Children's Home run by Courtyard Care Limited in Walsall

Inspection report for children’s home: 2716724 1 Registered provider: Courtyard 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

The home provides care for up to six children with learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home. They were all observed as part of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a newly appointed manager of the home. They commenced in role in October 2024. They have applied to be registered with Ofsted, and they are currently working towards their level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspectors were aware during this inspection that serious child protection allegations were being investigated by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate allegations of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the allegations were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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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 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: 21 February 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2716724 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/02/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2716724 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are cared for by a nurturing and caring staff team. They ensure that children are supported to make progress and develop in all areas of their lives. As a result, all the children have made progress in areas such as communication, independence and socialisation, and they are building trusting relationships with the staff team. Staff know the children very well and are proud of each child’s accomplishments since coming to live in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved into the home. Managers and staff make arrangements to ensure that children’s moves into the home are successful. They encourage and support children and their families to visit and spend time in the home so that they can get to know the other children and staff team. In addition, managers and staff ensure that all required adaptations are in place, that children’s bedrooms are decorated to the child’s preferences and that staff have received any specialist training required. This robust care planning supports children to reduce their anxieties, settle into their environment quicker and gain a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff understand the importance of education and the routine that this provides for children. They work with education professionals to ensure that children are provided with education that meets their individual needs. When there are delays in accessing suitable education, managers are tenacious in their challenge to local authorities in finding appropriate education provision in a timely manner. Managers and staff ensure that home education is in place for children while an appropriate education provision is being sought This prevents gaps in learning and supports children to develop consistent routines.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff work well with healthcare professionals to ensure that children’s health needs are met. Staff support children to attend routine health appointments. When children have difficulties attending appointments, staff complete desensitisation work with children, to reduce their anxieties. Staff will also seek specialist support when required. There are detailed health plans in place and staff receive specific training to meet children’s individual health needs. This enhances children’s health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop their hobbies and interests and to try new things. Children have participated in a variety of activities out in the community, including trips to the zoo, the seaside, local parks, swimming and the cinema. This supports children to have fun, learn social skills and build their self-confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of family relationships for children. Staff have developed good relationships with children’s families and strive to include them in children’s lives. For example, there is a family flat attached to the home that families can stay in. This supported one family to spend Christmas with their child at the home. The parent commented, ‘We went for Christmas. It was amazing. Staff came into cook for us. Inspection report for children’s home: 2716724 4 They bent over backwards to ensure [it was] special for us, [name of child] and other young people. It was really special. It is a great setting.’

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

Children are safe. Managers and staff know the children well. They understand children’s needs, anxieties and risks. Children’s written plans are comprehensive. Managers ensure that staff are provided with clear, regularly reviewed guidance on how to support children’s needs, mitigate risk and keep children safe. Staff follow this guidance meticulously. As a result, there have been no high-risk incidents in the home.

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

Leaders and managers respond promptly when there are safeguarding concerns. They quickly share information with other safeguarding professionals. Records are comprehensive and they take action to keep children safe. However, there has been one occasion where previous managers failed to share a safeguarding concern with the local authority designated officer or with Ofsted. This did not impact on children’s safety. There is now a new management team in place, and they have given assurances that information will be shared in the future.

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

Staff use physical intervention as a last resort to keep children safe. Records are detailed and in line with regulation. Managers have effective oversight of all incidents. This ensures that interventions, when used, are the least restrictive, necessary and proportionate.

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

Managers and staff know how to keep children safe online. There are robust systems and safeguards in place. Staff talk to children about internet safety, to support their understanding of how to keep themselves safe online.

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

Children live in a well-equipped, safe environment. Staff complete regular health and safety checks. Personal evacuation plans are in place for all children. There are regular fire drills to ensure that staff and children know how to exit the building in the event of an emergency.

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

Staff who work in the home are subject to all necessary recruitment checks. This ensures that only suitable people work in the home.

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

Staff use a range of communication systems to communicate with children, such as pictural exchange systems, Makaton, communication boards and through observation of children’s body language and vocalisations. This supports children to communicate their wishes, feelings and preferences. However, managers have not ensured that staff’s training in all the children’s communication styles is effective in supporting staff to fully understand children’s individual needs. This has caused inconsistencies in how staff in the home and the children’s school are using communication, and at times, has not aligned with the child’s speech and language plans. This became apparent following a safeguarding concern and contributed towards a breakdown in professional relationships, which could have been avoided. Senior leaders are addressing this, and more specialist training is now being sought. Inspection report for children’s home: 2716724 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, there have been changes in the leadership and management of the home. There is a newly appointed manager and responsible individual in post. They have both developed a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. The manager is ambitious and has high aspirations for children and the home to succeed. The manager is working closely with the experienced deputy manager and responsible individual, to further develop the home. Senior leadership oversight and governance have improved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have effective systems in place to monitor the quality of care that children receive. They have good oversight of the records relating to the home and children. There is an abundance of internal and external audits that support leaders and managers to scrutinise the performance of the home and children’s outcomes. They use these well to improve the quality of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers ensure that an independent person completes an assessment of the home monthly. Managers recognised that the independent reports were not detailed and were not effectively supporting improvements. As a result, a new independent person has recently been appointed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that when there are shortfalls in practice, these are investigated, and learning is identified and acted on to support improvement. Similarly, they ensure that action is taken when concerns are raised. For example, when one parent raised a concern around their child’s clothes being creased, managers purchased a steamer. Managers have also supported one parent to raise concerns about and get access to an interpreter for their visits. These responses support parents to build trust and confidence in the care offered.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team holds leaders and managers in high regard. Staff say that managers are supportive and caring. Managers ensure that staff receive monthly, good-quality supervision sessions. There are also regular, highly reflective team meetings. These practices support staff to develop, work as a team and feel valued. In addition, the organisation has introduced new policies and procedures to improve staff retention and help staff to feel more appreciated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff work with a range of professionals and external agencies. Feedback received has been mixed. Concerns have been raised about communication and staff skills and experience for meeting one of the children’s complex needs. Leaders and managers are aware of these concerns and have started to address them. In contrast, one professional said, ‘Communication is great. They understand young people and invest in them.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2716724 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 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

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; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that staff are provided with training that supports them to understand and meet children’s individual needs, including alternative communication methods. Furthermore, they must ensure that staff work collaboratively with external agencies, to provide children with a consistent approach. 9 May 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: 2716724 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3 Siskin Drive, Middlemarch Business Park, Coventry CV3 4FJ

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Inspector

Sonia Sullivan, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2716724 8 regulates and inspects 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 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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