Children's home run by Care and Management Services Ltd in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC419217 1 SC419217 Registered provider: Care and Management Services Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately operated children’s home provides care for up to two children who may have experienced early childhood trauma and may exhibit complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

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

Date of last inspection: 10 February 2025

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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: SC419217 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/02/2025 Full Good 21/11/2023 Full Outstanding 04/01/2023 Full Good 19/10/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC419217 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the previous inspection, one child has moved into the home and two children have moved on to other placements. At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home, and spoke to the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Before children move into the home, the manager undertakes thorough assessments of each child’s needs and potential risks to ensure the home can meet their individual requirements. Staff visit children before they move in and share clear information about the home and the team. This proactive approach helps children understand their new living environment and reduces any potential anxieties about the transition. One parent said, ‘This is the best home my child has been in.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive well-planned support when they move out of the home. They enjoy farewell meals with staff and are presented with cards, gifts and a memory stick containing photos from their time at the home. This helps them feel valued and maintain positive memories. Many children choose to stay in regular contact with staff after leaving, reflecting the strong relationships built during their time in the home. One child’s family member said, ‘He sees this as his home, and staff as his lifelong family.’ This ongoing contact reflects the high-quality care provided by the staff and the positive impact they have on the children’s lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide support for children’s health needs through careful planning and effective communication with external professionals. They make sure children attend routine health appointments and, when required, access specialist services, including counselling. This coordinated, multi-agency approach promotes children’s overall wellbeing and ensures their all-round needs are met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from dedicated support with their education. For example, one child has recently started home tutoring and receives consistent encouragement from staff. The manager works closely with education professionals to identify and secure the most appropriate provision, ensuring that each child’s individual learning needs are met. One education tutor reported, ‘The child is engaging well in their home education and making progress.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to become more independent, in line with their age and abilities. Staff prepare children for the next stage in their lives by teaching them essential skills for independence. This includes cooking their own meals, managing finances and travelling alone on public transport. Learning these invaluable skills proved effective for one child, who successfully moved back to their family home. A family member said, ‘Staff were brilliant in how they supported [name of child] to become independent. He is doing well and continues to travel a long distance to college on his own.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC419217 4 Staff support children to spend time with their families and other people who are important to them. This helps children to stay connected to people who are significant in their lives.

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

Children develop trusting and positive relationships with staff and say they feel very happy living in the home. They consistently express confidence in the care and support they receive. Interactions between children and staff are warm and nurturing, reflecting the strong, family-like atmosphere that the home promotes.

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

The manager and staff have a clear understanding of the risks faced by children. Effective systems are in place to keep children safe, including detailed behaviour risk management plans. These plans provide staff with practical strategies to minimise potential dangers and protect children.

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

Staff support children with a nurturing approach when they self-harm. They respond calmly, offer comfort and reassurance and help children understand what happened. These warm, consistent interactions strengthen children’s trust in staff and help them feel safe and cared for.

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

Physical intervention is only used as a last resort, after staff have exhausted all de- escalation strategies. However, post-incident discussions with staff are not consistently taking place following the use of restraint. This lack of oversight limits opportunities to review whether interventions were proportionate, safe and effective, and reduces the chance for staff to reflect and learn from these incidents.

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

Safeguarding processes are robust and when concerns arise, the manager acts promptly, sharing relevant information with external professionals without delay to ensure children receive immediate protection. However, on one occasion, leaders did not notify Ofsted of a serious incident. This omission reduces the transparency and accountability required to maintain regulatory oversight and ensure the highest standards of safeguarding practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a registered manager, who is supported well by a deputy manager. The managers are experienced and child-centred practitioners who have high aspirations for children and the staff team. The managers create a culture of positivity and improve the lives of the children they are responsible for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures staff receive regular reflective supervision sessions and annual appraisals. These sessions provide opportunities for staff to review their practice and identify areas for development. Clear goal setting helps staff remain motivated, giving them a sense of purpose and achievement that supports their ongoing professional growth. Inspection report for children’s home: SC419217 5 The manager supports staff to carry out their roles effectively. Staff receive a variety of relevant training to meet children’s needs. Consequently, staff have the knowledge and skills to provide good-quality care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Not all staff with more than two years’ experience in residential care have achieved the required level 3 qualification or its equivalent. This means the regulatory requirement to complete the qualification within the expected time frame has not been met for some staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s monitoring and review systems are generally effective; however, they do not always identify gaps promptly. For example, one child’s review minutes were missing from the file because they had not been received within the expected timescale, and the home’s workforce plan required updating. Strengthening these processes would improve oversight and ensure all records and plans remain current.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working with external agencies is effective. The registered manager and staff have developed strong relationships with all external professionals, including social workers. One professional said, ‘[Name of child] is doing really well at this home, and is coping much better in this home than the other home they have been in.’ A family member said, ‘Staff at this home are just brilliant.’ A common thread in the feedback from professionals is how well the manager and staff care for and support children and that children are happy, making progress and settled in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC419217 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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered manager must ensure that all significant incidents are notified to Ofsted. 12 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)) 12 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC419217 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff involved in a physical intervention are spoken to. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)  The registered person should ensure that their internal monitoring systems are effective, ensuring that all children’s review minutes are kept on file and that the home’s workforce plan is kept up to date. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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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: SC419217 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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Inspector

Jas Nahar, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC419217 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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