Children's Home run by Care and Management Services Ltd in Birmingham

Inspection report for children's home: SC419229 1 SC419229 Registered provider: Care and Management Services Ltd

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is one of a group of four homes run by the same organisation. The home provides care for up to four children who exhibit complex behaviours due to their childhood experiences.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is a suitably qualified manager in post, who was registered in April 2024.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC419229 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/10/2022 Full Good 27/01/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 06/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: SC419229 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved into the home, and one child has left the home. At the time of the inspection, one child lived at the home. The child was present during the inspection and spoke with the inspector.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The process of children moving into the home is carefully managed. Staff provide children with information about the home, which includes pictures, expectations and information about the staff. This helps children to develop relationships with the staff and begin to trust them. This approach makes the transition into the new living environment smoother for children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported well when they move out of the home. When children leave, they enjoy a farewell meal with the staff and are given goodbye gifts and photos from their time in the home. This enables them to have positive memories of their time living in the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are met. They are registered with local health services and attend their routine appointments. Staff work closely with the in-house therapist, who supports them to understand children’s individual needs. Furthermore, staff seek specialist help when necessary, such as referrals to occupational health. This multi- agency approach means that children’s holistic needs are promoted effectively.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to access appropriate education to meet their needs. For example, children who did not previously attend an educational setting are now in full attendance, which highlights remarkable achievements for children. One tutor said that the child ‘engages well in all their education sessions and enjoys learning new things’. Additionally, the manager has worked in partnership with the virtual school to secure suitable educational provisions to meet children’s needs. As a result, children make clear progress.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from a range of activities that enhance their social experiences. These include football, swimming and going on day trips, such as to theme parks. Children make lasting memories by learning new skills and having fun.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively support children to develop independence skills. Children complete daily tasks, such as household chores and cooking simple meals. These skills build independence and prepare children for adult life.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is generally well decorated and furnished. However, worn and faded decor in the children’s bathroom detracts from the homely feeling. This could impact the experience of children. Inspection report for children's home: SC419229 4

p.3

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff provide a caring and safe environment for children. Children say that they feel safe because ‘staff look after me and are caring’.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff use a nurturing approach when children hurt themselves. They seek medical advice as needed and provide first aid. Staff talk with children and help them to understand their thoughts and feelings. Additionally, children are referred to specialist health professionals to help them manage their emotions, where strategies are implemented to minimise the likelihood of further incidents.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Missing-from-home incidents are extremely rare. When children are missing from home, staff respond quickly, actively look for them and work with the local police until they are found. When children return home, staff spend time with them, giving children the opportunity to share any worries or anxieties they have and to discuss their reasons for going missing from home. In addition to this, staff support children to know about the risks of going missing from home and how to keep themselves safe.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff use physical intervention when necessary to safeguard children and others, and only as a last resort. Following such incidents, conversations held with children provide the opportunity to express their feelings and understand why the intervention was necessary. However, staff involved in the interventions are not consistently spoken to by leaders regarding the incident. This is a missed opportunity for staff’s learning and development.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Systems for monitoring children’s internet use are effective. Parental controls ensure children only access age-appropriate content. Additionally, children attend online courses to educate them on potential risks and how to remain safe online. Children gain the knowledge and skills to navigate the online world responsibly. These actions help the children to use the internet safely.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Health and safety arrangements in the home are strong. Fire equipment is regularly checked and tested with staff, and children take part in fire drills. Children complete fire drills and safety courses, equipping them with the essential safety skills to help them protect themselves and others in the event of an emergency.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children’s risk assessments do not clearly detail their individual risk level. While this shortfall has not had a detrimental impact on children, the lack of clarity does not support staff to minimise risks.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The management of safeguarding incidents is effective. Staff adhere to safeguarding procedures to ensure children’s safety. Information is shared with appropriate external agencies, enabling them to respond. However, the manager does not always notify Ofsted of serious incidents within the time frames. While this delay has not affected children, it restricts the regulator’s oversight of the home. Inspection report for children's home: SC419229 5

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in post for 10 months. She is experienced, child-centred and has high aspirations for both children and staff. The manager has created an ethos of continuous learning and development for children to receive good-quality care. One staff member said, ‘In the short space of time the manager has been in post, she has made good changes, such as good boundaries for [name of child] and good role modelling for staff.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff regularly receive good-quality supervision. Supervision is reflective and supports staff practice development. Children are at the centre of supervision discussions, with an emphasis on improving the quality of care.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff participate in monthly team meetings, which are reflective and innovative. The manager creates additional learning opportunities to develop staff practice. For example, staff take part in workshops on revisiting subjects such as managing missing-from-home incidents and missing-from-home procedures. Additionally, staff participate in quizzes to enhance their understanding of what is safe care and how to manage safeguarding incidents effectively.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working with external agencies is good. The manager and staff have developed strong relationships with all external professionals. One education professional said, ‘Communication is brilliant. Staff support [name of child] really well.’ Another professional said, ‘Communication is really good. Whenever I need to contact the home, staff respond quickly, and they send me weekly update reports.’ This close partnership working promotes the child’s welfare.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff complete a variety of comprehensive training courses. Because of this, staff are suitably skilled to meet children’s individual needs. The majority of staff are qualified. Staff are supported to attain the required qualification within the necessary time frame. However, one member of staff has not yet completed this qualification within the required time.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective oversight of the home helps to drive forward improvement. The manager uses information to highlight patterns and trends and to identify any areas for improvement. Effective communication with others, including the children and staff, is embedded in the process, which improves the quality of care to the children. Inspection report for children's home: SC419229 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.6

Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

p.6

Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

p.6

Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

p.6

Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (1) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all staff complete the relevant qualification within the necessary time frame. 9 August 2024

p.6

Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the name of the child; 9 August 2024 Inspection report for children's home: SC419229 7 details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.6

Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

p.7

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.7

Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

p.7

Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

p.7

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

p.7

Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

p.7

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure;

p.7

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.7

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)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)

p.7

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to incidents involving physical restraint, where all children and staff involved in the physical intervention are spoken to within the designated time frames. It also relates to ensuring that clear recordings of these conversations are maintained.

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of their children. This specifically relates to ensuring that all internal maintenance and decoration, including paintwork, are consistently maintained and kept to a high standard. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children's home: SC419229 8  The registered person should actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. This specifically relates to children’s risk plans, clearly detailing their level of risk. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should notify Ofsted of any serious incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living in the home that the registered

p.7

Recommendations

person considers to be serious. The notification must be sent to Ofsted within the required timescales. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10)

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: SC419229 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care and Management Services Ltd

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Park business centre, Wood Lane, Birmingham B24 9QR

p.9

Inspector

Jas Nahar, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC419229 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 children looked after, 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