Children's home run by Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company

Inspection report for children's home: 2711552 1 Registered provider: Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by Birmingham Children’s Trust and provides short-term and emergency care for up to three children who may have experienced social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since December 2022. He holds a relevant level 5 qualification.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2711552 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home: 2711552 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive experiences of moving into and out of the home, even in emergency situations. Staff ensure that children feel welcome. This helps children to adapt to their new home and to settle in well. When the manager feels children’s needs are not being met, action is taken to help the child move to a more suitable home. Staff celebrate the child’s time at the home with them before they leave.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide unwavering care and support. They understand children’s individual complexities. Children’s care plans are clear and are regularly updated to address any emerging needs. As a result, staff deliver care that is centred around the child. A staff member said, ‘We have a common goal to look after children. The commitment is there. We have built some good relationships with the children.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child likes living at the home and has built strong bonds with staff and the manager. Staff listen to the child and act on their wishes. However, staff do not always record these discussions. For example, the child had asked staff to move some of his belongings as there was not enough storage space in his bedroom. Although the staff had acted on the child’s wishes, there was no record to evidence this. This does not highlight the efforts staff make to support the child’s requests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are dedicated to helping the child get the best from his education. Where there are barriers to learning, the manager works in partnership with the school and attends meetings to discuss concerns. A teacher said, ‘School is very challenging for him. It is important to work together through professionals’ meetings, to try and work out how to best support him.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to attend routine health appointments. Additionally, staff provide well-balanced meals and encourage the child to stay fit and well. As a result, the child is in good health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that the child stays connected with their family. During the inspection, the child told the inspector about plans to see their mother and brother. Helping the child to maintain relationships ensures that important bonds are strengthened.

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

Staff understand the child’s presenting risks. When incidents happen, staff take appropriate action to protect the child from harm. Staff use de-escalation techniques to manage behaviour. Physical restraint is only used as a last resort by trained staff. As a result, the child is learning to manage their emotions and channel their aggression positively.

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

When the child goes missing from the home, staff do all they can to ensure that the child returns home safely. Staff follow the missing-from-home protocol and work in Inspection report for children's home: 2711552 4 partnership with the police to return the child home safely. As a result, episodes of missing from care are reducing.

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

The child understands the fire procedure and knows what to do in the event of a fire evacuation. Regular fire drills monitor the effectiveness of the procedure. However, the fire procedure is not clear about where keys to the fire exit doors are kept. This has the potential to delay exit from the home.

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

A staff member took immediate action to prevent a child from starting a fire in the home. Although this incident was managed well, the manager did not inform the regulator. This hinders the external oversight of the operation of the home.

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

Staff offer praise and reward to the child for his positive contribution. Consequences are fair and proportionate. For example, staff removed the child’s television as a consequence of his disruptive behaviour. As a result, the child is learning how his actions have consequences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A suitably qualified registered manager manages the home. A suitably qualified deputy manager supports him. They are enthusiastic and driven to help children achieve their best.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leaders and managers know the strengths and development areas of the service. They know what progress children make because they spend quality time with the children and monitor the effectiveness of the service. This ensures that managers remain up to date about the quality care being delivered and what this feels like for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are provided with regular, good-quality supervision and training. Additionally, staff have the opportunity to seek ad hoc supervision in between planned sessions. This gives staff the chance to raise any developments or concerns that they may have about children’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working is a strength of the home. Professionals acknowledge the good work of the managers. A social worker said, ‘I found the managers at the home to be very committed to work alongside the social work team. Despite being in the placement for a very short time, [name of child] felt safe enough to share his vulnerability and feelings. The team provided him with nurture and advocated on his behalf seeking therapy. This is significant given [name of the child] trauma, loss and complex emotional needs.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has met the four requirements raised at the previous inspection. Two requirements and one recommendation have been raised at this inspection. Inspection report for children's home: 2711552 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, 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

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

provide adequate means of escape from the home in the event of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to procedures for escaping from the fire exits. 24 November

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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))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to notifying the regulator of incidents of fire starting. 24 November

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Recommendation

 The registered provider should ensure that staff respond to children’s views, when discussing at the admission stage, where the children would prefer their belongings to be stored if there is insufficient space in their bedroom. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 14.10)

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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 Inspection report for children's home: 2711552 6 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: 2711552 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Avenue Road, Aston, Birmingham B6 4DU

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Inspector

Michelle Spruce, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2711552 8 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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