Children's home run by Kids

Inspection report children’s home: SC454707 1 SC454707 Registered provider: Kids

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a charity and offers short-break care for up to seven children with social and emotional difficulties, physical disabilities and/or learning disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the visit, one child was staying at the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager. The post has been vacant since July 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: inadequate

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC454707 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/07/2024 Full Inadequate 05/12/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 31/01/2023 Full Good 11/05/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC454707 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have worked closely with the local authority to improve their understanding of children’s experiences and needs. Leaders made the decision to close the home for two weeks. This allowed staff to undertake training, reflect on children’s individual needs and evaluate the care they delivered.

p.3

improvement to be good

There has been a positive shift in staff’s practice and commitment to deliver personalised care. Staff have completed training that enables them to enhance their communication and connection with children. They have already noticed a difference in children’s engagement, for example increased willingness to participate in activities and routines.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff are using their new communication skills to support children to make choices, which means they are learning about children’s preferences and the things they enjoy. For example, they have found that one child is more willing to mobilise if they are encouraged through signed communication and singing.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children are being supported to work towards targets and the manager is aspirational for them. Instead of allowing the children to watch television as soon as they arrive at the home, staff prepare activities for them, which include arts and crafts and visiting local farms. Some children are being supported to develop life skills, for example cooking, doing their laundry and making their beds.

p.3

improvement to be good

While staff are taking positive steps in the right direction, these changes to the care of children and communication are in their infancy. Staff’s recognition of the importance of communication and choice is only a recent development. Some professionals and parents have ongoing concerns about the timeliness of staff’s communication with them.

p.3

improvement to be good

The manager and staff have a better understanding of the children’s vulnerabilities and any risks that could impact their well-being. Staff are making efforts to attend children’s meetings, creating opportunities for them to work with other professionals and learn about the children’s daily experiences.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff have an improved understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities towards the children. Staff have participated in appropriate training, including helping them to understand the home’s policies and internal reporting system. Staff’s use of the recording system has increased, demonstrating that they are applying their learning. Staff also have an improved understanding of physical restraint. Inspection report for children’s home: SC454707 4 Staff take appropriate action when children visiting the home are observed to have unexplained injuries. They record clear descriptions of children’s injuries. However, they do not consistently record the rationale for the action they decide to take. Consequently, it is not immediately clear if they have escalated concerns or not.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff use de-escalation strategies to support children when they are distressed and, in most instances, their interventions are impactful. On some occasions, staff have been required to use restraint. They are recording when these incidents occur, but the detail is not sufficient and management oversight is not robust enough.

p.4

improvement to be good

There have been a handful of incidents when staff have felt unable to meet children’s needs due to their level of distress and they have asked parents to collect them. In one isolated instance, staff’s interventions were weak.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management instability has been an ongoing challenge in this home. The former registered manager left the home in June 2023. A manager was appointed in October 2023 but left in February 2024. They did not seek registration during this period. The current manager has been in post since May 2024. During the periods of no manager interim arrangements were not sufficient. In addition, there has been instability with a number of changes to the responsible individual. The current manager has recently submitted an application to register.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

During the period of management instability, the senior leaders oversight was weak and ineffective and allowed poor practice to develop, which put children at risk of harm. While the members of the executive leadership team have made good efforts to increase their oversight, including regularly attending the home and joining meetings with the local authority, this is not sustainable. The organisation have recruited a new responsible individual on a part-time basis.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager and executive leadership team have been overseeing recent changes in the home. Staff have responded well to the home’s improvement journey. They are using their training in practice and now feel supported to fulfil their roles. Any shortfalls in practice have been addressed through supervision. The staff team is relatively stable and supported by use of regular sessional workers.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has responded appropriately to a complaint submitted by a parent, and this is a marked area of improvement. She met with the parent, explored their views and took learning from the experience. This learning has been shared with staff and they have adapted their practice.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Despite leaders providing reassurances that safer recruitment was being carried out, they were unable to demonstrate this. Additionally, fire safety checks were not completed for several weeks, and this went unnoticed. Inspection report for children’s home: SC454707 5 Overall, leaders and managers are realistic about the progress they have made, and they understand that further improvements are needed. The extent of this is unclear because the existing monitoring review systems are ineffective. Leaders do not minimise concerns and acknowledge that changes are in their infancy and need time to be embedded, sustained and tested. Inspection report for children’s home: SC454707 6

p.4

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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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;

p.6

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)(c)(f)(h)) 17 December 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

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; 17 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC454707 7 a description of the measure and its duration;

p.6

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; and

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)(iv))

p.7

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.7

Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

p.7

Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii)) 17 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC454707 8 In particular, the registered person should ensure that all facilities in the home are accessible for children.

p.7

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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: SC454707 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 249 Birmingham Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B72 1EA

p.9

Inspectors

Tara Webb, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Chrisoula Contoyianni, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC454707 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

Inspectors

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.

p.10

Inspectors

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

Inspectors

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

p.10

Inspectors

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

p.10