Children's home run by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

Inspection report for children’s home: 2786471 1 Registered provider: Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council 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 the local authority and provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home. Both were present and spoke with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has applied to register with Ofsted. At the time of the inspection, the application was in progress, and the manager was awaiting assessment of their suitability and fitness to carry out the role.

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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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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Following the inadequate judgement at the last inspection, Ofsted imposed a three-month condition on the home’s registration. This condition required leaders to provide Ofsted with three months’ notice before admitting any new children to the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2786471 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/10/2024 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2786471 3

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improvement to be good

Shortfalls in the help and protection of children have affected some children’s progress and experiences.

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improvement to be good

Children are not consistently provided with the appropriate support to help them manage their emotions. Physical restraint is not always used proportionately or as a last resort. This has resulted in at least one child experiencing unnecessary restrictions on their access to areas of the home.

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improvement to be good

Children do not always receive consistent boundaries from staff. Risk assessments and identified vulnerabilities are not always matched with consistent support, leading to conflicting guidance that is not aligned with children’s care plans.

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improvement to be good

When children move into the home, managers undertake good-quality planning. This helps children to settle and manage significant changes in their lives. However, children’s case records do not consistently reflect the direct work undertaken to support them during changes to their home environment.

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improvement to be good

Children make good progress in their education from their individual starting points. When children are not accessing full-time education, staff provide learning opportunities through educational activities in the home and the community.

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improvement to be good

The home is well decorated, and children benefit from a spacious, well-resourced environment. They have access to games and an outdoor area that they enjoy. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and reflect their individual interests and hobbies.

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improvement to be good

Children do not always receive consistent responses from staff to support them to manage their emotions and behaviours. Staff are not always clear on how to manage children’s vulnerabilities. Written guidance intended to give staff strategies on how to best support children is not always understood.

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improvement to be good

On at least one occasion, records of physical restraint were inaccurate and not sufficiently addressed by the manager. While senior leaders have since taken timely action to respond to these concerns, such lapses in oversight can undermine the consistency and effectiveness of safeguarding practices, potentially affecting children's sense of safety and trust.

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improvement to be good

The risks associated with internet use are not fully understood by the staff team. Strategies to keep children safe online are underdeveloped and do not support children Inspection report for children’s home: 2786471 4 effectively in learning how to protect themselves. Further work is required to ensure that all measures are taken to protect children from potential online harm.

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improvement to be good

However, staff ensure that children are spoken with following behavioural incidents. This provides children with an opportunity to share their experiences and raise any concerns. Staff also support children to express their wishes and feelings through a variety of forums, helping them feel empowered in making decisions about their care.

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improvement to be good

Positive behaviour is promoted. Staff are creative in recognising children’s achievements and the progress they make. They carefully consider each child’s age and learning needs and implement reward systems tailored to individual care plans.

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

The registered manager resigned in November 2024, and the current manager has applied to register. In addition, the responsible individual has left their post, and there have been some staffing changes. While senior leaders have attempted to lessen the impact, this instability has resulted in children experiencing some inconsistencies in their care.

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

Management oversight of staff practice is inconsistent. Internal auditing and review systems do not to consistently identify shortfalls in the support provided to children, particularly in relation to their safety and well-being.

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

Managers do not consistently provide staff with timely opportunities for reflection following incidents involving physical restraint. Staff report that their welfare needs are not always considered during these debriefs, which impacts their ability to reflect on and learn from incidents.

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

However, staff do have access to regular supervision and meet frequently as a team to discuss the progress children are making. Staff also report that they have access to a wide range of training opportunities to support their professional development.

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

Leaders have developed an action plan to address the shortfalls identified in practice. They are actively recruiting permanent staff to improve stability and ensure children receive consistent and high-quality care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2786471 5

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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;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and 13 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2786471 6 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)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there is effective management oversight of the home. This includes ensuring that the quality of care provided to children is continuously monitored and evaluated. Senior leaders must maintain oversight of children’s care plans and ensure they are being implemented and reviewed effectively by the manager and staff.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must also develop and embed effective monitoring and review systems. These systems should ensure that all staff understand the expected quality of care and the experiences children should receive. Swift and effective action must be taken to address any identified shortfalls in practice.

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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

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

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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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; 13 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2786471 7 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)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff consistently safeguard children from harm. Staff must have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in protecting children and must take timely and appropriate action to prevent harm.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff have access to accurate, up-to-date information about each child’s known vulnerabilities and needs. This information should include clear, practical guidance to help staff keep children safe and respond effectively to their individual circumstances..

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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

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 13 June 2025

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child); or

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Requirement Due date

a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)) 13 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2786471 8

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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: 2786471 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Council House, Manor Square, Solihull, B91 3QB

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Inspector

Charlotte Tippett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2786471 10 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted Inspection report for children’s home: 2786471 11

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