Children's Home run by Hazelmont Social Care LTD in Walsall

Inspection report for children's home: 2654423 1 Registered provider: Hazelmont Social 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 is registered to provide care for up to three children who may have experienced childhood trauma that has led to unmet emotional needs that require specialist care and support.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2024 and holds a relevant qualification.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspectors were aware during this inspection that two serious allegations have been made about incidents involving children that have lived at the home since the last inspection but have since moved out. Investigations are underway by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the alleged incidents were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 14 and 15 January 2025 and 12 March 2025.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded, and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 7 November 2023

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2654423 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/11/2023 Full Good 14/12/2022 Full Good 16/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2654423 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Shortfalls identified in the help and protection of children mean that some children’s progress and experiences have also been negatively affected.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children have not always been provided with appropriate levels of support and supervision, which has placed them at risk of harm. In addition, it is not clear how and if children’s risks and vulnerabilities have been properly assessed, with clear plans in place, to reduce risk and to enable them to participate in activities safely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home, and three children had moved out since the last inspection. Both children living at the home were present during this inspection and were spoken to. They were positive about their experience of living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Three children who have moved on since the last inspection had lived there for several years and they benefited from this stability. When children have moved to the home, managers undertake good-quality planning. Children are able to meet staff and have overnight stays in advance of their move. Good-quality planning helps children settle into the home and reduces anxiety over big changes in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

When there are barriers to children accessing education, the manager works well with professionals to ensure that their individual learning needs are assessed and understood. When children are not accessing full-time education, staff support their learning by offering educational activities at home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The home is well decorated, and children benefit from a spacious and well-resourced environment. Children have access to games, books and an outdoor area that they enjoy. Children have input to the decoration of the home.

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

Managers have not always taken effective steps to ensure that children are kept safe.

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

Since the last inspection, two allegations have been made in relation to a child who has moved on, about incidents that are said to have happened while the child was living at the home. After the first concern was raised, which remains under investigation, managers have not maintained contact with partner agencies to receive relevant updates that would inform any learning and the care and support of children. In addition, they did not fully consider and implement effective strategies at the time to mitigate and manage risk while this child lived at the home.

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

Managers have not always ensured that children have been appropriately supervised, particularly at night. On one occasion, children posted an online video of themselves Inspection report for children's home: 2654423 4 during the night, gaming together in one of the children’s bedrooms. Staff were unaware that this was happening. After this incident, there were two occasions when a child left the house during the night and staff were unaware of them going missing from home until the next morning. Failures to ensure that children are effectively supervised have left children at risk of harm.

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

There are some vulnerabilities relating to fire safety. Managers have not taken heed of recommendations raised in the fire safety risk assessment and its subsequent review. The responsible individual took action during the March visit to mitigate risk until remedial work can be undertaken.

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

Children’s behaviours and risks are not clearly recorded in relevant plans. This does not provide staff with clear guidance and contributes to some poor responses to keeping children safe. Risks for one child living at the home now are not fully understood and further work is needed, together with partner agencies, to address this.

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

Staff make attempts to contact children when they are missing from home. They contact family members and police to assist in trying to locate children. When children return home, they have the opportunity to talk to someone independent about why they went missing and what happened while they were away.

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

Incidents when staff have had to use physical intervention are rare. When they have occurred, staff actions have been proportionate to keep children safe. The manager and staff are reflective about these incidents and support is put in place for children. This promotes children’s well-being.

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

Staff give children praise and recognise when they have done things well. This helps to develop children’s self-esteem and encourages positive behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers and staff do not learn from practice when there are serious concerns identified. As a result, they do not implement necessary changes to keep children safe. Aspects of monitoring are weak.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff speak positively about the support they receive from the current manager. There has been a high level of staff turnover and changes in the management of the home. Steps are being taken to address this and in recent months, this has stabilised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers who work in the home are qualified and experienced. Five staff who work on permanent basis and other staff who occasionally work in the home are working towards this qualification. Two staff will enrol on a course to complete the required qualification following their probation period. Two unqualified staff have more than two years’ experience of caring for children in a residential setting. While there are some mitigating factors for this, managers don’t have clear systems in place for tracking staff’s progress to reduce further drift and delay and to ensure timely completion. Inspection report for children's home: 2654423 5 Staff are positive about the induction they receive when joining the organisation. The manager ensures that staff receive regular supervision. Team meetings take place regularly, and this includes support from a psychologist. This helps staff think about children’s needs from a different perspective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Inspection report for children's home: 2654423 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 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

that staff 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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm.

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other.

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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)) 23 April 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

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Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 23 April 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2654423 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(f))

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In this regulation, “the fire and rescue authority” means the fire and rescue authority. (Regulation 25 (2)(a)(b) (3)) 23 April 2025

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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: 2654423 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hazelmont Social Care LTD

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West Midlands House, Gipsy Lane, Willenhall, West Midlands WV13 2HA

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Johann Deeming in January 2025 Susan Rai from 21 February

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Inspector

Chrisoula Contoyianni, Social Care Inspector Helen Dunn, Social care Inspector Jackie Line, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2654423 9 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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