Children's Home run by HAVEN CARE GROUP LIMITED in Birmingham

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2548333 1 Registered provider: Haven Care Group Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a privately owned company and was registered in January 2020. It is registered to care for up to four children who have had adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and presenting complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by an experienced manager who registered with Ofsted in April 2023.

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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: 2548333 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.

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The care of children

Since the last inspection, information provided to Ofsted by the independent visitor raised some concerns with the care planning processes for children moving in to and out of the home. In addition, there were concerns regarding incidents involving children at the home. As a result, Ofsted carried out this assurance inspection to ensure that children were being effectively safeguarded. Shortfalls in practice have been identified during this inspection. However, a new responsible individual has been appointed who is taking action to address these concerns.

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The care of children

Since the last inspection, two children have moved in to the home and two children have left the home. At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home.

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The care of children

Overall, children enjoy positive relationships with staff. One child was observed to be engaging well with staff, who understood and responded to the child’s needs effectively. In addition, staff advocate well for children. One child said that they ‘feel safe and did not worry about anything’ and that ‘staff always listen and help’. This support reassures children and helps them to feel cared for.

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The care of children

Care planning and placement planning processes require improvement. For example, poor placement planning and assessment for a child who moved in to the home after the last inspection failed to identify the potential impact on another child already living in the home. In addition, the manager’s assessment failed to consider the risks that the local area presented for the child. Consequently, the child’s vulnerability increased, and they lived in the home for two weeks before moving out. Shortfalls in the registered manager’s assessment also had a detrimental impact on another child’s experiences in the home. This led to this child moving out of the home prematurely. Poor planning and assessment have had an impact on children’s progress and day-to-day experiences at the home.

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The care of children

However, the home’s newly appointed responsible individual has acknowledged the shortfalls and taken action to improve processes. The current child living in the home has settled in well and a more detailed assessment of the child’s needs took place prior to the child moving in. In addition, leaders have planned for a new child to move in after the inspection had ended. This child had visited the home on two occasions and stayed overnight as part of a planned transition. These actions reassure Ofsted that leaders can learn from previous mistakes, make decisions and plan appropriately for children moving in to and out of the home. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2548333 3

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The safety of children

Staff respond well when children go missing from the home. Since the previous inspection, there has been two incidents when a child failed to return to the home on time. Staff responded in line with the child’s protocols and immediately informed the relevant professionals. As a result, the child was quickly found and safely returned to the home.

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The safety of children

Staff and leaders work well with professionals to safeguard children at risk of exploitation. For example, staff and leaders worked effectively with the police to safeguard one child who had established inappropriate links and networks in the local area. In addition, a police officer has attended the home and spent time discussing risks with one child. These actions help to promote children’s safety and well-being.

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The safety of children

The registered manager does not always assess children’s risks effectively or put in place actions to reduce these risks. For example, following the admission of a new child, the manager identified that three staff would be needed to work with the children at any one time to reduce their risks. However, she failed to initially action this when the child moved in and two staff worked in the home. Consequently, one child went missing from the home on their first day. Failing to put in place identified measures to reduce children’s risks has the potential to compromise their safety. However, the home’s responsible individual has acknowledged these shortfalls in his review of the home and made changes to improve assessments. As a result, these now provide staff with clear guidance on what they need to do to reduce children’s risks.

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The safety of children

Overall, leaders respond immediately to investigate concerns with staff practice. Since the previous inspection, there has been one incident. The registered manager notified the relevant professionals and ensured that she acted in line with the home’s safeguarding policies. However, the investigation into poor staff practice was not completed as a joined-up process with the child’s placing authority. This was because communication between the registered manager, staff and the child’s social worker broke down and was not effective. Failing to work effectively with partner agencies has the potential to leave children vulnerable.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered manager’s oversight and monitoring of the home requires improvement. Monitoring systems used by the registered manager have failed to identify some of the shortfalls in the quality of care provided to children in the home. For example, systems have failed to identify gaps in children’s and staff records and shortfalls in children’s care planning arrangements. Ineffective monitoring systems do not improve the quality of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

However, since the last inspection, there has been a change to the home’s responsible individual. He understands the manager’s strengths and weaknesses and is providing support to develop her practice. For example, she is now receiving Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2548333 4 regular supervision and he has introduced new systems to support the development of the home. These actions are helping to make some improvements to the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff receive regular supervision and support. These sessions are reflective and help staff to identify opportunities to develop and improve their practice. Consequently, staff feel valued and are motivated to improve the care that children receive.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2023 Full Good 19/07/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/04/2022 Full Inadequate Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2548333 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 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, the registered manager should assess risks effectively and put in place plans to reduce risks to children. This includes risks relating to children going missing from the home and ensuring that previously identified staffing levels have been implemented in the home to reduce children’s risks. 4 October 2023

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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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 4 October 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2548333 6 child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

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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)(a)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that they have effective oversight and monitoring of children’s risks. It further relates to the manager’s oversight of the quality of care that children receive in the home. Leaders must also have clear monitoring and review systems in place to improve practice and understand children’s progress and experiences.

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that care planning arrangements for children moving in to and on from the home are assessed and managed effectively. 4 October 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2548333 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that she promotes and develops strong working relationships between the staff of the home and the placing authority as these relationships help to provide essential support to children living in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.2) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2548333 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Haven Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Haven Care Group, Unit 6, Barberry Court, Parkway, Centrum One Hundred, Burton-on-Trent DE14 2UE

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Inspector

Dean Wilton, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2548333 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 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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