Children's Home run by Nirmal Homes Limited in Wolverhampton

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2725133 1 h

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home is registered to provide care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The previous manager voluntarily cancelled his registration with Ofsted following the last inspection. A new manager has recently started, she has not yet applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

No children were living in the home during the inspection.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 11 and 12 June 2024. Following this Ofsted suspended the home’s registration because the child was at risk due to serious and widespread failings to provide safe and effective care. Ofsted has also issued a notice of proposal to cancel the home’s registration.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the provider’s written representation under section 18 of the Care Standards Act 2000 and to review the provider’s adherence to the suspension notice.

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This monitoring visit

There are continued shortfalls relating to safer recruitment of staff and the leadership and management of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Managers fail to ensure that recruitment processes are effective and safe. For example, some staff have disclosed previous criminal convictions on their application form. However, managers have failed to explore these further and consider any impact or potential impact on children. This means that the provider has not assured Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2725133 2 themselves that employed staff are suitable to care for children and whether an additional measure is needed to mitigate any risk identified.

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This monitoring visit

There continues to be shortfalls in the assessment and understanding of risk and risk management. The responsible individual acknowledged that she had sourced the risk assessment about children that harm themselves from the internet and has not reviewed or amended this. She did not understand the information contained in the risk assessment and could not explain how this would work in practice. This does not show good leadership and does not give assurances that managers are able to safely lead the staff to care for children.

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This monitoring visit

Not all staff have undertaken training since the last inspection to help develop their practice in caring for children and keeping them safe. For example, the deputy manager, a key person, has not undertaken any training alongside colleagues and it is not clear what he understands about what staff have learned in recent workshops and training and how he will support staff to implement learning.

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This monitoring visit

There is now a new supervision template. Despite this managers and staff have not received supervision since the last inspection. This does not support staff development and limits the manager’s understanding of staff’s skills and understanding of their roles and responsibilities when providing care to children.

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This monitoring visit

The managers have made vast improvements to the internal and external environment and the home is now free from hazards. The gardens at the front and back of the property have been landscaped and areas in the home have been decorated and repairs completed. In addition, the fire risk assessment has been updated and the managers have ensured that all actions have been rectified. The environment is now a safe place for children to live. There are still some areas of the home that need further work; however, the managers have a plan to ensure this is completed.

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This monitoring visit

The managers have made improvements to their monitoring, medication and safeguarding systems. They have implemented manager’s audits, an impact risk assessment, a central safeguarding tracker and safeguarding log recording procedure to name a few. There is also now a system to ensure that staff are competent in administering medication to children. This will enable the manager to identify any shortfalls in the care that children receive and to be proactive in addressing them. It is not possible to measure how effective these are in practise as yet, due to no children currently living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have now completed a review of the premises to assess the suitability and location of the home to include local bridges, dual carriage ways and high-rise buildings. This now gives clear strategies to staff to manage the risk to children in the local area. However, it does not consider how to minimise risk to the children from the main road at the front of the property. The managers took action to rectify this during the inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2725133 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/06/2024 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2725133 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 (1) 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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that staff have the skills to keep children safe; risk assessments must be kept under review and give clear guidance to staff to keep children safe. Risk assessments must also be clear and give direction to staff in how to respond to children’s needs. 20 October 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— 20 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2725133 5 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

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)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that there is effective oversight and practise issues are identified and action is taken to address poor practise. Additionally, all staff need to complete all mandatory training and any training specific to the child’s specific needs living in the home.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the 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

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)) 20 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2725133 6 This specifically relates to ensuring that impact risk assessments are detailed and consider how the manager and staff intend to safeguard children. You must take into account staff skills and experience, location of the home and consult with relevant professionals involved in children’s day- to-day care.

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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. In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them;

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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)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that there are safe systems for administration of medication; that records are accurate and that staff administering medication are competent to do so. 20 October 2024

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character; 20 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2725133 7 the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

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)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that recruitment processes are robust and in line with Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the managers and staff receive practise relate supervision and these are in line with the company’s supervision policy. 20 October 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 20 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2725133 8 This specifically relates to ensuring that HMCI are notified of all serious events without delay.

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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: 2725133 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nirmal Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 73 Francis Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B16 8SP

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Inspector

Marianne Grandfield, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2725133 10 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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