Children's home run by Stepping Stones Care (Midlands) Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2671339 1 Registered provider: Stepping Stones Care (Midlands 1) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to three children who have experienced trauma and encounter associated difficulties with their emotional well- being.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 19 January 2023

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

On 19 January 2023, a full inspection was carried out and the home was judged inadequate. There were no children living at the home at the time. The registered manager resigned from her post, and the home did not have adequate staff to safely care for the children. Consequently, in January 2023, a three-month condition was imposed which meant that leaders needed to inform the regulator of their intention to admit children to the home, before they were able to do so. Inspection report for children's home: 2671339 2 On 7 June 2023, a monitoring visit was carried out and managers were able to demonstrate they were ready to safely welcome children into the home. As a result, the three-month condition was lifted.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/01/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home: 2671339 3

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, there were three children living at the home, who had moved in between August and October 2023. They have formed positive relationships with staff and said that staff have taken time to get to know them. This is helping the children to feel welcomed into the home.

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improvement to be good

Not all children have good routines. One child spends long periods of time in his bedroom during the day and does not have regular meals. This has the potential to impact on his well-being. A lack of routines and boundaries also affects children’s engagement with their learning. It is not clear that staff are working consistently and effectively with children to ensure that they are well prepared for, and supported, to engage with their tutors and lessons each day.

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improvement to be good

Managers have requested meetings with teachers and other relevant education professionals to look at how best they can support the children to re-engage with their learning. However, one tutor said she was not aware of the child’s learning targets, learning needs or barriers to learning. An uncoordinated approach to children’s education does not support children with their learning and help them to make measurable progress.

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improvement to be good

The inside of the home is beautifully decorated and children have been given opportunities to personalise their bedrooms. However, the garden area is not well maintained, which detracts from children being able to enjoy the outside space.

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improvement to be good

Children spend quality time with close family and friends. Staff are creative in fostering positive relationships with people who are important to the children. For example, some children have enjoyed going out on activities of their choice with siblings and some have invited close friends to enjoy tea with them at the home.

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improvement to be good

Children have access to different activities in the community, such as going to the gym, joining football clubs, going to the stables, shopping, and to football matches and animal parks.

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improvement to be good

The staff team is very diverse and staff have a good understanding of all the children’s identity, religious and cultural needs. One social worker said that their child was happier since moving into the home, as staff are supporting him in meeting his dietary and haircare needs and this has had a positive impact on his self-esteem and confidence.

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improvement to be good

Inspection report for children's home: 2671339 4 Safer recruitment processes are robust. Managers follow up on issues that are raised by pre-employment checks. When a decision is made to employ someone when issues have been raised, the rationale is recorded and risk assessment put in place. However, when concerns subsequently emerge with regard to a staff member’s practice, managers do not make links with the information from pre-employment checks and do not act quickly and effectively to address this. This does not fully promote children’s welfare.

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improvement to be good

Children’s bedroom doors are fitted with alarms. However, there is no clear reason for their use and children’s social workers are not aware this measure is being used. As a result, it is not clear why door alarms are in place and if this measure is necessary and proportionate.

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improvement to be good

Records of physical restraint contain all relevant information. The manager has good oversight of these incidents and any learning is promptly identified and addressed with children and staff. This helps to keep children safe and reduces the need for physical intervention.

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improvement to be good

Staff know the children well. They provide children with advice and guidance to help them to learn how to keep safe. One child is now able to have a mobile phone, when previously they had not been able to manage this safely.

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improvement to be good

There have been no incidents of children going missing from home and children are not harming themselves, despite these being known risks and behaviours for some children.

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good

Shortfalls in the response to staff practice concerns contribute to the requires improvement judgement, as does a lack of good routines for children, which is impacting on their learning and well-being.

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good

The manager is experienced and provides some good support to the staff. Staff receive relevant training to help them to develop the skills and knowledge for their role. They also receive regular supervision, which is reflective and helps with their development. Staff feel well supported by the manager and they are positive about their roles.

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good

The manager is knowledgeable about the therapeutic model of care used in the home and passes this knowledge on to the staff team at staff meetings and in supervision. This work is ongoing as staff look to fully implement a therapeutic approach to care.

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good

Some aspects of monitoring are good. For example, when challenging incidents occur, the manager reviews these with staff and looks at what went well and what could have been done differently. However, some aspects of record-keeping require Inspection report for children's home: 2671339 5 improvement. For example, records of children’s meetings and children’s daily records are not always clear and accurate. Inspection report for children's home: 2671339 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; and

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the use of door alarms is reviewed, relevant professionals are consulted, along with the children, and door alarms are only used if needed to safeguard the children. Ensure that children are adequately supported to develop good routines. In addition, ensure that the garden is well maintained. 31 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 31 January 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2671339 7 that staff—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vi)(x))

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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;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that prompt and effective action is taken when children raise concerns about staff practice. 31 December

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. In particular, ensure that records of children’s meetings and children’s daily logs are clear and accurate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children's home: 2671339 8

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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: 2671339 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Stepping Stones Care (Midlands 1) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Camomile House, 6 Embassy Drive, Birmingham B15 1TP

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Inspectors

Rumbi Mangoma, Social Care Inspector Amy Richards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2671339 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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