Children's home run by Care and Management Services Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2596121 1 Registered provider: Care and Management Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately operated. It provides care for up to two children who have learning disabilities and/or who may have experienced early childhood trauma and exhibit complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2024. She is also a registered manager for another home in the organisation.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2596121 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/03/2025 Full Good 20/02/2024 Full Good 08/11/2022 Full Good 14/07/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2596121 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, three children have moved into the home and two have moved out. Both children living at the home engaged with the inspectors during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience positive transitions into the home, which are carefully overseen by the manager. Both the manager and staff visit children beforehand to provide information about the home and introduce the staff team. Children are given the opportunity to visit the home, view their bedrooms, and spend time with staff. Following one child’s visit, a professional commented, ‘The staff made [name of child]’s visit to the home a pleasure. Their bedroom was set up and personalised with the things they like, and staff prepared their favourite foods’. These thoughtful actions by staff help children feel understood and valued, and they reduce any potential anxieties about moving into their new home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move out, they are supported in choosing how they wish to say goodbye. They receive farewell cards from staff and photos capturing their time at the home. If a child leaves earlier than planned, decisions are made in their best interests. Staff work in partnership with other professionals to ensure that transitions to new homes are smooth and well supported.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well supported by staff through careful planning and effective communication with external professionals. Staff ensure that children attend routine health appointments and, when necessary, seek specialist support, including referrals for counselling. This multi-agency approach to care helps ensure that children’s holistic needs are met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively support children in their education. Both children are making significant academic progress, have excellent attendance, and attend school daily. An education professional commented, ‘The care home continues to meet the needs of [name of child] and goes above and beyond to support him.’ Another professional said, ‘[Name of child] is a full-time student who is making significant academic and social progress.’ This consistent support and collaborative working between staff and education professionals helps children flourish in their learning, build confidence, and develop a positive attitude to education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff value and respect each child’s race, culture and ethnicity, creating an inclusive environment where diversity is celebrated. One child is a practising Muslim, and staff support them in observing their faith through daily prayers, listening to Qur’an recitals, and attending the mosque. The home also has staff members who share and practise the same religion, which gives the child a strong sense of connection and belonging. This helps the child feel understood, confident, and encouraged to embrace their cultural and religious identity. Inspection report for children’s home: 2596121 4 The home is warm and welcoming, with dedicated spaces for relaxation and recreation. Throughout the home, photos of children enjoying various activities foster a sense of inclusion and positively contribute to their emotional well-being. However, the children’s bathroom requires some maintenance, including the replacement of the bath seal and a

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

worn radiator. These issues slightly detract from the overall comfort and appearance of the home.

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

The manager and staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the risks faced by children. Effective systems are in place to keep children safe, including detailed plans for managing behaviour and risks. These plans provide staff with practical strategies to minimise potential dangers and protect children. Staff link relevant information with expert guidance from the in-house clinician to deepen their understanding of the rationale behind safety measures. The in-house clinician commented, ‘The staff are highly reflective in their learning and eager to further explore how children develop and respond.’

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

Disclosures and complaints are managed effectively. Leaders ensure that children are safe and protected from harm, and information is shared promptly with relevant professionals. These actions help children feel confident in raising concerns, knowing they will be taken seriously and that they are safe in their environment.

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

Staff use a nurturing approach when children hurt themselves. They seek medical advice when needed and provide appropriate first aid. Staff also ensure that the environment is adapted to promote children’s safety. When necessary, children are referred to specialist health professionals, and strategies are implemented to reduce the likelihood of further incidents.

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

Staff manage children’s behaviour well. Physical intervention is only used as a last resort, once all de-escalation techniques have been exhausted. Following each occurrence, children and staff are spoken to. In addition, staff encourage children to reflect on incidents, providing opportunities for them to express how they are feeling.

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

Children develop a deeper understanding of their behaviour and celebrate their successes through individualised incentive systems tailored to their interests. These systems include incentive charts and offer rewards, such as additional pocket money, enabling children to purchase items of their choice. This approach recognises immediate achievements and promotes long-term personal growth, helping children associate positive outcomes with engaging and motivating experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is dedicated and aspirational. She knows the children well and adopts a child-centred approach. Her ethos and drive are reflected across the wider staff team, motivating them in their practice. One member of staff said, ‘She is fully involved, Inspection report for children’s home: 2596121 5 gets on our level, wants to know what’s going on, and leads by example.’ A parent commented, ‘The manager is good, strategic, a selfless and maternal leader.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they enjoy working at the home and feel well supported by one another. One member of staff said, ‘It’s a nice environment, and it’s one of the things I say about working here; we talk and plan together.’ This positive culture promotes healthy working relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staff are well supported to carry out their roles effectively. Staff receive a range of relevant training tailored to meeting the children’s needs. As a result, they have the knowledge and skills required to provide good-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision, with reflective discussions focused on children’s well- being and safety forming a central part of these sessions. The manager recognises the importance of staff welfare. One member of staff commented, ‘It helps me to express myself, identify areas for development, and build on my role.’ This approach helps ensure that staff are well prepared to support children effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager holds reflective team meetings, creating additional learning opportunities to enhance staff practice. The home’s clinical lead supports staff in adopting a therapeutic approach to better understand and manage children’s emotions. These discussions focus on identifying effective strategies and areas for improvement in children’s care. This collaborative process fosters a culture of continuous learning, enabling staff to provide responsive and effective support to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working with external agencies and parents is strong. Both consistently commend the manager and staff for their effective communication and the high-quality care provided to children. A common theme in feedback from parents and professionals is how well the children are doing and the good progress they are making. One parent said, ‘He is doing brilliantly; he is much calmer and a totally different child. This is due to the staff, their commitment to him, and the way they listen and build trust. It’s amazing!’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders’ systems for monitoring and review do not consistently provide effective oversight. For example, several gaps were identified in record-keeping. Leaders have not challenged the home’s independent visitor regarding recording shortfalls highlighted in monthly reports, and important documents, such as children’s transition paperwork and some serious incident records, were missing. In addition, the manager’s monitoring has not identified maintenance shortfalls in the environment. These omissions represent missed opportunities to improve practice and address weaknesses. The lack of effective oversight undermines the home’s ability to provide consistent, good-quality care for children. However, leaders have given assurances that these gaps in monitoring will be addressed as a matter of urgency. Inspection report for children’s home: 2596121 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 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

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) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that monitoring and review systems are effective in identifying shortfalls in practice and driving improvements in the quality of care provided to children. 30 November 2025

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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. Case records must be kept—

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Requirement Due date

in cases not falling within sub-paragraph (a), for 75 years from the child’s date of birth;

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Requirement Due date

securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there; and in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(c)(d)) 30 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2596121 7 In particular, the registered person must ensure that all case records for children are accessible in the home, current, signed and dated, and that all recorded information is clear and factual.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any necessary repairs are carried out in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)  The registered person should ensure that the independent visitor’s report clearly identifies actions taken by the manager in response to previous recommendations. The report should also clearly demonstrate that children are safeguarded effectively and that the home continues to promote their well-being. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 5.15)

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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: 2596121 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care and Management Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Park Business Centre, Wood Lane, Birmingham B24 9QR

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Inspectors

Jas Nahar, Social Care Inspector Gill Rudkin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2596121 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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