to oversee the management of the home and have effective oversight. 3 September 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. (Regulation 32 (1) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The manager must ensure that staff complete the relevant qualification within the necessary time frame. 3 September 2023

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation; and

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Requirement Due date

provide each employee with a job description outlining the employee’s responsibilities.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— 3 September 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC419229 9 undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)(b)(c) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The manager must ensure that all staff, including regular agency staff, receive practice-related supervision and that those delivering this are trained to do so.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The manager must ensure that information in relation to Schedule 4 is kept up to date and records are maintained in the home. 3 September 2023

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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;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 3 September 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC419229 10

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that records of restraint are kept which enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure that it meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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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: SC419229 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care and Management Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Park Business Centre, Hastingwood Industrial Park, Wood Lane, Birmingham, Warwickshire B24 9QR

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Inspectors

Nateisha Cardoza-Evans, Social Care Inspector Marianne Grandfield, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC419229 12 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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