Children's home run by Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company

Inspection report for children’s home: 1273658 1 Registered provider: Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company

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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 provides care for up to 16 children who have a physical and/or learning disability and/or a sensory impairment.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides short break services for up to 6 children who have a physical and/or learning disability and/or a sensory impairment.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since February 2025. She is suitably experienced and holds a level 5 leadership and management qualification.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of inspection, 10 children were living in the home, all the children were spoken to as part of the inspection.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 13 January 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: 1273658 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/01/2025 Full Good 28/11/2023 Full Good 13/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1273658 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from strong and positive relationships with staff. Staff know the children well and have an excellent understanding of their individual needs and provide them with warm and nurturing care. Observations during the inspection showed meaningful interactions that help children feel valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children were relaxed and comfortable in their home environment, which supports a strong sense of belonging and stability. Staff are attuned to children’s emotional and physical needs and communicate effectively, enabling children to express themselves and develop trusting relationships. As a result, children make progress with their social and emotional development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff meet children’s health needs well. Each child has a clear health plan that helps staff understand how to support them. Children are registered with local health services and attend their appointments. Staff work with specialist professionals to make sure children’s complex health needs are met. This promotes children’s physical and emotional health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s cultural, identity and faith needs are understood and supported well. Staff respect children’s individual preferences and make sure these are met. They work hard to help children feel part of the home and the wider community. Children learn about each other and enjoy spending time together. Celebrations and shared activities, such as ‘Get Together Sundays’, give children opportunities to have fun and build positive relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work alongside children’s families and support family time both within and outside of the home. As a result, children are supported to spend time with those important to them. One child’s grandmother advised, ‘It is a nice place; I come every week.’ Families speak positively about the care their children receive. They report that staff know the children well and keep them safe. One parent said, ‘I am happy with the care provided to my child.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to take part in activities they enjoy. Staff support children to engage in play, including water play and time in the sensory room. The purchase of a new minibus has increased opportunities for children to access the local community. Over Christmas, children attended pantomimes and light festivals, providing them with enjoyable and positive experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have been several improvements to the home environment since the last inspection, with the registered manager working hard to create a warm and welcoming environment. Recent improvements include new flooring in children’s bedrooms and redecoration of key areas. The registered manager is aware of further improvements needed and has plans in place to continue developing the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1273658 4 Most children attend education that meets their needs and abilities, enabling them to make progress in line with their individual plans. For those who are not currently in education, further work is required to ensure that they receive prompt and appropriate educational support. As a result, for one child delays in seeking education has impacted on their learning and social development.

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

Staff understand children’s individual risks and behaviours well. Because of this, children feel safe and trust staff. Staff know their safeguarding roles and responsibilities and carry these out effectively. The registered manager has ensured that all staff have received safeguarding training, which has further strengthened their ability to keep children safe.

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

Safeguarding incidents within the home remain low. Since the last inspection, there have been no reported incidents of children going missing from the home, bullying or incidents of self-harm.

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

Physical interventions in the home have not been necessary. Staff are attuned to the children’s feelings and use effective de-escalation strategies to support them when they are upset or anxious. This helps children to feel safe and supported.

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

Since the last inspection, there have been 4 medication errors. While these did not impact the children’s health, the registered manager has acted promptly to prevent reoccurrence. Medication is now stored securely, and staff have been retrained in administering medication, with additional competency checks implemented. Furthermore, daily audits are conducted to identify and address any issues. As a result of these measures, there have been no further medication errors.

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

Overall, the registered manager responds appropriately to safeguarding concerns. They work closely with children’s social workers and the local authority designated officer to ensure that children are kept safe. The registered manager also communicates effectively with the regulator when safeguarding concerns arise, ensuring that the regulator is informed and that appropriate action is taken.

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

Since the last inspection, the organisation has made changes to its recruitment processes. The registered manager has not taken sufficient steps to assure themselves that staff have been recruited safely. This means that safer recruitment checks have not been fully verified by the registered manager in order to ensure that only adults who are safe to work with children are working in the home.

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

The registered manager has made improvements to health and safety in the home, including replacing fire doors so they are now compliant. However, not all actions identified in the fire safety assessment have been completed. Some safety work remains outstanding and must be actioned to ensure full compliance with fire safety requirements. Inspection report for children’s home: 1273658 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager is suitably experienced and qualified. They demonstrate a high commitment to promoting children’s welfare and development. The registered manager’s child-centred approach ensures that children receive nurturing care and enjoy positive, meaningful experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

A new responsible individual has recently been appointed. Ofsted has not yet reviewed their suitability. They have established a positive and professional relationship with the registered manager and are developing a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff enjoy working in the home and demonstrate a strong commitment to the children’s care and wellbeing. They speak positively about their roles and informed inspectors that they feel valued and respected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff receive training that equips them with the knowledge and skills needed to meet children’s individual needs effectively. For example, staff have completed specialist training in epilepsy and dysphasia, which enables them to respond confidently to children’s health needs. Most staff hold the required qualification for their role. Those who do not are working towards achieving it within the expected timescale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Feedback from external professionals is positive. They report that staff communicate effectively and share relevant information about the children in a timely manner. Positive relationships with external agencies, such as health and education services, support the development and review of children’s care plans. This joined up approach helps to ensure that children’s needs are met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

A new monitoring system has been introduced by the registered manager; however, it is not yet fully embedded. This means that the registered manager does not have a full understanding of the day-to-day care provided to children or the ability to identify all areas that require improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, there have been changes to the staff team, with several staff being away from the home. As a result, staff have covered additional shifts and agency staff have been used. While this has not affected the quality of day-to-day care of children, it has taken staff away from other tasks and left some feeling overwhelmed. The proposed responsible individual is taking steps to address recruitment challenges. A new recruitment plan has been implemented, but it is still in its infancy and not yet fully established.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff receive supervision; however, due to staffing pressures, this has not been consistent. The quality of supervision is in need of improvement, as it does not always provide staff with sufficient opportunity to reflect on children’s experiences or their own practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 1273658 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

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 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

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)(d)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that monitoring systems are in place to review the continuity of care provided to children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that there are sufficient staff arrangements within the home. 19 February 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 1273658 7 The registered person should ensure that staff receive regular and reflective supervisions.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that all actions from the fire risk assessment are completed in a timely manner.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may permit an individual to start work at the home despite the fact that the requirement in paragraph (3)(d) has not been met if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person has taken all reasonable steps to obtain full information about each of the matters in Schedule 2 in respect of the individual, but the enquiries in relation to any of the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2 are incomplete;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information in respect of the individual has been obtained in relation to the matters in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 2;

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the circumstances are exceptional; and

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Requirement Due date

the registered person ensures that the individual is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties, pending receipt of any outstanding information on the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2, which is then considered satisfactory by the registered person.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must take reasonable steps to ensure that any individual who is working at the home and who does not fall within paragraph (2)(a) and (b) is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties. (Regulation 32 (7)(a)(b)(c)(d) (8))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that newly appointed staff are safely recruited. 19 February 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s records reflect their individual needs. 19 February 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 1273658 8

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home should play a full part in promoting the best interests of the child, proactively advocating for the child to ensure that others play their role and deliver the high-quality support that is needed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.4)

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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: 1273658 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Avenue Road, Aston, Birmingham B6 4DU

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Inspectors

Lydia Isaac, Social Care Inspector Alison Cooper, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home: 1273658 10 regulates 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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