Children's Home run by Care and Management Services Ltd in Birmingham

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC419229 1 SC419229

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Registered provider: Care and Management Services Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is one of a group of four homes run by the same organisation. The home provides care for up to four children who exhibit complex behaviours due to their childhood experiences. One child lives in the home. They have lived there for over two years.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has submitted her application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector 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 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: SC419229 2

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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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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, a new manager has been appointed. She is experienced and suitably qualified. She has a good understanding of the strengths and development needs of the home. She is enthusiastic and child focused. The manager and responsible individual now have good oversight of the home. Effective auditing tools are utilised that produce action plans to develop the staff’s practice further and promote consistency in the home. All records are now kept correctly.

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Findings from the inspection

The child benefits from living in a comfortable, spacious and well-maintained home. The home is inviting and decorated in a homely way. The child now has access to all areas of the home and their bedroom is personalised to their own individual tastes. There is a development plan to make further improvements.

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Findings from the inspection

Incidents of self-harm have been managed well and have reduced in frequency. Staff and the manager work in partnership to support the child with their emotional health. Staff demonstrate an ability to seek specialist help when this is necessary. There are good links with mental health professionals. The multi-team approach means that the child’s needs are responded to effectively. The child is provided with alternate strategies to keep them safe. The manager and staff demonstrate a great understanding of the child’s vulnerabilities and potential risks posed to them. Clear guidance and strategies to follow are recorded in written risk assessments and safety plans. This helps to ensure that the child is protected from harm.

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Findings from the inspection

Incidents of restraint are minimal. Restraint has been managed well. Restraint is used as a last resort, and is necessary and proportionate. Staff use good strategies to support the child. However, there have been missed opportunities when staff have not always educated the child about identified risk or raised their awareness of topics of concern. This does not support the child to learn from their behaviour or the risks that they may face.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff supervision sessions now take place monthly and are used as a place for reflection and learning. Important issues are discussed, and the child’s health and well-being are at the centre of these discussions.

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Findings from the inspection

The use of agency staff has significantly decreased since the last inspection. The home now has sufficient staff to care for the number of children that the home is registered to care for.

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Findings from the inspection

Most staff hold the relevant qualifications for their role. However, one member of staff has still not obtained their level 3 qualification in residential childcare within the required timescales. This means that not all staff have been trained to the required level to meet the child’s needs. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC419229 3 There are safe systems for the storage, administration, and disposal of medication. There are clear protocols for staff to follow. However, on one occasion, staff administered the child with an additional dose of their medication. Appropriate action was not taken by the staff. For example, professional medical advice was not sought for the child. Additionally, the manager failed to report this serious concern to the local authority designated officer and Ofsted. However, the manager did take the necessary action to address staff practice, which has resulted in no further

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/10/2022 Full Good 27/01/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 06/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC419229 4

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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 (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the responsible person ensuring that children are educated about risk and supported to understand their behaviours. 7 April 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them;

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping and safe administration of medication is in place, and that the correct safeguarding procedure is followed if any errors are found. 7 April 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. 7 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC419229 5 For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. (Regulation 32 (1) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that staff complete the relevant qualification within the appropriate timescales. This is a repeat requirement.

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Requirement Due date

If a child dies, the registered person must without delay notify—

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Requirement Due date

the Secretary of State (if the Secretary of State is not the placing authority);

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Requirement Due date

the local authority in whose area the children’s home is located (if that local authority is not the placing authority);

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Requirement Due date

the clinical commissioning group (as defined in section 14D of the National Health Service Act 2006) for the area in which the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

if the child was accommodated in a secure children’s home, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman for England and Wales ("the PPO"); and

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Requirement Due date

If a child accommodated in a secure children’s home dies, the registered person must allow the PPO to investigate the death by—

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Requirement Due date

the home’s documents and records; 7 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC419229 6 allowing the PPO to take away from the premises, securely, copies of any documents or records provided under sub- paragraph (a)(ii); and

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, allowing the PPO to interview in private any children, parents or relatives, or persons working at the home.

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Requirement Due date

If there is a referral of a person working in the home pursuant to section 35 (Regulated activity providers: duty to refer) of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006(a), the registered person must without delay notify—

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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

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child — is instigated; or

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the matter; Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC419229 7 the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(b)(c) (3)(a)(b)(c) (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that HMCI is notified of serious events within timescales. This is a repeat requirement. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC419229 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care and Management Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Park Business Centre, Wood Lane, Birmingham B24 9QR

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Inspector

Marianne Grandfield, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC419229 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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