Children's Home run by Forte Care Ltd in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2618553 1 Registered provider: Forte Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It offers care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home. The child did not wish to speak with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager 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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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 inadequate

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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

Date of last inspection: 15 October 2024

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2618553 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/10/2024 Full Outstanding 20/09/2023 Full Outstanding 18/10/2022 Full Good 08/02/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2618553 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home, and one has moved in. This inspection focused on the experiences of both children.

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improvement to be good

Children’s overall experiences vary and are inconsistent. One child has made significant progress and continued to excel since leaving the home. While in the home, they benefited from stable and nurturing care provided by staff. A family member said that the staff's hard work had helped the child achieve positive outcomes. However, the experiences for another child have been mixed. This child has made positive progress since moving to Hope House, however staff have not been consistently proactive in helping the child to maintain good health. There is a lack of planning and support to encourage the child to eat healthily and participate in regular physical activity, which is important for their general health and well-being.

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improvement to be good

The home’s physical environment requires some improvement. Mostly the home is nicely decorated and furnished to a good standard, however some home maintenance does not take place in a timely way. For example, a hole in the child’s bedroom wall, the absence of curtains in the child’s room and mould in the bathroom has taken too long to remedy. Alongside this, fire signage on doors and walls gives the home an institutional like appearance. Action is now being taken, but these areas for improvement mean that the home does not consistently offer children a nurturing or homely living environment.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children in having positive moves into and out of the home. These moves are well planned. Staff took the time to meet one child and speak to a range of professionals to understand the child’s needs and risks before they moved in. One family member said, ‘The plan was refined and well-tuned. Done on a gradual basis, and it worked like clockwork.’ This support helps alleviate any anxieties children may have before they move into or on from the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff support and encourage children to engage in education. The child living in the home has had a significant period out of education. However, staff have arranged for a tutor to attend and have taken account of the child’s wishes on what qualifications they want to study for. Staff encouraged another child to engage positively in education. Since leaving the home, the child has continued to engage positively and has achieved a coaching qualification in a sport they excel in. This support provides children with opportunities to achieve their goals.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the importance of children’s relationships with people who are important to them. One child’s family and friends live a long distance from the home. However, staff work hard to ensure that the child can enjoy meaningful time with their family and friends, facilitating engagement and activities. Additionally, staff allowed a Inspection report for children’s home: 2618553 4 child to have a pet after recognising that they were missing their family pet. These actions reassure children and help them feel valued.

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improvement to be good

There is a lack of consistency in the approach taken by leaders and staff to ensure that children are always safeguarded effectively.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always assess risks effectively when working with children. On several occasions, staff responses and actions taken have contributed to incidents with one child. For example, staff have not taken a consistent approach in following the child’s safety plans. On another occasion, staff left cleaning products unattended, which led to an incident that placed the child at risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

When children have become distressed during incidents, some staff have used punitive and inappropriate language in response. This is not in line with the therapeutic model of care outlined in the home’s statement of purpose. Furthermore, it does not reassure children or support them during difficult moments in their lives.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always have meaningful discussions with children to help them understand their risks and vulnerabilities. As a result, children are not provided with opportunities to learn and reflect on their experiences. This has the potential to leave children vulnerable and compromise their safety.

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improvement to be good

Despite some of the shortfalls, staff are building positive and supportive relationships with the child currently in the home. They understand the arrangements that need to be in place to keep the child safe. As a result, incidents in the home are rare. One professional said that staff have been able to de-escalate situations effectively that would previously have led to an increase in the child’s vulnerabilities.

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improvement to be good

Children are helped to develop their emotional resilience. For one child, staff helped them manage their anxieties and become more resilient. This support has helped the child when they have faced challenges since moving on from the home. For example, shortly after moving into semi-independence, they were forced to move again. The skills they had built while living in the home gave them the resilience to manage the situation effectively and safely.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Since the last inspection, there have been significant changes in the management and staffing of the home. Interim management arrangements were implemented when the registered manager left in May 2025. However, these changes and interim arrangements have affected the quality of care that children receive and compromised their safety, experiences and progress. A permanent manager has now been appointed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2618553 5 Management oversight and monitoring of the home are poor. Leaders and managers have not identified and challenged poor staff practice in the home. Furthermore, when incidents have occurred, managers have not used professional curiosity in their review. As a result, there has been no reflection and learning to help staff improve their safeguarding practice and enhance the quality of care for children. In addition, managers have failed to notify Ofsted of all significant incidents that have occurred, which reduces

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Ofsted’s oversight of children’s safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Current staffing arrangements do not provide the child with consistent care. Leaders and managers have not ensured that there are sufficient experienced staff in post to adequately support the child’s needs. None of the permanent staff in post hold the relevant qualifications, and there is a heavy reliance on agency staff. This means the child regularly has unknown staff carrying out checks on them at night. This does not promote child-centred or consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Despite the shortfalls, the appointment of a permanent manager has added some stability. Staff say they feel better supported, and there is a plan to make the improvements required. External professionals say that communication with them has improved since the new manager took over. Inspection report for children’s home: 2618553 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

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; 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)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping the child safe and the actions they need to take to reduce the child’s vulnerabilities. This specifically relates to incidents in which staff did not follow the child’s plans effectively and left the child at risk of harm. 31 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2618553 7 Leaders and managers must ensure that the child receives support to understand the risks they face, as well as the risks posed to others, and take necessary actions to keep the child safe.

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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;

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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

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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)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h)) 31 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2618553 8 In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that monitoring and review systems used are effective in identifying shortfalls in the care that the child receives. This specifically relates to the manager’s lack of oversight, challenge and follow up when staff’s behaviour and actions do not meet the expected standards.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff working at home have the skills, experience and knowledge to provide safe and consistent care for the child. Leaders and managers must consider the child's views, wishes and feelings in order to consistently enhance the care the child receives.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(viii)(ix)(x)) 31 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2618553 9 In particular, leaders must ensure that staff understand when a child is in distress and are able to support and promote their well-being. This specifically relates to staff’s use of punitive and inappropriate language towards children in relation to incidents. It also relates to the lack of professional curiosity applied to support necessary action to help keep the child safe.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them 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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understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(c)(i)(ii)) 31 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2618553 10 In particular, leaders must ensure that staff always provide therapeutic care in line with their statement of purpose and protect and promote the well-being of the child in their care. Staff must promote and support the child’s health and well- being, including regularly planned access to a healthy diet and exercise.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, leaders must ensure that repairs to the environment are carried out in a timely manner, that features that give the premises an institutional appearance are minimised, and that household items are tidied away along with litter from the garden.

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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: 2618553 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 213 Station Road, Stechford, Birmingham B33 8BB

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Victoria Chinchen

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Inspector

Louise Naylor, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2618553 12 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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