Children's Home run by Care Perspectives Ltd in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2809139 1 Registered provider: Care Perspectives Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private company and provides care for up to 5 children who experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home, and they spoke with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager position is vacant. A new manager has been appointed and has submitted their application to register with Ofsted.

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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: 2809139 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/05/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2809139 3

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Summary of findings

Children make good progress from their starting points. There is increased stability and staff retention, and strengths in partnership working and safeguarding practice. Since the last inspection, this home has experienced changes in leadership, but the changes have been managed well. However, greater consistency in staff practice, support and expectations is required to ensure that children receive consistently nurturing and restorative care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into and out of the home are well supported. Since the last inspection, 3 children have moved into the home, and 3 children have moved out. There is one child currently living in the home. The managers and staff work well with previous and new carers and create detailed plans to support children’s moves. Children are provided with the opportunity to visit the home and to meet the staff and the children with whom they will live. When children move out of the home in an emergency, additional support is in place to ensure that the move is managed as safely and smoothly as possible. This provides children with reassurance, helps to reduce any anxieties and promotes new relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of children developing and maintaining positive relationships with the people important to them. A parent said that their role as a parent has been respected and that they are actively involved in their child’s life. Promoting these relationships has had a positive impact, and for one child, has resulted in a plan of reunification to family care. This means that children benefit from meaningful relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote children’s education. They advocate well for children to ensure that they receive education that suits their needs and abilities. This has resulted in significant progress for one child, who returned to education after 2 years of non-attendance. Children are supported to overcome barriers to learning to achieve positive outcomes in education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to express their opinions, wishes and feelings. Staff use a range of methods to gather children’s views from informal discussions, key-work sessions and consultations. When children feel their voices are not being heard in respect of their care planning, they are supported to raise this with external services, such as the Children’s Commissioner. This helps children to understand their rights and ensures their voices are being heard and taken seriously, so that they are supported to participate meaningfully in the decisions about their lives and the planning and delivery of their care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2809139 4 Children access a range of activities and experiences that are based on their interests and that include holidays. Staff actively encourage meaningful opportunities that broaden children’s experiences, develop their social skills and promote their welfare and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

enjoyment. This supports children to develop their interests, build confidence and lead active and fulfilling lives.

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

Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities and have access to guidance to help them keep children safe. They also understand how children’s experiences influence their presentation and behaviours and can reflect on how best to support children. Regular consultation with the home’s clinical therapeutic team helps develop staff’s knowledge, though therapeutic practices are yet to be consistently embedded in day-to- day practice. This has been affected by recent changes to the management, staff and children. Leaders and managers recognise this and are providing additional support and guidance to improve consistency and strengthen practice.

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

Physical interventions are proportionate. When children need to be held, staff’s use of restraint is proportionate and necessary, with good oversight from the manager. Staff can use de-escalation strategies to reduce the need for any restrictive practice. This promotes safety in the home while protecting children’s welfare and ensures that physical intervention is used as a last resort.

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

The boundaries presented to children lack consistency. This has resulted in expectations and responses varying and causing confusion for children around their understanding of acceptable behaviour, routines and expectations. As a result, there have been some incidents that may have been avoided. There is work being undertaken with staff around ensuring there is clear guidance and predictable expectations for children.

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

Consequences are, at times, inappropriate, disproportionate and punitive. Staff’s understanding around the appropriate use of consequences is inconsistent, and measures to address poor behaviour that are not always restorative, or proportionate to the child’s actions, have been used. Additionally, a child has received consequences following an incident that could have been managed better through timely staff intervention and a consistent application of boundaries for the child. Rewards have also been heavily focused on monetary incentives. As a result, there are consequences that could have been avoided and reduced opportunities for children to learn from their experiences and to understand how to make positive choices.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are committed to children’s welfare and good outcomes. Managers know the children well and are focused on positive, safe experiences. They advocate on behalf of children to ensure they receive the help and support they are entitled to. Inspection report for children’s home: 2809139 5 There have been significant changes in the leadership and management of the home since the last inspection, including 3 changes of manager and a new responsible individual. The new manager is still establishing herself in the home and is embedding her vision and expectations. These changes have inevitably caused some instability. However, the provider has taken steps to reduce the impact on children and the staff team. Additional support from the therapeutic team has been put in place to help maintain stability to ensure the quality of care provided to children does not decline. This demonstrates a commitment to supporting both children’s and staff’s welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff’s feedback about the support they receive is mixed. Some staff say they feel well supported, while others say that support is lacking and that they feel undermined in their roles. Staff morale has fluctuated since the last inspection. Despite this, the staff team has maintained a united approach and demonstrates resilience in meeting children’s needs. Managers recognise there is some discontent as staff adjust to changes in leadership, practice and expectations. Plans are in place to support staff through this period of change. Additional support and guidance are offered to staff through reflection, team meetings and supervisions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

While staff’s feedback about the support they receive is not consistently positive, staff retention is good and there is greater stability within the staff team. Previously, the home relied heavily on agency staff to support 2 children during a period of crisis. Agency use has significantly reduced as the home has become more settled, and as a result, children are provided with predictable care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff have built good joint working relationships with a range of professionals. Feedback from external professionals is positive; they report that there is good partnership working and communication to ensure there is a coordinated approach to the care and support provided to children. This approach means that professionals work together to understand and respond to children’s needs, which promotes progress and better outcomes. Inspection report for children’s home: 2809139 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that consequences used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community and are only used when there have been consistent boundaries and practice by staff. In some cases, it will be important for children to make reparation in some form to anyone hurt by their behaviour, and staff in the home should be skilled to support the child to understand this and carry it out. Equally, the registered person should ensure there is a system that is not focused on monetary incentives for rewarding and celebrating positive behaviour and recognising where children have managed situations well. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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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: 2809139 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care Perspectives Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Mansfield Group, 47 Morris Road, Leicester LE2 6BR

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Anthony O’Connor

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Inspector

Tonia Dubidat, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2809139 8 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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