Children's Home run by Inspire Care (UK) Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC487764 1 SC487764 Registered provider: Inspire Care (UK)

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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 is a privately owned children’s home. The home is registered to provide care for up to two young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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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: 26 January 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people make good progress from their starting points in all aspects of their development.  Young people receive individualised care from a dedicated and committed staff team. Inspection report children’s home: SC487764 2  Safeguarding practice is robust and risks are well managed.  Staff develop nurturing relationships with young people.  Young people’s safety and welfare are prioritised at all times.  The registered manager and staff work with a range of professionals to ensure that the young people receive the care that they need.  Young people are engaged in education and are beginning to make progress.  Staff are committed to the young people and the development of the home.  One young person had a positive and well-planned transition.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 On one occasion, the registered manager has not ensured that sufficient oversight has been given to an employee’s work history.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/05/2016 Full Good 14/01/2016 Interim Not judged Inspection report children’s home: SC487764 3

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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, 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 recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The requirements are that the individual is of integrity and good character; and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(3)(a)(d)) 28/06/2017

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that young people are safe and they receive good-quality, day-to-day care. Staff take time to understand young people’s current and emerging needs and are creative in their approaches to ensure that young people are making meaningful progress. Staff capture young people’s enthusiasm and develop innovative ways to meet their needs. This includes responding to individual interests in history and dance. Consequently, young people’s self-esteem and self-confidence grow as they recognise and celebrate their achievements. Young people benefit from individual education packages that reflect their learning needs and challenge any barriers that they face. When young people do not have suitable school placements, staff work in partnership with specialist education agencies to reduce disruption to young people’s learning. The manager and staff work closely with the education provider and the local authority to identify the barriers to learning and to

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

help to address them. Because of the staff team’s efforts, young people engage with school and begin to make good educational progress. Young people receive all the necessary help and support that they need to optimise their physical and emotional well-being. This starts with meals being freshly cooked and nutritious. Young people are encouraged to have an active lifestyle. This includes participating in fun and stimulating activities, day trips and trampolining. Young people receive genuine warmth and affection from a committed staff team. A social worker told the inspector, ‘The home is warm and nurturing and the young person is kept in mind in order to create a secure base for her so that therapeutic work can begin. The young person feels safe and is developing trusting relationships with the Inspection report children’s home: SC487764 4 staff. I have no concerns for the welfare of the young person and am pleased to report

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

that the young person’s emotional well-being has improved.’ Young people have clear health plans and are registered with the relevant primary healthcare services. Young people attend routine health appointments. Clinical support is integrated throughout the service, meaning staff significantly reduce risks by using agreed strategies. These risks are continually monitored and reviewed. As a result, young people develop skills that help them to cope effectively with anxieties. A clinician informed the inspector that, ‘I have provided the team with training and I am planning to do more. I find them willing to learn and are reflective. I worked well with the team who take on board clinical suggestions.’ The registered manager and staff embrace the clinical input that is made available to them. They have a willingness to develop and enhance the service. As a result, young people are making good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people experience well-planned moves into and out of the home. Since the interim inspection, one young person has moved in and one young person has moved to semi-independent living. Both young people were well supported through careful planning. One social worker told the inspector, ‘The transition from foster care to residential was managed well, and the young person was settled back into full-time education quickly following the move to the home.’ This practice supports the emotional well-being of young people. One young person sent a thank you card to staff stating, ‘I am so happy that I came to (home), it was probably the best year of my care life. Thank you so much, you all really don’t know how much you all mean to me.’ Staff treat young people in a fair and inclusive manner. Young people contribute to menu planning, activities, decoration and presentation of the house. Young people learn

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

valuable life skills and age-appropriate semi-independence skills. When it is appropriate, young people are encouraged to develop their level of responsibility in preparation for the transition to adulthood. This is reflected in the key skills that young people have developed. For example, some young people are supported to develop self-care skills and complete household chores. This ensures that they are able to advance their own resilience and life skills. Young people are also encouraged and supported to manage their money, to save and to make plans for the future. Staff work with social workers and the placing authorities to ensure that young people are able to maintain relationships with their friends and families. When contact restrictions are in place, staff clearly explain these to young people.

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

Young people become increasingly safe. Staff effectively manage risk and protect young people from harm. Staff work in close partnership with young people, professionals and families to assess and evaluate any risks. This comprehensive approach enables young people to begin to take responsibility for their own actions and behaviour. A social worker commented, ‘I have a good working relationship with the staff at (home), the communication is excellent with regards to safeguarding and now includes access to their daily records. In particular, the manager is proactive and able to manage risk with well thought out strategies.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC487764 5 Young people begin to develop reflective skills and use these to adapt and manage their responses. Young people begin to understand expectations of safe and socially acceptable behaviour, and may take time out on their own if their emotions escalate.

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

The registered manager carefully assesses any potential new young person for a vacancy at the home. Her priority is the stability and safety of all young people, and she analyses the needs of the young people currently at the home in conjunction with those of potentially new young people to ensure that young people’s progress is not destabilised. Young people are prepared for a new arrival, and staff are vigilant about any changes in their behaviour that may be an indication of difficulties. Young people’s risk-taking behaviours, such as self-harm and being missing from care, have decreased since their admission. Staff work in effective partnership with police and local authorities to protect young people from harm. Young people’s safety is promoted through detailed risk assessments, plans and individual information packs. These specify the actions to be taken by staff and others. This integrated approach to protecting

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

young people means that they become increasingly safe. There have been no complaints or missing from home incidents since the last inspection. The registered manager and staff team promote the well-being and safety of young people at all times. Their working knowledge of safeguarding, missing from care, and radicalisation procedures is enhanced by training and research. This ensures that they are able to meet young people’s specific needs and work effectively in partnership with other agencies. All staff have training in understanding the indicators of child sexual exploitation and radicalisation. Staff are alert to any changes and know how to respond if the need arises. Young people are involved in discussions with staff about their safety. This includes regular one-to-one discussions when staff reinforce the importance of staying safe. Staff are skilled in de-escalation techniques. Since the last inspection, there have been

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

no physical interventions. Staff recognise when behaviour is changing, or a young person is becoming agitated. Staff step in and gently distract and divert the young person’s attention to another activity or topic of conversation. Young people feel supported and secure, as they know that adults will help them if they are becoming distressed. Staff ensure that the home is well maintained, and regular checks are completed of electrical, gas and fire equipment. In addition, fire drills take place in line with organisational requirements, and young people are prepared and knowledgeable about the reasons why these take place. Staff are vigilant about any defects in the home, and ensure that these are swiftly repaired. The young people and staff have created and maintain a very welcoming and personalised home. This promotes a sense of pride in the home and helps young people to respect their surroundings.

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

Inspection report children’s home: SC487764 6

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been in post since September 2015. She has considerable experience and is qualified with a level 5 diploma in leadership and management. In addition, the home has five members of staff. One member of staff is qualified with the level 3 diploma in childcare, while the remaining four members are enrolled onto the necessary level 3 diploma in residential childcare. Since the last inspection, the team has worked hard to implement the requirement and recommendation and to make positive changes to the home. The registered manager continues to provide strong and inspirational leadership in all aspects of the home. She continuously strives to improve and develop the service for young people’s benefit. She vigorously promotes the welfare of each young person in her care and staff reflect her determination and energy. Staff have the needs and welfare of young people at the centre of everything they do at

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

the home. The registered manager leads a committed team, whose members want the very best for each of the young people, and who continuously strive to break down the boundaries that young people face, whether this is in education, their emotional health, or social relationships. The registered manager challenges other agencies when information is not available and escalates their concerns when necessary. Staff are tireless in identifying suitable activities and other resources that will enrich the lives of young people. Young people’s horizons and experiences are extended because of living at the home. Staff benefit from a comprehensive range of training opportunities. The registered manager is committed to the development of staff practice so that staff members provide the highest quality of care to young people. Staff recently attended additional training in self-harm. This means that staff develop the necessary skills and abilities to

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

meet the needs of young people. The registered manager is child-focused in her practice. She understand young people’s individual needs. Staff receive good-quality and regular supervision, and consequently work safely and consistently together. The registered manager has an excellent understanding of the quality of care in the home. Records are well maintained, and any omissions are speedily followed up with other agencies, ensuring that staff have all the updated and relevant information they need to meet young people’s needs. The registered manager works constructively with the independent visitor and reports are now routinely sent to Ofsted. The monitoring is thorough and the registered manager constantly evaluates staff practice and young people’s progress. Consequently, young people’s development improves from their starting points. The registered manager has a good understanding of the strengths and areas for development of the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

home. There is a clear statement of purpose in place that details the aims and objectives of the home. This document emphasises the importance of effective admission processes, with the use of impact assessments being key in the decision-making process. Inspection report children’s home: SC487764 7 Effective team meetings ensure that good communication and consistency of practice occur across the staff group. All staff attend these meetings. Mutually and respectful relationships exist across the staff group. These demonstrate positive role models and consistency for the young people. The manager promotes an ethos of tolerance and respect for all. She promotes young people’s diverse needs, whatever that might entail, such as identity and cultural needs, or young people’s preferences and communication needs. The registered manager has not consistently followed safer recruitment processes. For example, on one occasion the registered manager did not give sufficient oversight of an

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

employee’s work history. This shortfall has shown a slight weakness in safe recruitment practice.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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 children’s home: SC487764 8

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Inspector

Lisa Walsh, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC487764 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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Inspector

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