Children's Home run by Sherlock Healthcare Services Ltd in Solihull

Inspection report for children’s home: 2630680 1 Registered provider: Sherlock Healthcare Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a small private organisation. Staff provide care for up to seven children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is currently no manager in post. The post has been vacant since 31 October 2023.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2630680 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/10/2023 Full Good 07/02/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2630680 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Two children were living at the home at the time of the inspection.

p.3

improvement to be good

Managers and staff do not support children to achieve good health and well-being outcomes. Although managers and staff have tried to implement boundaries around vaping and smoking cigarettes and cannabis, they have not always been successful. Staff know that children smoke cigarettes and cannabis and do not take effective action to address this. Although they educate the children about the associated risks, children continue to smoke outside the home and in the presence of staff. Managers and staff promote children’s attendance at health appointments.

p.3

improvement to be good

Strategies to prevent children bringing illegal drugs into the home are in place although have not always been successful. Managers have not reviewed the plans to implement additional safeguards to prevent these behaviours. This inconsistent approach to supporting children is ineffective in promoting their well-being and does not prevent children’s involvement in taking illegal drugs. There is a multi-agency approach to delivering messages about the impact of drug misuse. However, this has not been successful in deterring children from misusing drugs which may lead to them being criminalised.

p.3

improvement to be good

The quality of the individualised care and support from managers and staff has affected children’s experience and progress. For example, children have spent significant periods away from home on independent time or while being missing from the home. This has limited their opportunities to develop a stable routine and build on the relationships they have started to form with staff.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children have made some progress from their starting points with their education. Before moving to the home, children had not engaged with education for several years. This has resulted in children’s attainment being significantly below age-related expectations. The children have now begun to engage with a home tutoring service and have already made significant progress. Managers and staff are also using rewards that are tailored to the children’s interests to promote better engagement with education.

p.3

improvement to be good

Managers and staff have supported children to attend a music studio to promote their interest in making rap music. Managers and staff have also supported children to attend activities in line with their interests. This helps children to feel valued and supports their overall well-being and development.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children have developed positive relationships with managers and some members of staff. Children said that although they do not like the rules, the home is the best place they have lived. All professionals have commented on the progress the children are making from their starting points. The children’s mentor has worked with them for over Inspection report for children’s home: 2630680 4 two years and stated that this is the most stable they have been. He added, ‘While the children are not where everyone wants them to be, they are in a better routine, and they are staying in the home more than they ever have.’

p.3

improvement to be good

Since the last full inspection, one child has moved out of the home due to safeguarding concerns. Managers and staff used a robust multi-agency approach to manage the child’s risks. Managers advocated for the child and challenged the local authority appropriately to ensure that the child had the right support. Managers also used additional resources to support the child and ensure that their needs were met effectively. After the child’s emergency move out of the home, staff visited the child to take belongings and memorabilia capturing positive memories of their time in the home. This helped the child to have a positive ending.

p.4

improvement to be good

Managers do not ensure that staff have all the relevant information they require to ensure that children are safe and that risks are minimised as much as possible. For example, updated information and guidance are not always included in risk management plans. This limits staff’s knowledge of how to manage risks and respond to children when they are in crisis.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff do not consistently follow children’s safety plans when children are missing from the home. Staff do not make welfare calls at the frequency set out in children’s plans, neither do they contact associates when children are missing from home. When children are found in areas assessed as high risk for them, the manager shares the information with the police, but no further actions are taken to manage these risks. This practice does not safeguard children effectively and protect them from harm.

p.4

improvement to be good

Children’s plans are not always reviewed when they have been missing from home and new information about their risks has been identified. Although multi-agency plans are in place, and agencies meet regularly, these have not been effective in reducing the risk of harm to children because they do not consider new and emerging risks.

p.4

improvement to be good

Senior leaders do not consistently ensure that repairs are addressed promptly. Children live in an environment where there are hazards that could cause harm. For example, the lock on one child’s bedroom door is broken. When the door is locked by the child, staff cannot access the room. Staff would have difficulty accessing the bedroom in the event of an emergency or serious safeguarding concern. Managers have now recruited a maintenance person to undertake repairs to the home promptly.

p.4

improvement to be good

When children make complaints, managers and staff take prompt action to investigate these. Children are kept informed of outcomes and actions taken. This helps children to feel listened to and believe that their concerns are taken seriously. Inspection report for children’s home: 2630680 5

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is no manager in post at the home. The daily operation of the home is being overseen by the operations manager and a deputy manager. Managers acknowledge that the shortfalls identified are a result of poor, or a lack of, leadership in the home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have various systems in place to monitor and review the quality of care provided to children. These systems have not been effective in ensuring robust safeguarding arrangements for children. For example, managers lack professional curiosity and fail to identify shortfalls and inconsistencies in staff practice when missing- from-home incidents are reviewed. This shortfall contributes to unsafe practice from staff.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There have been significant changes to the staff team. Managers rely on agency staff to cover a significant number of shifts because several staff have left the home. Agency staff have been used to cover 80 shifts. Managers attempt to use consistent agency staff. However, the staffing arrangements do not provide children with consistent care. This compromises children’s ability to develop positive relationships. The use of agency staff has reduced over recent weeks and the provider continues its recruitment efforts to recruit a stable staff team to care for children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff recruited to support children do not have the appropriate experience, skills and knowledge to provide the individualised care that the children require. The staff speak positively about the children, and they are motivated and child-centred practitioners. However, most staff have no previous experience working with children living in children’s homes.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Recruitment practice is not safe. Omissions in safe recruitment procedures mean that managers cannot be sure that they only recruit suitable staff to care for children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers do not ensure that staff receive practice-related supervision. Managers do not ensure that probation reviews or staff supervision sessions are used as opportunities to reflect on practice, discuss staff’s well-being and children’s progress and safety. This practice contributes to a weak safeguarding culture as inexperienced staff are not being appropriately supported to manage children’s complex needs and risks.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Team meetings are held monthly and are used as a reflective space to discuss safeguarding concerns, practice issues, staff development and training. Staff also benefit from monthly consultation with the home’s clinical psychologist where they can share concerns and are supported with strategies to best meet children’s needs.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers are aware of the shortfalls identified at this inspection and have implemented a development plan to address these promptly. Inspection report for children’s home: 2630680 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(d)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that: staff follow children’s plan when they are missing from home; safety plans and risk assessments are reviewed regularly, and relevant professionals are included in the reviews; safety plans and risk assessments are updated and include clear guidance for staff to follow to safeguard children; children are provided with clear and consistent boundaries around vaping and smoking cigarettes and illegal drugs; staff have more discussions with children to educate them on risks to support them to reflect, understand and reduce their risks; repairs are addressed 28 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2630680 7 without delay to ensure that the physical environment is safe for children.

p.6

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.7

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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)(c)(h))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers and leaders ensuring that: they comply with their own policies and procedures. For example, the no-smoking policy must be adhered to, and children should not be allowed to smoke around the property; staff recruited to care for children have the appropriate experience, qualifications and skills. The provider must also ensure that the skills across the staff team are balanced to ensure that children’s needs are appropriately met and that they are safeguarded from harm or the risk of harm.

p.7

Requirement Due date

Additionally, the manager must critically review incidents to identify shortfalls in practice and implement an action plan to address these promptly. 28 June 2024

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.7

Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; 28 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2630680 8 full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(3)(d))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that appropriate references are obtained and verified, as set out in Schedule 2, before staff are recruited to work with the children.

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.8

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(b))

p.8

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that staff receive regular practice-related supervision where staff can reflect on their well-being, practice-related concerns, children’s progress and risks. 28 June 2024

p.8

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This 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’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2630680 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sherlock Healthcare Services Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 20 to 22 Wenlock Road, London N1 7GU

p.9

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Hilton Mutariswa

p.9

Inspector

Nateisha Cardoza-Evans, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2630680 10 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.

p.9

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10