Children's Home run by Resicare Alliance Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 1 SC463639 Registered provider: Aston Children’s Care Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company. It provides care for up to five children with learning and/or physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/05/2023 Full Good 15/08/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/05/2022 Full Inadequate 25/05/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved in, and one child has moved out of the home. At the time of this inspection, four children lived at the home. All the children were present during the inspection and spoke to the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The provider’s clinical lead supported the child after they moved out of the home into their new living environment, ensuring the child’s needs are met. This helps the child build stability, trust and a sense of security in their new home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two of the children have been living in the home for a long time. The children said they feel well cared for. The dedicated manager and staff team are extremely warm and nurturing, which enables children to feel able to express themselves without judgement and fear. This has helped children to have a better understanding of their own identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to have their say by using their preferred methods of communication. These methods include Makaton, pictures and social stories. Staff get to know children well. For example, they have learned to interpret children’s vocal tones, signs, facial expressions and body language. As a result, staff can act on children’s wishes and feelings quickly and effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children attend full-time school education, and they have excellent attendance. Two children are tutored in the home. One child’s tutor said, ‘[Name of child] is doing exceptionally well and loves education.’ The manager and staff work with external professionals. This partnership working fosters ambition in children, which motivates them to do their best and achieve the best education outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are supported by staff through careful planning and strong communication with external providers. Staff support children to attend their routine health appointments. The organisation’s clinician provides additional support to staff with appropriate approaches to children’s emotional health and well-being. Additionally, staff seek specialist help, when necessary. This includes referrals for counselling. This multi- agency approach to the provision of care for children means that children’s all-round needs are met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children live in a home that is warm and comfortable. Their bedrooms are personalised and furnished with care. Photos of children having fun and enjoying their activities are displayed throughout the house. The home also offers a dedicated sensory space for the children to enjoy.

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

Children and staff share strong relationships. Staff know the children well and understand their individual needs. Children’s known risks are identified, and staff support Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 4 children to help them feel safe. Multi-disciplinary and trauma-informed support plans and risk assessments help guide staff to prevent risks and de-escalate situations.

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

The children’s individual needs are identified early, and clear plans and strategies based on an assessment of risk are quickly put in place. The regular review and revision of these plans ensure they are up to date and remain relevant. Staff complete needs- specific work with each child.

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

There has been a significant decrease in children going missing from the home. When children do go missing, staff respond quickly. They follow missing-from-home procedures, search for children and work with the local police until children are found. When children return home, staff spend time with them, give them the opportunity to share any worries they have and to discuss reasons for going missing. Staff educate children on safety and risks. This helps children to learn from their experiences.

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

Staff understand children’s needs well and quickly pick up on signs that they are unhappy or distressed. They are skilled in de-escalation techniques and take the right actions to help children. When staff have used restraint, this is always a last resort and is appropriate and proportionate. After incidents, staff take the time to talk with children to find out how they are feeling.

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

The manager takes prompt action when there are complaints and concerns raised about staff practice. He ensures that information is shared swiftly with appropriate professionals to avoid delay and ensure children are protected from harm. Children are kept informed of any outcomes. This ensures that children feel confident to raise concerns. It also helps them to feel safe and secure in their environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in post for seven months. He is experienced, child-centred in his approach to the provision of care for children, and has high aspirations for both children and staff. An organised deputy manager supports him. One staff member said, since the manager has been in post, ‘The home has experienced significant improvements, and he has provided excellent support to both staff and residents.’ Another member of staff said, ‘I have seen a lot of managers here; he is the best. He has the best interest for the children here.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working in the home and they support each other. One member of staff said, ‘I am proud to share that our team here is outstanding.’ Another staff member said that working at the home gives them ‘a deep sense of peace and happiness’. This supports a healthy staff culture, which creates a nurturing, stable and emotionally supportive environment for the children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings and supervision sessions take place monthly. These sessions provide staff with time to reflect on their practice and the quality of care that children receive. The manager also ensures that the performance of staff is appraised annually; this helps staff to be supported in their roles and development. Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 5 The manager ensures that staff are supported to undertake their roles effectively. Staff have completed a variety of relevant training to meet the children’s needs, including their individual communication needs. Consequently, staff have the knowledge and skills to provide good-quality care to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An independent visitor has conducted external monitoring of the home each month. However, the visitor has not consistently spoken to children during their visits. The absence of this feedback prevents children from having the opportunity to share their views about their care with an independent person. Furthermore, on two occasions, Ofsted did not receive reports following the independent person’s visits, and on several occasions, reports were submitted late. This limits the regulator’s oversight of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s monitoring is not always effective in identifying shortcomings. For example, there are inconsistencies in recording information in children’s records when they move out of the home. These gaps hinder the manager’s ability to oversee the quality of care provided to the children and limit opportunities to improve staff practice and learn from incidents. The manager is currently developing a new monitoring tool to address these gaps more efficiently, but this is yet to be embedded. Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 6

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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 registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

if the child dies before attaining the age of 18, for 15 years from the date of the child’s death;

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Requirement Due date

in cases not falling within sub-paragraph (a), for 75 years from the child’s date of birth;

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Requirement Due date

securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there; and

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Requirement Due date

in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to records being kept up to date and children who are admitted to the home having Care Plans, Risk Assessment and Behaviour Management support plans on file to inform the care provided. 26 October 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the

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Requirement Due date

independent person— 26 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 7 if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

HMCI. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a) (4)(a)(b) (7)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the independent visitor speaks with all the children during their visits and submits their report to the regulator within the required timeframes.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that their internal monitoring systems are effective. (‘Guide to the Children s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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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: SC463639 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aston Children’s Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 147 Stamford Hill, London N16 5LG

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Inspector

Jas Nahar, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 9 regulates and inspects 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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