Children's Home run by Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company in Birmingham

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1273663 1 Registered provider: Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in March 2018 and is operated by Birmingham Children’s Trust. It provides care for up to 12 children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2018.

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Inspection date: 6 March 2024

Date of last inspection: 20 September 2023

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Inspection date: 6 March 2024

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 6 March 2024

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, 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: 1273663 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, one child has moved out of the home and three children have moved in. At the time of the inspection, 12 children were living in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s transitions into the home are well planned and in keeping with their individual needs. When children move into the home, staff are creative in ensuring that they settle in well. For example, staff displayed a picture a child had drawn during her tea visits on her bedroom wall before she moved into the home. This supported the child to feel welcomed and helped her to form relationships easily with the staff and other children in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

When children have left the home, staff have continued to provide support. For example, staff undertook welfare visits and calls to one child who chose not to return to the home following family time. This helped to ensure that the child’s needs were being met, while final decisions were being made by the local authority about the child’s care. This ensured that the child’s well-being remained the focus.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff know the children well and have a good understanding of their needs. The relationships between staff and the children are positive and the children enjoy spending time in the company of the staff. Staff are child focused. Inspectors observed positive and caring relationships between staff and the children.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have formed close relationships with one another and are happy to spend time together. They participate in several different activities together, inside and outside of the home. During the inspection, inspectors observed warm and nurturing interactions between the children. Positive relationships help children to feel comfortable and secure.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager and staff have made continued improvements to the fabric of the home. Living rooms and kitchens have been redecorated and soft furnishings help to create a more homely feel. All the children’s bedrooms are now decorated to their tastes. The staff team is committed to providing a warm environment for the children. During the inspection, staff were observed painting walls and doors while the children were at school. This helps to provide children with a sense of belonging and togetherness.

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Findings from the inspection

Children can remain living in the home past their 18 th birthday. However, staff are proactive in advocating for the children to ensure that they have the right support when they move to adult services. Staff are confident to challenge professionals when appropriate plans are not in place. As a result, children are provided with the right support after they have left the home. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1273663 3 Managers have reviewed the children’s safety and behaviour management plans. Children’s plans now include key information relating to the children’s risks and behaviour. Furthermore, the plans provide staff with guidance to help them safely care for and support the children in their care.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager has developed new systems to monitor children’s progress. However, the systems for monitoring and evaluating practice in the home are not yet effective. This is because they do not enable the registered manager to fully understand the quality of care provided to children and if all the management tasks are being carried out as they need to be. For example, the registered manager had not identified gaps in staff receiving supervision and was not able to demonstrate that all staff had received their annual appraisals.

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Findings from the inspection

An overview of staff training is not clear. The registered manager has developed a monitoring system. However, this is not fully established and does not assist the manager to know easily when training has been completed or is due to be renewed. This does not support the manager to ensure that staff have all the training necessary to meet the children’s needs.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, there have been two occasions where staff have used physical restraint to keep children and others safe. However, following restraint, children are not given the opportunity to talk about their feelings. This is a missed opportunity for children’s wishes and feelings to be heard and to capture learning to help reduce the likelihood of a reoccurrence. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1273663 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/05/2022 Full Inadequate 11/01/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1273663 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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 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)(c)(d)(f))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 16 April 2024

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(c)) 16 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1273663 6 This particularly relates to ensuring that children receive debriefs following physical interventions. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1273663 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Avenue Road, Aston, Birmingham B6 4DU

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Inspectors

Lydia Isaac, Social Care Inspector Alison Cooper, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1273663 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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