Children's Home run by Highgate House Walsall Limited in Walsall

Inspection report for children’s home: 2789871 1 Registered provider: Highgate House Walsall Limited

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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 owned by a private company. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home. The child spoke to the inspector.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2789871 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to share their views, wishes and feelings about their lived experiences. This helps children to develop trusting relationships with staff, and to feel safer. Staff support children to meet with external professionals to share their views. This helps children to feel valued and to be involved in making decisions about their lives. Teachers and social workers speak positively about the care that children receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to understand their health needs. Staff have supported one child to learn about their sexual health. This helps children to feel comfortable speaking to staff about any concerns they have. Staff support children to access medical advice as part of developing their independence. This helps children to feel confident in speaking to medical and health professionals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s relationships with their family members and friends. This helps children to feel comfortable with their visiting arrangements. One child was observed during the inspection enjoying time with their friend. Staff support parents to understand their children’s needs. This helps children to feel safer and confident in the support they receive from staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education is supported and valued by staff. This helps children to feel motivated and inspired about their future ambitions. One child has been supported by staff to return to school and is making positive progress. Staff support children to develop their personal interests. This encourages children to feel confident in expressing their individual identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well maintained, with decor and furnishings of a high standard. There is artwork displayed throughout the home. Children enjoy relaxing with their friends and staff in the communal areas. The children’s bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms and are designed to reflect children’s individual identity. There is a spacious garden with outdoor seating.

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

Staff understand the support children need. This creates a nurturing and safe home for children. One child said that their home is the only place they have felt settled. Staff are supported by a psychologist to understand children’s lived experiences. This helps staff to understand when children need specialist support. Staff arranged for one child to receive therapeutic support to help them speak about their lived experiences.

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

Children have bespoke support plans. These are updated to reflect changes in the children’s needs and staff support children to understand their support plans. This helps children to share their views, wishes and feelings about their plans. Staff encourage Inspection report for children’s home: 2789871 3 children to speak to external professionals about the support they are receiving. This helps children to understand that they can make complaints about their care and protection.

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

Staff develop consistent routines for children. Staff support children to create routines for their self-care and keeping their bedrooms organised. This helps children to develop their independence skills and how to create an organised living environment. Staff support children to understand why routines are important for their education. This encourages children’s school attendance and learning.

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

Children do not go missing from their home. Staff support children to develop trusting relationships, which helps them to feel safe. Staff encourage children to share their views, wishes and feelings. This helps children to feel respected and that their opinions are valued. Staff support children to spend time in the community independently. This helps children to develop their emotional resilience and independence skills.

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

Staff understand how to use physical interventions when these are required. Staff use verbal and written praise to support children’s understanding of risks. This helps to create safe boundaries and prevents the use of physical interventions. Staff support children to learn about internet safety. This helps children to feel safer at home and in the community.

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

Management systems for monitoring and oversight are not effective. There are no monitoring systems in place to consistently review the progress of children and staff practice. The management team accepts this is a shortfall that will be addressed.

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

The training plan has not been implemented effectively by the management team. For example, there are two members of staff who have not completed their identified training. There is also one member of staff who has not completed the necessary qualification within regulatory timescales.

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

Staff feel valued by leaders and managers. Staff receive reflective supervision to develop their practice, and leaders and managers understand the importance of team meetings. There has, however, only been one with a specific theme team meeting since the last inspection. The management team accepts that this is not sufficient to support staff.

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

The management team is passionate about supporting children and providing them with new experiences. They are united in their commitment to create an emotionally resilient staff team whose members are strong advocates for children. This begins with the safe recruitment of staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2789871 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 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)) 28 April 2025

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b)) 28 April 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2789871 5

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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: 2789871 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Highgate House Walsall Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Bluebird Care Walsall, 28a Willows Road, Walsall, West Midlands WS1 2DR

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Inspector

Siân Heffey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2789871 7 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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