Children's Home run by Adecyn Children’s Homes Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2497049 1 Registered provider: Adecyn Children’s Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home that cares for up to two children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably experienced and holds the relevant qualification.

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Information about this children’s home

No children currently live in the home. The home is undergoing extensive refurbishment. The provider does not intend to admit any children until the refurbishment is complete.

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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

Date of last inspection: 25 October 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2497049 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/10/2022 Full Good 16/09/2021 Full Good 28/11/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2497049 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has recently moved to another home in the organisation. The inspector visited the child in their new home. The child was well supported during the transition. Staff also moved to the new home to continue caring for the child. As a result, the child continues to receive consistent care by staff who understand their needs well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff formed positive relationships with the child. They provided the child with care that was nurturing and supportive. The child has fond memories of living in the home. The child enjoyed various activities, such as going to the cinema and doing art and crafts. They told the inspector, ‘We are family.’ Staff have helped the child to develop their self-awareness and confidence. As a result, the child is more assertive and able to express their views about their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff work closely with external professionals and the organisation’s psychotherapist. Staff receive information and support that helps them provide trauma-informed care. As a result, the child’s mental and emotional well-being has greatly improved. The child is now able to live alongside other children. In addition, restrictions on their liberty have now been reduced.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager is a strong advocate for children’s education. They ensure that the child has the right support to meet their learning needs. One professional said they enjoyed working with staff and described them as ‘thorough’. They said the care the child received was ‘individually tailored’. The child now enjoys attending college and is developing their independence. Staff from the home no longer attend college with them. For the first time, the child is forming friendships. The child is now able to identify their achievements with a sense of pride. As a result, the child’s mental and emotional well-being has improved. They are developing self-confidence and have improved self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has contributed to their own care plan. The manager has helped them to identify how they would like staff to care for them. Care plans are child focused and capture children’s wishes and feelings clearly. They provide a wonderful story of the child’s time living in the home. This will help the child to understand their life journey in the future. Care plans also detail the child’s needs and risks sensitively. As a result, it is clear what action adults take to meet the child’s needs and how they are keeping the child safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have supported the child to develop age-appropriate independence skills. This includes helping them to budget and prepare their own meals and learn how to travel independently. These valuable life skills will help the child to live independently in the future. Inspection report for children’s home: 2497049 4

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

The child is no longer subject to a deprivation of liberty order. Staff prepared the child and helped them to understand what this means, such as increasing their independence at a pace that was right for them. As a result, the child is now experiencing a new-found freedom. This has enabled them to socialise and develop new friendships.

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

Overall, risk assessments contain information about the child’s needs and risks. However, they do not clearly outline how staff should supervise the child, particularly when restrictions on the child’s liberty reduce. This includes when staff are lone working in the home. Nevertheless, this has not impact on the child’s safety.

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

Managers and staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities. Staff consult with the child about known local risks in the area. This has been especially effective and child focused. Staff receive appropriate guidance in relation to risk management. They follow strategies to ensure that the child is safe and well supported, for example when responding to self-injurious behaviour.

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

Staff provided support to help the child to develop safer ways to respond to and manage their feelings. The manager consulted with external agencies to ensure that they received appropriate support. This enhanced the quality of care the child received. As a result, incidents of self-injurious behaviour were significantly reduced.

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

The child was able to disclose any concerns they have about their care. Managers have taken appropriate action and liaised with appropriate professionals, such as the local authority designated officer. This ensured that there was independent oversight to keep the child safe. However, feedback to the child about their concerns had not been in a child-friendly way.

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

Staff responded to the child’s behaviours in a positive way. There were clear plans in place for responding to behaviours that may present as a challenge to staff. The plans link to the home’s model of care. There have been two incidents of physical intervention. On both occasions, this was as a last resort to keep the child safe. The manager evaluates any measures thoroughly to ensure they are necessary and proportionate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has an experienced and suitably qualified registered manager. They are passionate and committed to children and an excellent advocate. The staff team is stable and experienced. As a result, the child received consistent care from a dedicated staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding of the team’s strengths and areas for development. They respond quickly to address any shortfalls in staff practice. As a Inspection report for children’s home: 2497049 5 result, staff continuously improve their practice, thus, improving the quality of care the child receives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have effective monitoring and review systems in place. They identify shortfalls in the quality of care children receive. Audits are undertaken sporadically; however, managers have plans in place to regulate them. The manager’s oversight of safeguarding is good. There is excellent communication between the manager and senior managers. This provided a coordinated approach to ensuring that the child was safely cared for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision. This helps them to reflect on their practice. Staff say that the manager is a ‘great role model’. They say they learn a lot from observing them, and this helps them to develop their skills. Staff also received training pertinent to the child’s needs. As a result, staff responded effectively to meet the child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff work closely with external professionals. This enhanced the quality of care the child received. Professionals provided unanimously positive feedback about the manager and staff. One professional said that the manager and staff communicate well. This helped all professionals to work together in the child’s best interests.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Record-keeping practice in the home varies. Some records are good; however, some staff use language which could be stigmatising. There are plans in place to provide staff with training to improve their recording skills. This will ensure that children have an accurate and clear record of their journey living in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2497049 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, 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 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

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, ensure that managers review and update children’s risk assessments to ensure that they contain all pertinent information about known risks to children.

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Requirement Due date

Managers should ensure that the rationale for the monitoring and supervision of children’s movements are proportionate. In particular, that there is a clear record of this including the decision-making with the local authority around any reduction.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, any lone working should be thoroughly assessed for risk to ensure that all children and staff are supported should staff work alone in the home. 10 January 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered provider should ensure that when the outcome of allegations are shared with children, they are done so in a child-focused way using language which is free from professional jargon. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)  The registered provider should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. They should ensure that information about, and for, the child Inspection report for children’s home: 2497049 7 is always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to them. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered provider should ensure that the monitoring of the care that children receive occurs at regular intervals. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.23)

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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: 2497049 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Adecyn Children’s Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 13a Pitsford Street, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham B18 6LJ

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Inspectors

Sarah Berry, Social Care Inspector Joanne Humphreys, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2497049 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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