Children's home run by Kids

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC454707 1 SC454707

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a charity and offers short-break care for up to seven children with social and emotional difficulties, physical disabilities and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, no manager was in post.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were staying at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 5 December 2023

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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 inspectors 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: SC454707 2

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Findings from the inspection

This inspection took place due to concerns identified at the previous inspection in respect of the quality of care provided to children. During this inspection we did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers are taking action to address the concerns raised. A thorough improvement plan has been devised. A chronology has been linked to this plan, showing progress. Changes and improvements can be seen, although are in their infancy.

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Findings from the inspection

Systems to improve management oversight of the home are being developed. A new, clear training matrix is in place which demonstrates ongoing practice development. The monitoring of children’s progress continues to be limited. For example, records lack detail and do not include children’s views. A serious medication error, which fortunately had no significant impact on the child is currently being investigated. The narrative of what happened remains unclear. A full internal investigation is in the process of being completed.

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Findings from the inspection

Incidents rarely take place in the home. The reports that have been completed to allow others to review what happened during incidents are poorly written. They contain inappropriate language and do not allow the reader to gain a sense of the child’s or carers’ actions. Management oversight is limited, and conversations to gain children’s views about the incident do not take place. This does not promote the development of good practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Work has begun to strengthen relationships with external agencies. One social worker said that they receive frequent communication from carers. They said that the provision is flexible in terms of providing additional stays to children when required. Carers are now attending meetings about children and have documents containing important information on file. Plans that aim to support carers to meet children’s needs have not yet been revised and developed.

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Findings from the inspection

Improvements to the home’s condition are visible. Children’s artwork is hung on the walls. Some areas have been painted, giving a bright and vibrant feel. A large collage of photographs of children who use the service and achievement certificates awarded to children creates a personalised touch in the living areas. Further improvements are planned, including installing a lift, which will allow all children to access all areas of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Carers know the children who live in this home well. They are passionate about building relationships with children. They give children choices in relation to food and activities. A bright board, which aims to capture children’s feedback and Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC454707 3 choices, is in place. However, methods for gaining children’s needs, wishes and feelings are limited. Plans to further develop communication tools and strategies are in place. This includes working with the intensive positive behavioural service.

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Findings from the inspection

Children were observed to be settled in the home. Children independently accessed snacks. Carers were responsive to their needs, supporting them to complete activities of their choice. When a child showed signs of anxiety, a carer supported them to go for a walk in the garden.

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Findings from the inspection

The home currently has no manager. Recruitment to secure a suitable manager is underway. An ongoing and successful recruitment drive has meant that there is less reliance on agency carers. One agency carer made the decision to apply for a permanent position in the home. This is positive as it promotes consistency for children.

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Findings from the inspection

One parent said that their child receives a good level of care. However, they questioned what impact staffing issues, including changes in management, may have on overall care planning. Leaders recognise these concerns and acknowledge that a stable team of carers and manager should benefit children.

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Findings from the inspection

Carers like working in the home. They said that they receive regular supervision. However, the quality of supervision is varied and lacks practice-based discussion and reflection. The quality of team meetings has improved. However, the minutes of these meetings do not show evidence of practice discussions and reflection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/12/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 31/01/2023 Full Good 11/05/2021 Full Good 21/10/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC454707 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 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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably; and

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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

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv)(vii)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that all facilities in the home are accessible for children. 21 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months. 21 March 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC454707 5 In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that, when reviewing the quality of care, feedback from children is used to inform decision-making and identify areas of improvement.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the home’s development plan should consider the views and opinions of children, and be ambitious with regards to the physical environment.

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; and

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d)(f)) 21 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and 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; 21 March 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC454707 6 if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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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)(c)(d))

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 249 Birmingham Road, SUTTON COLDFIELD, West Midlands B72 1EA

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Inspectors

Carla Simkiss, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC454707 7 Tara Webb, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC454707 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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