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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC423617 1 SC423617

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Registered provider: Adecyn Children’s Homes Limited

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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 operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since 18 July 2023 and has applied 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 this inspection, 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. The inspector has 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: SC423617 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

At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home. The home is generally well presented. The environment provides children with a homely and cosy feel. Children have personalised their bedrooms. The home has a playroom, and children enjoy spending time in there with staff. There are photos of children enjoying various activities displayed around the home. This helps to provide children with a sense of belonging and togetherness.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s moves into the home are well planned. The manager considers the views of all children and their social workers. Transition plans are gradual, well thought out and creative. As part of their transition, children engage in activities together. This helps children to feel less overwhelmed and anxious when they move in. As a result, children settle in well and feel happy living in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support children’s emotional well-being, and they recognise when children need support and reassurance. Staff are empathetic and sensitive in their approach. During significant events such as festive periods, staff complete personalised routines with children, and these include fun activities. As a result, children feel wanted and less overwhelmed.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support children to live healthy lifestyles. This includes developing a healthy diet and practising good dental hygiene. Children have access to primary healthcare services and specialist services as required. Staff communicate regularly with healthcare professionals, such as child and adolescent health services. As a result, children receive care that meets their needs holistically.

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Findings from the inspection

Overall, children are making good progress. Since the full inspection, incidents have significantly decreased. Staff rarely physically intervene, and if they do, this is as a last resort to keep children safe. There have been no incidents of children going missing from home or self-injurious behaviour. For one child, staff supervision levels have reduced. As a result, they now travel to and back from college on their own and have formed new friendships. This has had a positive impact on their emotional well-being.

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Findings from the inspection

Risk assessments vary in quality. For one child, they are very detailed and outline clear guidance for staff. However, another child’s risk assessment does not contain pertinent information. As a result, staff do not have clear guidance on how they respond to this child’s behaviours. Senior managers have recently undertaken an audit that identifies this shortfall. There is an action plan in place to improve the quality of children’s risk assessments. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC423617 3 Children do not always receive care from staff who understand their needs. This is because staff do not always receive the relevant training. As a result, one child receives inconsistent levels of care. This has, at times, exacerbated their behaviours, increasing their levels of distress. This is despite staff receiving regular input from the organisation’s clinical team.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s views, wishes and feelings are not always considered. One child told the inspector that staff do not ask them how they feel when incidents occur, and particularly how other children’s behaviour impacts on them.

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Findings from the inspection

Record-keeping practice in the home varies. The records of some significant incidents contain inaccuracies and lack detail. As a result, it is not always clear what action staff take after a significant incident. Consequently, the manager’s review of these incidents may not always be effective.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the full inspection, the home has a new manager. They are also the registered manager for another children’s home within the company. They have applied to Ofsted to be dual registered.

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Findings from the inspection

As a result of the above findings, the provider has met two out of four requirements. Ofsted will review the remaining requirements and recommendations at the next full inspection. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC423617 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/07/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/11/2022 Full Good 20/07/2021 Full Good 19/11/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC423617 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all care and behaviour management is provided in a planned and consistent way by all staff, to ensure that risks to children are consistently reduced.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 14 April 2024

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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— 14 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC423617 6 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that staff receive adequate training which equips them with the skills to meet the needs of the children they care for. In particular, training in relation to oppositional defiance disorder should be undertaken before children move into the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ascertain and consider the views, wishes and feelings of all children living in the home, and in particular, after incidents occur. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.10)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC423617 7

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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: 9 Summerfield Road, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV1 4PR

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Inspector

Sarah Berry, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC423617 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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