Children's Home run by Bright Life Living (Stirchley) Ltd in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2656172 1 Registered provider: Bright Life Living (Stirchley) Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home opened in January 2022 and is owned by a private company. It is registered to care for up to three children who may have specific social and emotional difficulties and are likely to have experienced trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The previous registered manager has left the service as of 25 April 2023, and a new interim manager has joined the service and taken over the management of the home since this time. They have not yet applied to register with Ofsted.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2656172 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2656172 3

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improvement to be good

Since the previous inspection, one child has moved into and out of the home in a short space of time. Another child expressed that they wanted to move on from the home as they did not feel it was meeting their needs and they wanted to move towards independent living. The child is now living in supported accommodation. This leaves one child living in the home, who has lived there since the previous inspection.

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improvement to be good

Children do not always experience well-planned care. All the information acquired was not used by managers to plan the care effectively before one child moved in. Staff and the current interim manager have expressed that they do not feel they had the skills needed to care for the child from the time the child moved in. As a result, the child had to move on in an unplanned way.

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improvement to be good

Children are not always well prepared for independence. When one child was preparing to move on to independence, the previous registered manager did not put a plan in place for this, and staff did not carry out regular direct work with the child to help prepare them for adulthood. This impacted on the child’s emotional well- being and motivation. Since this child left, the new interim manager has reflected on this and intends to create a new system for supporting children with independence planning in future.

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improvement to be good

Children’s education is promoted by the staff team. When children have struggled to attend school due to their low mood or are struggling to engage with lessons when they arrive, the manager and staff communicate effectively with children’s schools and put plans in place to find ways of supporting children to learn more effectively.

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improvement to be good

On several occasions, a child has not taken their required medication and has struggled with their emotional well-being. Staff discussed the importance of taking medication with the child, but they did not take any action for two months to consult medical professionals and ensure that there were no adverse side effects when such medication was missed. The interim manager has recently sought out medical advice regarding this. This approach to the child’s care prevented their health needs from being fully understood and addressed.

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improvement to be good

Children’s relationships with staff and experiences in the home are mixed. For example, one child joined a football team and attended a football training camp, while another child has been trampolining and to the circus recently. However, beyond activities, staff do not engage children regularly in discussions to help them with their emotions or to explore risks and help them understand ways they can keep themselves safe. Staff also do not have a good understanding of how to care for children in a trauma-informed way. Although children have some positive memories Inspection report for children’s home: 2656172 4 and experiences, these shortfalls prevent children from making as much progress with their well-being as they could over time.

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improvement to be good

There have been few significant incidents since the last inspection. However, children have struggled with their relationships with one another, and one child has been a victim of bullying. This has, on occasion, impacted on children’s happiness in the home and led to them making complaints about their care. More recently, this has improved now that there is only one child living in the home.

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improvement to be good

When incidents of bullying occur, staff offer children reassurance and notify children’s responsible authorities promptly. However, the manager does not put clear plans in place afterwards with the staff team, to help reduce the risk of further incidents. On one occasion, this led to a child assaulting another child. While staff did not leave children unsafe in the incident, the care was not organised by the manager to reduce risk as far as possible. The interim manager recognises this shortfall and intends to carry out further training with the team to increase everyone’s skills in managing bullying and reducing the likelihood of this occurring.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always ensure that children are given access to medication safely and in the right dosage. Since the previous inspection, there have been two occasions when staff forgot to give a child their medication, and another occasion when a child was left with medication in their possession for several days, which was not assessed as safe for them to have. In one of these incidents, there was a delay of four days before leaders informed other professionals and commenced investigations into the practice issues. Senior leaders completed reflections to help them learn from these errors, and staff were provided with further medication training. However, errors have recurred. Managers have now found additional specialist training that will be carried out to instil changes more effectively.

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improvement to be good

Staff respond to children effectively when they make an allegation about an adult caring for them. Since the previous inspection, there has been one allegation made by a child. Staff notified the local authority designated officer promptly and spoke with the child to ensure that they felt listened to.

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improvement to be good

Staff’s skills in using physical interventions to keep children safe are improving. Since the previous inspection, one child has had to be restrained to keep them safe on two occasions. In one incident, the recording by staff and oversight of the incident by managers were poor. Since the new interim manager started working in the home at the end of April 2023, the physical intervention that has occurred since that time has been more effectively recorded, and staff have supported the child in a more nurturing way. This demonstrates some positive progress in the safeguarding practice.

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improvement to be good

Children do not often go missing from home. Two incidents have occurred since the previous inspection. Staff ensured that safeguarding procedures were followed, and Inspection report for children’s home: 2656172 5 children’s social networks, local authorities and the police were consulted to try to locate the child as quickly as possible. This helps to support children in being found and returned to safety promptly.

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good

The home has been through a period of staffing and managerial instability since the last inspection. Several staff have left the service, and the previous registered manager left at the end of April. A new service manager joined the company, who has been managing the home on an interim basis since this date. The interim manager has not promptly applied to register with Ofsted. A new permanent manager has recently been recruited, who will start approximately in October.

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good

Manager’s monitoring and reviewing systems to improve care are inconsistent. Since the interim manager joined the service, every incident is now promptly reviewed, and when children have made a complaint, the manager has responded to resolve any concerns. However, before their arrival, the other managers in the service did not provide effective oversight.

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good

Managers in the service do not always act promptly to address delay in children’s care planning. For example, one child was identified as needing intensive therapy in their statutory review in January 2023, but this is still not in place and managers are not able to demonstrate why this has not been rectified sooner. Managers in the service recognise that this needs closer monitoring and have introduced additional monthly audits over the last month to increase their oversight of care. Although this is a positive improvement, this has been a recurring shortfall in previous inspections. This change is in its infancy so cannot yet be evaluated.

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good

Since the last inspection, staff have received further training. This includes mandatory training and training specific to children’s needs. Despite the training received, staff who were spoken to during the inspection did not have a good understanding of how to care for children based on their attachment needs, which is reflected in some of the practice seen in incidents. Managers recognise the shortfalls in skills in this area and have started to plan workshops with the team to address this issue.

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good

Staff receive regular encouragement from the interim manager. Staff shared that they feel the new manager’s approach helps them feel more supported. Staff have regular supervisions and team meetings, where updates to the children’s care are discussed. However, shortfalls in staff practice are not always addressed in these forums. This represents a missed opportunity to develop staff practice.

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good

Professionals have commented on the effective communication of the interim manager and staff team. For example, one child’s school and their social worker have said they are always updated on any concerns or developments for the child. This improved communication helps professionals work together more effectively and means the previous requirement issued under regulation 5 is now met. Inspection report for children’s home: 2656172 6 Since the previous inspection, several new staff members have been recruited. Safer recruitment procedures have been followed to help ensure that only safe staff are caring for children as far as possible. This means that the previous recommendation issued in relation to recruitment is also now met. Inspection report for children’s home: 2656172 7

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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, The 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 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.

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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 has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that staff consult with medical professionals when required if there are concerns about children’s health or medication, and that staff seek to engage with other professionals effectively to meet children’s mental health needs. 25 August 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;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; 10 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2656172 8 manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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)(iii)(iv)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that there are clear risk management plans that get updated when new information emerges. Staff should follow these plans and have the skills to spot signs when children may be at risk and then take effective action to keep children safe, including from the risk of harm posed to one another.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated from the previous inspection.

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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

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

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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that they use monitoring and reviewing systems to understand the quality of care provided to children and make improvements.

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Requirement Due date

This also specifically relates to the registered person 10 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2656172 9 ensuring that staff have the skills needed to understand and meet children’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated from the previous inspection.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that children’s care, into and for the duration of their stay, is properly planned and that plans are followed in line with children’s needs to enable them to make progress. 24 August 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the supervision and performance management of staff safeguard children and minimise potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: 2656172 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bright Life Living (Stirchley) Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Wheeleys Road, Birmingham B15 2LD

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Inspector

Fiona Roche, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2656172 11 regulates and 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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