Children's Home run by Accalia Care Services Ltd in Birmingham

Inspection report for children's home: 2568363 1 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Registered provider: Accalia Care Services 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 organisation. It provides care for one child who experience social and emotional difficulties. There were no children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The previous registered manager has recently returned to the home and is in the process of applying to register.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded, and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor, and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2568363 2 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/03/2025 Full Good 11/09/2023 Full Good 23/11/2022 Full Good 26/07/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2568363 3 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Significant weaknesses in safeguarding practice and ineffective management oversight have compromised children’s safety and hindered their progress and experiences. On occasions, these failings have placed children at risk of harm.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Since the last inspection, one child moved in and two moved out. Children’s experiences of moving out of the home have been inconsistent: one child had a planned, supportive move after a year in the home, while another arrived urgently but left after four days. The impact risk assessment failed to capture the complexity of their needs, and staff lacked the skills to provide adequate care. This reflects weak care planning and results in a poor experience for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children are encouraged to engage with education. One child made progress from their starting point, supported by staff who worked collaboratively with external professionals to identify a suitable school placement. When this placement broke down, staff showed persistence and advocacy by ensuring the child’s learning needs were assessed for an education, health and care plan. This led to a successful placement at an alternative provision that is now meeting the child’s needs effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The home is well maintained, comfortably furnished and provides spaces for children to enjoy. However, the extensive use of fire safety signage creates an institutional atmosphere that detracts from the otherwise homely feel.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff make efforts to provide children with positive experiences. Trips to the zoo and go- karting have given children opportunities for enjoyment. Staff support children to spend time with people who are important to them and remain present when supervision is necessary.

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

Allegation management was inadequate. A serious claim of harm involving a senior staff member was poorly investigated. Safeguarding agencies were not informed promptly, and when notified, key details were missing. Because of this poor practice, children were left unsafe.

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

Leaders’ and managers’ approach to supporting positive behaviour is weak. They fail to provide staff with the necessary skills to de-escalate confrontations with or between children displaying violent behaviour. Incidents where police have been called to support behaviour have impacted on children resulting in a placement ending for two children. This approach has the potential to have long term impact on the child, causing trauma and unnecessary police involvement in their lives. Inspection report for children's home: 2568363 4 OFSTED USE ONLY

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

Leaders and managers do not understand the role and responsibilities of the local authority designated officer. This lack of knowledge increases the vulnerability of children and staff, compromises the quality of safeguarding practice and perpetuates a culture where staff lack the confidence and skills to protect children effectively.

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

Staff fail to use professional curiosity to explore children’s experiences. Responses to children’s behaviours are punitive and do not recognise their need for support. For example, one child’s social worker reported that a consequence for poor behaviour was for staff to confiscate the child’s personal belongings. This practice affected how homely the child felt in their bedroom and did not promote the development of positive, trusting relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home has recently appointed a manager who holds appropriate qualifications and experience. However, since the last inspection, there have been two changes of manager This has led to inconsistent and ineffective oversight of the home. Leaders have not reflected on the impact of these changes on children, and as a result, children’s experiences have been adversely affected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not have a clear understanding of the strengths and areas for development in the home. Inconsistent guidance from senior leaders leaves staff without the knowledge or direction needed to care for children effectively. A behavioural approach to supporting children is encouraged and promoted by senior leaders, but this is not underpinned by an understanding of children’s individual needs or emotional well- being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Care planning is weak and has not been effective in meeting children’s needs. Learning from incidents has not taken place. This failure has resulted in poor experiences for children and contributed to one child leaving the home in distressing circumstances.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not receive supervision that encourages learning and reflection and provides them with support to carry out their roles and responsibilities adequately. As a result, leaders and managers do not ensure that staff are competent in safeguarding children. Despite this, all staff speak positively of the management team, though this does not compensate for the lack of effective leadership and oversight that is necessary to ensure children receive safe and consistent care. Inspection report for children's home: 2568363 5 OFSTED USE ONLY

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

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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

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; and

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ix)(xi)) 5 December 2025

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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; 5 December 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2568363 6 OFSTED USE ONLY

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vi)(vii))

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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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; 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)(c)(f)(g)(i)(h)) 5 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and 5 December 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2568363 7 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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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: 2568363 8 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Accalia Care Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Bransons Cross Farm, Beoley Lane, Beoley, Redditch, Worcestershire B98 9DP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Leaford Williams

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Inspector

Becky Rutter, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2568363 9 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspector

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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