Children's Home run by Next Step Residential Care Limited in Birmingham

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2684458 1 Registered provider: Next Step Residential Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and was registered with Ofsted in April 2023. It provides care for up to four children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since February 2022, and is working toward achieving the relevant qualification.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: Inadequate

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: Following the last inspection, Ofsted issued a notice to vary the conditions of registration of this provider. This was to enable the provider to meet the needs of the current children and make other improvements required.

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Information about this inspection

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 26 July 2023. Following this inspection, an assurance visit took place due to safeguarding concerns received by Ofsted. This visit was to establish the safety and well-being of children living in the home. There are ongoing investigations being undertaken by other agencies.

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspectors 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 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2684458 2 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: 2684458 3

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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

Two children now live in the home. Since the previous inspection in July 2023, one child has moved in to the home. Managers and staff took appropriate action to ensure that the child’s transition was well planned. The child visited the home prior to moving in and had lunch with staff to start to build up relationships. This enabled the child to have a positive experience on moving in to the home.

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The care of children

Managers now ensure that children’s care is well planned and that staff understand children’s individual needs. This enables children’s needs to be met and for staff to understand when children may need additional support. As a result, children feel safe with the team around them and can be supported to make measurable progress from their starting points.

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The care of children

Managers and staff now seek children’s views about the care that they receive. Children are encouraged to contribute to their own care planning. One child told the inspector how they were supported to share their views at their meeting. The child requested a move to another bedroom in the home and to personalise the room to their taste. This was supported by staff. Consequently, children now feel listened to. This improves their confidence and self-worth.

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The care of children

Managers and staff provide children with support to pursue their individual interests. They encourage children to try new activities in the home and out in the community. One child spoke about going go-karting and roller blading, and told the inspector that she enjoyed doing activities with staff and the other child living in the home. Children are supported to socialise with their peers and develop their self-esteem and confidence while having fun.

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The safety of children

Managers now ensure that they consider the needs of each child prior to them moving in to the home. Managers discuss with the staff team key information about the needs and risks for each child. This means that the staff team understands each child.

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The safety of children

Risk assessments are thorough. They identify any potential risks and known triggers, and outline ways to ensure that children’s safety is prioritised. As a result, staff are prepared to respond immediately to reduce risks, to ensure children’s safety.

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The safety of children

There is a clear protocol in place for staff to follow should children go missing from home. One child was missing from care during this inspection. Managers and staff Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2684458 4 acted in line with the child’s missing-from-care protocol. Staff searched the local area and areas that the child has links to. They contacted all relevant professionals, such as social workers, the police and the child’s parent. The records that were reviewed of this incident were clear. As a result, all steps taken to locate and return children safely could be understood, alongside children’s missing-from-care protocols.

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The safety of children

Since the last inspection, there have been no incidents requiring the use of physical restraint. However, managers have identified further safeguarding training. This will support staff to gain an in-depth knowledge and understanding of how children can best be supported in times of crisis. The proposed training will also support this inexperienced staff team to develop their practice.

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The safety of children

After safeguarding incidents have occurred, staff complete direct work sessions with children to help them to understand how to keep themselves safe. However, following one incident, managers and staff did not undertake the direct work needed to provide a child with information that they required to escalate their concerns. As a result, not all children are supported to access the information they need to independently raise concerns about aspects of their care that they are not happy with.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Managers ensure that regular team meetings take place. This provides the staff team with opportunities to discuss the children’s needs and reflect on practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager knows the children well and has a good understanding of their needs. The manager is reviewing practice and introducing changes to improve children’s experiences. For example, a child moving in to the home experienced a well-planned introduction that involved an initial visit to the home. This allowed the child to make connections with the staff before moving in. As a result, the child settled into the home well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Overall, children receive care from a consistent staff team. However, managers do not accurately record on the staff rota the names of all staff and managers who work in the home. As a result, information about managers’ shifts and staff who cover gaps in the rota is not available. This does not demonstrate good safeguarding practices.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The home’s mobile phone policy does not set out how agreements are reached about information being deleted or transferred from children’s phones. In addition, it is unclear who can give permission to delete information from children’s devices and how the placing authority is involved in these decisions. As a result, staff have not been provided with clear practice guidance that will safeguard children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The notice varying this home’s conditions of registration to two children remains in place as further work is required to progress the previous requirements which have been reinstated. The management and staff team also remain inexperienced and Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2684458 5 underdeveloped, and therefore require additional time to ensure that the home operates in line with The Children’s Homes Regulations 2015.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/07/2023 Full Inadequate Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2684458 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 requires the registered person to ensure—

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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.;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare;.

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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

ensure day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the effectiveness of the home's child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1)(a) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that risks associated with children's care plans are considered, and arrangements are put in place to reduce the risk of harm to the child. 11 September

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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— 11 September Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2684458 7 promotes children’s welfare and ensures that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child.

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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

uses monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(d)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the home has sufficient staff so that the care of children is undertaken only by employees employed by the provider to care for children. Also, ensure that systems are in place to monitor, review and update practice as required to meet the needs of children.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that, the registered person must ensure—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the relevant documents are received prior to a child’s placement, so consideration can be given to the child’s needs and whether they can be met by the staff as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. 11 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response;

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Requirement Due date

describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect; 11 September Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2684458 8 describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. (Regulation 34 (1)(b) (2)(d)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that their mobile phone policy sets out how decisions are made about the removal of information from children’s mobile phones, who can give permission for this, and how children’s placing local authorities are involved in these arrangements.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that information relating to the circumstances of incidents that require children to be safeguarded are clearly recorded and contain full information. 11 September

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must ensure that they produce an accurate copy of the staff duty roster of all persons working at the home. This should include the manager and staff. 11 September

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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

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 11 September Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2684458 9

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Recommendation

 The registered person must ensure that they promote children’s understanding through undertaking life story work or other direct work. In particular, when direct work is scheduled to support children to understand how to escalate their concerns, this should be progressed. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.14)

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Children’s home Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2684458 10 Registered provider: Next Step Residential Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3 Wetherly Court, High Gate, London N6 4DP

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Inspectors

Sharon Bourne, Social Care Inspector Alison Cooper, Regulatory Inspection Manager Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2684458 11 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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