Children's Home run by Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company in Birmingham

Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 1 Registered provider: Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Birmingham Children’s Trust operates the home. The home has been registered since March 2018. It provides care for up to 12 children with learning disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in March 2018.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

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.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 13 September 2022

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/05/2022 Full Inadequate 11/01/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, three children have moved out of the home and three children have moved in. At the time of the inspection, 12 children were living in the home.

p.3

improvement to be good

The registered manager and staff have worked hard to make improvements to the home environment. The children’s bedrooms have all been redecorated and are personalised to their taste. Improvements to the decor in the living rooms and kitchens have helped to create a homely feel. There are still some areas of the home that do not have a comfortable feel. However, managers have a plan in place to improve these areas.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children enjoy taking part in activities, including trips to the local park, the swimming baths and the cinema. The children make good use of their leisure time and were keen to show the inspectors photos of the different activities that they have been involved in. However, on several occasions, staff shortages have resulted in children’s activities being cancelled. This has reduced opportunities for children’s enrichment and for them to have fun.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children have good attendance at school. Effective communication between the staff and teachers ensures that information is shared. However, a lack of planning between the staff and a child’s social worker resulted in one child missing their first day at college. This was particularly important for this child as they had not been in education for a significant period.

p.3

improvement to be good

The children have positive relationships with each member of the staff team. Each child has two nominated members of staff who carry out one-to-one work with them. During the inspection, the inspectors observed warm and nurturing relationships between the children and the staff.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff support children to attend health appointments. This ensures that children receive the help and support that they need to address their health and well-being needs.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff understand that maintaining family connections is important to children. Staff do all that they can to support children to spend quality time with family members. One parent said they loved being able to spend time with their child at the home.

p.3

improvement to be good

The staff have a general awareness of children’s risks and the agreed strategies to reduce concerns. However, as children’s risk assessments and behaviour support Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 4 plans are not always kept up to date, staff do not always have the most current information to help them meet children’s specific needs. For example, there are two children who have had recent epileptic seizures, there is no clear guidance in place for staff about how to support the children should they have further seizures.

p.3

improvement to be good

There are times when physical intervention is needed to help keep children and others safe. However, children are not consistently given the opportunity to talk about their feelings following situations where they have been held. This is a missed opportunity for children’s wishes and feelings to be heard and to capture learning to help reduce the likelihood of a reoccurrence.

p.4

improvement to be good

Overall, the manager responds well to allegations against staff and works alongside relevant professionals to keep children safe. However, the manager’s investigation into one allegation was not robust and she had not addressed actions set by the local authority designated officer (LADO). The registered manager has since taken steps to address this shortfall and is working closely with the LADO to improve practice.

p.4

improvement to be good

The registered manager has not ensured that safer recruitment checks have been completed for two permanent staff. For example, she has not taken action to understand why staff left previous positions where they worked with children. Shortfalls in safe recruitment practices could leave children at risk of being cared for by unsuitable adults.

p.4

improvement to be good

The manager has failed to ensure that all aspects of the physical environment are safe for children. For example, the cooker used to prepare children’s meals was layered with grease and dirt. During the inspection, the registered manager took steps to rectify the issue, however, further improvements are required. Work relating to fire safety has been completed within the required timescale.

p.4

improvement to be good

Children have formed close relationships with one another. One child described another as his ‘best mate’. Inspectors observed warm and nurturing interactions between the children. Positive relationships help children to feel comfortable and secure.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff follow internet safety guidance. Staff undertake routine checks of the children’s electronic devices and carry out direct work with children about online safety. This supports children to keep safe when online.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

A suitably qualified registered manager manages the home. A deputy manager and three assistant managers support her.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager’s monitoring systems have failed to identify shortfalls in the operation of the home, including in the recording and the review of the children’s in- house care plans. Consequently, the registered manager does not have sufficient insight into the quality of care provided to the children and how this can be Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 5 improved. Shortfalls in the effectiveness of the registered manager’s monitoring have been raised at several inspections following the registration of the home including at the last inspection.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home has a core team of regular staff who know the children well. However, the home is not fully staffed and the manager relies on agency staff to fill gaps in the rota. This means that children do not always receive care from consistent and experienced staff who know them well.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

It is unclear if staff have undertaken all the required mandatory training. In addition, despite some children having epileptic seizures, some staff have not received training to raise their awareness in this area. Although staff have some understanding of the condition, the lack of training means that staff may not have all the knowledge and skills required to support children’s individual needs.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The independent person’s external monitoring of the home does not always provide a detailed and thorough assessment of the quality of care provided. This hinders the regulator, as well as the manager, in monitoring the service.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff say that they feel supported. The registered manager has implemented a system to ensure that staff have regular supervision and formal annual appraisals. However, the quality of professional supervision varies and does not always allow staff to explore and develop their practice.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager and the staff team have developed strong relationships with relevant professionals, including social workers. As a result, there is good communication between them, which promotes children’s welfare. Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 6

p.5

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.

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a) (2)(a)(c)(d)(f))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 2 November 2023

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

that staff— 2 November 2023 Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 7 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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.7

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)(i)(v)(d))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that risk assessments and behaviour management plans provide staff with clear, current and consistent guidance to support the children.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person should ensure that the home environment is free from hazards.

p.7

Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(c))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to children having the opportunity to discuss their views and feelings following an incident of physical intervention. 2 November 2023

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)) 2 November 2023

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the independent person undertakes visits to the home in line with regulation, seeks children’s views and gains their Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 8 feedback. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)  The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of their children and is a homely, domestic environment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes

p.7

Recommendations

Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

p.8

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: 1273663 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Birmingham Children’s Trust, Third Floor Zone 16, 1 Lancaster Circus, Birmingham B4 7DJ

p.9

Inspectors

Lydia Isaac, Social Care Inspector Virginia Vickers, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 10 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.

p.9

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10