Children's Home run by Resicare Alliance Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 1 SC463639 Registered provider: Aston Children’s 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 provides care for up to five children with learning or physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living in the home at the time of inspection and were spoke with as part of this inspection. Two children who have moved on and one child has moved into the home since the last inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left in February 2025. A new manager is in post and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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: 23 September 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/09/2024 Full Good 03/05/2023 Full Good 15/08/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/05/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Plans for children who are moving in or preparing to move from the home are consistently managed well with sensitivity. Children’s views about their care are reflected in their plans. One child who was due to move in proudly showed the inspector their personalised room, expressing they felt well supported and excited. Of the two children who moved on, one transitioned into foster care in line with their care plan, while the other left due to changing needs. Despite challenges and delays in care planning by the placing authority, staff continued to provide care and support until a suitable placement was found, ensuring a smooth and well-handled transition.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience love and nurture from the adults who support them. All children said they are happy living in the home and feel safe. Children have formed trusting, positive relationships with staff and peers they live with. This provides children with a sense of belonging. Staff create a warm family environment, especially through shared mealtimes, where they use this time to capture children’s views and wishes for the week. Despite the nurturing care, children do not have access to independent advocacy. The absence of advocacy was a missed opportunity, particularly for a child affected by delays in care planning by the local authority.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote a strong focus to develop children’s independence in a person-centred way. This is achieved through direct work and key-working sessions. Achievement and successes are celebrated. This reinforces positive self-esteem and provides children with the skills they need to help them in daily tasks.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress from their starting points. For example, one child’s verbal communication has improved. Another child, who has been out of education for a few years, now regularly engages in education session with their home tutor and plans to attend a specialist college provision. However, the manager has not yet worked with the education provider to review or adjust strategies when existing approaches are proving ineffective for one child who is experiencing barriers to their learning.

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

There is a rise in the number of incidents for one child who requires to be held by staff to keep themselves and others safe. These physical interventions are carried out with care. Staff and children are consulted with following incidents and there is a focus to maintain positive relationships and support the child’s understanding of the situation.

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

A clinical team supports staff, contributing specialist insight. This is particularly effective when a child’s needs change. Children benefit from a multi-agency response that ensures tailored, coordinated support. Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 4 Staff adapt robust monitoring systems around online safety. Key-working sessions are completed with children to help them understand risks and how they can keep themselves safe online.

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

During the inspection, a child went missing from home, prompting an immediate and coordinated response from staff, who informed relevant professionals. The child returned safely and was supported in a nurturing way, enabling them to share their whereabouts. The manager acted swiftly to strengthen practices and ensure safeguards were reinforced during the inspection.

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

When complaints and allegations have been made, these are managed effectively and full investigations completed. All relevant professionals are informed, including the local designated officer. However, on one occasion, the outcome of an allegation had not been shared with the child. This does not allow children to understand what actions have been taken after raising a concern. In addition, one complaint outcome has not been shared with the child’s placing authority.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new manager is supported by a passionate deputy manager. Both managers understand the children’s needs and complexities. They have established trusting relationships with children. In addition, children are supported by a stable staff team, with several staff holding the necessary qualification. This helps provide children with continuity of care by skilled staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals gave positive feedback during the inspection. They say children are cared for and provided with love and nurture. Children are making progress while living in the home. One child’s social worker said, ‘The deputy manager speaks about [child’s name] in a way you would your own children, with pride.’ Furthermore, leaders and managers have been effective in escalating concerns when care planning has been unsatisfactory for children from placing authorities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and say they feel supported by managers. In addition, training and development is a focus. Staff say the training helps them understand children’s needs further. Leaders and managers have incorporated additional development workshops through team meetings. This helps to enrich knowledge and the home’s processes further.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager receives support by both the responsible individual and the regional manager. Although monitoring systems are in place, they often fail to identify shortfalls. For example, on one occasion, the manager has not identified practice issues specific to an episode of going missing and language used in the record is not reflective of the home’s therapeutic approach. Systems to monitor staff training are not effective, and leaders and managers have limited understanding of right to work recruitment checks. This practice has the potential to compromise the quality of care delivered to children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 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, 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

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

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met;

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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) (2)(f)(g)(i)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must provide children with feedback following allegations, ensure that care records are updated and obtained post review, and use monitoring systems to revise practices, training and risk assessments as needed. They must also understand and oversee staff recruitment processes. 7 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children have access to and details for advocacy support. They should also consider the use of an independent advocate where necessary. In particular, the registered person should use the principle of listening to the child and taking their views, wishes and feelings into account when planning and undertaking their care. This includes children with disabilities, special educational needs or other complex needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.16)  The registered person should ensure that children receive the appropriate support to access education or training. This includes collaborating effectively with education providers and regularly reviewing and adjusting strategies when existing approaches to overcoming learning barriers prove ineffective. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.13)

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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: SC463639 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aston Children’s Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 147 Stamford Hill, London N16 5LG

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Inspector

Joanne Humphreys, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC463639 8 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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