Children's Home run by Sherlock Healthcare Services Ltd in Solihull

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2630680 1 Registered provider: Sherlock Healthcare Services Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a small private organisation. The home is registered to provide care for up to seven children who experience social and emotional difficulties. Two children currently live in the home. Both children were present during the inspection and one child spoke to the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

A manager was appointed in July 2024. He has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Inspection date: 7 January 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 7 January 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2630680 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has moved from the home to supported living accommodation and one child has moved in. Managers appropriately considered the risks and needs of the child moving into the home alongside the needs of the child already living there. Arrangements for children who move from the home are carefully planned, in consultation with the relevant professionals. This approach to care planning assists children to have a positive experience moving in and out of the home, which contributes to their positive life story.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager is committed to improving educational outcomes for children. When concerns are identified with children’s education, the manager will liaise with social workers and education professionals to advocate for children. The manager and staff understand the barriers to children attending school. Staff use incentives tailored to children’s interests to promote their attendance and engagement with education.

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Findings from the inspection

There are positive and nurturing interactions between staff and children. One child named staff, the manager and senior leaders as people who have helped them to feel safe and settled since moving into the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Effective strategies by managers and staff to prevent children bringing illegal substances into the home have contributed to a reduction in these types of incidents. When children are found with substances, staff take prompt and appropriate action to confiscate them and share the information with the relevant agencies and professionals. However, staff have missed opportunities to educate one child about the associated risks to their health and the consequences of possessing substances. Failing to educate children can lead to children’s health and well-being being compromised and to a risk of criminalisation.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff and managers use a multi-agency approach to supporting children at risk of exploitation. While this approach is a positive risk management strategy, it has not been effective in disrupting the push-and-pull factors which result in children going missing from home.

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Findings from the inspection

Children regularly go missing from home. When children go missing, staff take prompt action and follow the guidance in the missing protocols. Risk management plans for children are reviewed monthly, but the reviews do not always include current information about children. Consequently, the information contained in missing protocols and individual risk assessments is not consistent. This practice does not provide staff with clear and consistent guidance to enable them to support and safeguard children effectively. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2630680 3 On the rare occasions when children raise concerns about staff, managers share the information with the relevant professionals swiftly. However, the manager’s actions to address the concerns are not recorded. This does not provide assurance that action taken is in line with the home’s policies and that children are kept updated with the outcomes of the investigation.

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Findings from the inspection

The quality of the manager’s reviews of safeguarding incidents varies. Some incidents have an analytical review which appropriately identifies and addresses poor practice, while others do not. Some incidents are not reviewed in a timely manner. This approach leaves children vulnerable to harm, as poor practice is not addressed quickly to improve the care and support to children.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers provide staff with ongoing training and support to ensure they have the knowledge and skills to provide individualised care to children. Managers also ensure that the recruitment process is robust, to ensure they only recruit suitable staff to care for children. The manager ensures staff receive supervision regularly. Supervisions have not been used effectively as a space for staff to reflect on children’s safety and welfare, or their own welfare and development. This lack of reflection could potentially impact staff morale and contribute to poor practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers continue to implement strategies in line with their development plan to ensure ongoing improvement in the quality of care children receive.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/05/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/10/2023 Full Good 07/02/2023 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2630680 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 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.

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the information contained in safety plans and risks assessments is reviewed regularly, is up to date and is consistent with other plans.

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Requirement Due date

Also, ensure that children are educated around the risks of using cannabis, to support them to reflect, understand and manage behaviours safely. 30 March 2025

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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 promotes their welfare. 30 March 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2630680 5 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

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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure reviews of incidents take place to highlight shortfalls with practice and action plans are implemented to address shortfalls promptly. This includes the manager ensuring that there is a clear record of action taken when responding to safeguarding concerns.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff supervision provides a space for staff to reflect on their own feelings and well-being, children’s progress, safeguarding concerns, and their own development. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.15) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2630680 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sherlock Healthcare Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite LP38724, 20-22 Wenlock Road, London N1 7GU

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Hilton Mutariswa

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Inspector

Nateisha Cardoza-Evans, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2630680 7 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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