Children's Home run by Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company in Birmingham

Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 1 Registered provider: Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

Birmingham Children’s Trust operates this home. The home has been registered since March 2018. It provides care for up to 12 children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 10 children were living in the home. All the children were present during the inspection. The inspectors observed staff practice and spoke to all the children.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a manager since 21 August 2024. A new manager has been appointed and has started work. She is in the process of applying to Ofsted to register.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 6 and 7 August 2024. The inspection resulted in compliance notices being issued in relation to regulation 12, the Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 2 protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. A notice restricting the accommodation of any further children at the home until improvements are made was also issued.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit was carried out on 17 September 2024 to review the progress made in meeting the compliance notice relating to regulation 12. Inspectors found that the compliance notice for regulation 12 was not met and this was reissued. The compliance notice for regulation 13 was not reviewed as the due date had not passed. Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/08/2024 Full Inadequate 20/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/05/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 4

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, the provider has adhered to the notice of restriction and no children have moved into the home.

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improvement to be good

Most of the children have lived at the home for over two years. The relationships between the children and the staff are nurturing and loving and most staff know the children well and are attentive.

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improvement to be good

Children’s plans do not contain all the relevant information about children’s health needs. Without this information, staff are unable to help the children to maintain good health. This means that some children’s health needs are not met.

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improvement to be good

Managers and leaders have failed to obtain the most up-to-date information from children’s placing authorities to inform children’s care and support. Some statutory plans and documents are out of date or are missing, including children’s care plans, education, health and care plans, statutory review minutes and personal education plans. This leaves staff without the most current information about children’s needs and the arrangements for their care.

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improvement to be good

Children’s experiences of moving out of the home have improved. One young person who had previously experienced significant delays in their moving on plans has now successfully moved out of the home. The staff worked hard to prepare the young person for the move and ensured that they were at the forefront of all care planning decisions. A farewell party was arranged and most of the staff team came to say goodbye on their final day. The staff have remained in contact with the young person, who is settling into their new home.

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improvement to be good

Improvements have been made to the home environment that have created a more homely feel. Changes to the children’s activity room have created a fun space where children can spend time. The children’s art is proudly displayed on the walls. This supports children to feel valued and have a sense of belonging.

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improvement to be good

Moat of the children are attending school. They have good attendance and are making progress in line with their individual learning needs. One child who has not been in education for a considerable period is now accessing one-to-one tutoring. Staff are collaborating with the child’s social worker to secure the right education provision.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risk assessments and behaviour support plans are not reviewed regularly. They do not always include known risks for children and they do not set out specific actions Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 5 for staff to take to manage these risks. As a result, staff do not always have current guidance to help them keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

Some actions from the fire risk assessment are still outstanding after several months. The fire authority is monitoring this. However, managers have taken action to support children’s safety, including ensuring that children’s individual plans are clear and current in relation to action to take in the event of a fire.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have now ensured that staff have received safeguarding training. Team meetings and additional safeguarding workshops have increased staff’s skills and knowledge in all areas of safeguarding. Staff now have a good understanding of the home’s safeguarding processes and they understand their responsibilities and the actions required to keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

Managers have implemented a system for the reporting, recording and monitoring of safeguarding concerns. There is multi-agency partnership working when concerns are raised, and appropriate action is taken when necessary. As a result, managers understand and address staff practice, to promote children’s welfare and keep them safe.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, there has been one incident that necessitated police being called to the home. During the incident, staff did not effectively provide the child with the support to safely de-escalate their feelings of anxiety. Police subsequently arrested the child. The manager recognised the shortfalls in staff practice and took action to address this. All staff have received positive behaviour management training and incidents involving the child have reduced.

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improvement to be good

Managers have taken action to address the steps set out in the compliance notice issued in respect of regulation 12, and it was found to be met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers do not consistently maintain oversight of children’s records. This has resulted in statutory information and other vital information not being held on the children’s records. Managers have started to improve systems to ensure the information is current and are developing new tools to ensure good oversight. However, as these are not fully implemented, it is not possible to assess their full effectiveness.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have put in place effective systems to improve the quality of care to children and act when needed to bring about change. The manager understands the home’s strengths and areas for development and has used this knowledge to develop a plan to make further improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Overall improvements have been made to the frequency and quality of staff supervision. Managers have recognised the need for further improvements and changes have been made to the way staff receive supervision. Furthermore, senior members of staff in the home have received additional training to improve the quality of supervision provided. Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 6 Regular team meetings give staff opportunities to discuss any worries or concerns and ensure that everyone is kept up to date with the children’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff have completed mandatory training and specific training to meet the children’s individual needs, such as autism. Staff say that they are supported to develop their knowledge and skills and have opportunities to progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff are positive about the management team. They say that the senior leadership team is approachable and responsive to their feedback. The staff enjoy working in the home and staff morale is high.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers have taken action to address the steps set out in the compliance notice issued in respect of regulation 13, and it was found to be met. Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 7

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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 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children’s risk assessments are reviewed and updated to reflect the child’s individual risks and behaviours. 6 December 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—

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Requirement Due date

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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that monitoring systems are implemented and effective in ensuring good oversight of all aspects of the operation of the home. 6 December 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 8 After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire.

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(30) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (1)(d) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that they meet the requirements set out by the fire authority. 24 November 2024

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)) 6 December 2024

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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

are kept up to date. (Regulation 26 (1)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that children’s records are updated in line with their care plans. 6 December 2024

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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: 1273663 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Avenue Road, Aston, Birmingham B6 4DU

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Inspectors

Lydia Isaac, Social Care Inspector Marianne Grandfield, Social Care Inspector Kirsty Truesdale, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1273663 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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