Children's Home run by Next Step Residential Care Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2684458 1 Registered provider: Next Step Residential Care 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 was registered with Ofsted in April 2023 and is privately owned. It provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has had an interim manager in post since the 20 November 2023, following the previous registered manager’s resignation.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the progress made in meeting the requirements issued following the full inspection undertaken on 25 and 26 July 2023, when the home was judged inadequate, and an assurance visit undertaken on 16 August 2023. An urgent condition was imposed on the home’s registration which reduced the number of children the home could care for from four to two. The home remains subject to this condition.

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This monitoring visit

During this visit, the inspector found that the manager had taken steps to address four of the requirements and a recommendation raised at previous visits. However, improvement work is ongoing and some requirements remain unmet. Managers have complied with the restriction of accommodation notice and no new children have moved into the home.

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This monitoring visit

Two children were living in the home at the time of the monitoring visit. The registered manager in charge of the home at the time of the last inspection remains in post. A new responsible individual commenced their role at the end of August 2023. This is a positive step, given that regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, has been raised twice before. However, it is too soon to assess the effectiveness of this development. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2684458 2 New monitoring systems are being developed, although these have not yet been implemented. This continues to limit the effectiveness of managerial oversight of the quality of care provided to children.

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This monitoring visit

Although staff have informed the emergency duty team in a child’s placing authority when the child has gone missing from home, they have not always informed the social worker in line with the child’s plan. In addition, a child’s medical condition and how to manage this is not included in their risk assessment to provide staff with clear guidance to follow. A written plan contained inaccurate information about arrangements for a child’s visit to their family. These issues have not been identified by managers and addressed as needed.

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This monitoring visit

The support children receive with their education is mixed. One child who has an identified school placement is being encouraged and supported by managers and staff to engage with education. Another child who does not yet have an identified education provision is not being supported to have a routine or structure in place that encourages them to engage in any educational activity while this is rectified. In addition, managers have not acted promptly to challenge professionals in the child’s placing authority about this child’s lack of access to education.

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This monitoring visit

Children receive some good support on important issues. For example, children know how to make a complaint and they are being taught about money management to help them develop independence skills. Children are happy and settled and told the inspector that they like living at the home. They have enjoyed different activities over the summer, including a trip to a theme park.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have reviewed and updated the medication policy to make guidance clear for staff regarding the administration of medicines. This has been shared with staff and, to date, there have been no further medication errors.

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This monitoring visit

The home’s mobile phone policy now sets out the permissions needed for information to be deleted or transferred from children’s phones. As a result, staff have been provided with clear practice guidance that will help to better safeguard children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff rosters now accurately reflect the staff working in the home. Changes have also been made to the times staff start and end their day. This has been done to help a child to settle better at night.

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This monitoring visit

Four new bank staff have been recruited, which helps with staff sufficiency. Recruitment is ongoing to the deputy manager and team leader positions. Physical intervention training is scheduled to take place for staff in the coming weeks. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2684458 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/10/2023 Full Inadequate 26/07/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2684458 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, 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 with 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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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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;

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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)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)) 29 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2684458 5 The registered person must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(d)) 29 January 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

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager and staff should have oversight to ensure that children take medication as prescribed and that records are available. 29 January 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—

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Requirement Due date

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; 29 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2684458 6 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 of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that systems are in place to monitor, review and update practice as required to improve the quality of care needed to meet children’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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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

each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

the child is, or has been, persistently absent from the home without permission. (Regulation 14 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should work with the placing local authority to review children’s plans to ensure that they are up to date, so strategies are in place to mitigate risks and to ensure that the care provided continues to meet children’s needs. 29 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. 29 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2684458 7 (Regulation 26 (7)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the responsible individual must ensure that they have the necessary skills to oversee the management of the home effectively to identify shortfalls and ensure that action is taken to improve practice and the quality of care provided.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2684458 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Next Step Residential Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3 Wetherly Court, Highgate, London N6 4DP

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Inspectors

Sharon Bourne, Social Care Inspector Sam Dulay-Kainth, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2684458 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 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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Inspectors

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