Children's home run by Homes2Inspire Limited

Inspection report children‟s home: 1254864 1 Registered provider: Homes2inspire Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children‟s home is privately owned and is registered to care for up to three children 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable

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Key findings from this inspection

 Children living in this home are experiencing stable and consistent care from trusted, familiar staff.  Staff work effectively in partnership with social workers, education and health colleagues to meet children‟s needs. As a result, children‟s vulnerabilities and concerning behaviours are reducing. Inspection report children‟s home: 1254864 2  Children benefit from participating in a wide range of activities.  Children are supported to develop positive relationships with peers, carers, family and friends.  The manager is an experienced leader, who is confident in challenging any delays in providing services for children. She is an excellent advocate for the children living in the home.

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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

 Staff should know children‟s educational targets, support children to meet them, and be aspirational for children.  Following the use of physical restraint, managers should record a discussion with the staff involved and ensure that there is a discussion with the child. This will assist staff to evaluate the effectiveness of the measure and capture children‟s views about the use of the measure.

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Recent inspection history

This is the home‟s first inspection. Inspection report children‟s home: 1254864 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 ensure that – within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”) –

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 28/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. The registered person should ensure –

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Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to achieve the child‟s education and training targets, as recorded in the child‟s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (2)(a)(i)) 28/12/2017

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living in this home experience settled and stable placements. They have individual care plans which support staff to meet their needs. Children have positive relationships with trusted, familiar staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Within this safe environment, staff support children, who have a range of needs and vulnerabilities, to develop confidence, self-esteem and social skills. Staff promote and support safe contact with family and friends. Children are encouraged to spend time with Inspection report children‟s home: 1254864 4 friends and peers in the community, and develop positive relationships. This helps them to develop age-appropriate independence skills through spending time away from the home. Staff ensure that time away from the home is managed safely, and undertake regular checks.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have detailed health plans. Partnership working with the local general practitioner is good and children benefit from a sensitive and timely service. Staff ensure that children receive routine and preventative health monitoring. Staff liaise with school nurses and the looked-after children nurse. Health plans also identify children‟s emotional health needs. Children access the child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and staff benefit from consultation with mental health practitioners to support them in meeting the children‟s needs. The established relationships that children have with their carers have helped them to cope with significant loss and change.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with a balanced diet and are supported to lead a healthy lifestyle, including taking part in a range of activities. One child plays for a local football team and has weekly training sessions. Another child helps with walking dogs for a dog rescue centre and helps, with staff, at a local youth club for children with additional needs. This means that children‟s interests are encouraged and they develop confidence and social skills by participating in a range of activities, including voluntary work.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Individual care plans include an understanding of children‟s needs, set out good routines and include children‟s views. There are regular children‟s meetings. Children have independent visitors, an advocacy service and contact with foster carers as well as social workers and key workers. Children know about how to make a complaint. In this way, children have access to a range of opportunities to share any concerns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have appropriate full-time education placements and have excellent attendance records. Care staff liaise closely with school staff. There are home-to-school diaries for the children, to ensure that important information is shared promptly. The inspector observed staff responding sensitively when one of the children had a bad day at school. Staff immediately arranged to meet with school staff the following morning to address any concerns and to support the child, thus reducing any potential negative impact to school attendance. Home managers and the provider‟s education coordinator are proactive in arranging education planning meetings and education, health and care (EHC) assessments and plans. However, objectives in care plans and key-work sessions do not include targets from education plans or information from EHC plans. Daily records do not refer to staff helping with, or encouraging, homework. Children have made good

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

progress from their starting points. However, in order to support children to reach their potential, there needs to be a clear link between education targets and support for children in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a child-centred admission process. The needs of the children living in the home are considered and the manager involves them in preparing for a child moving into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support transition plans for children moving on from the home. Children benefit Inspection report children‟s home: 1254864 5 from an accredited independence skills package. In their daily routines, children are encouraged to help in the home, take responsibility for their rooms and learn new skills such as cooking.

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

Children report that they feel safe in this home. On one occasion, staff assessed that there was some conflict between peers. Staff responded quickly by closely monitoring relationships and providing mediation to resolve differences. Children receive consistent care. Their individual plans have clear expectations about behaviour, and develop their understanding of appropriate boundaries and safe relationships. Staff reflect on what behaviour management approach works with each child. Positive behaviours are reinforced. As a result, children have reduced behavioural difficulties.

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

One child used to isolate himself due to his aggressive behaviours. He is now sustaining positive connections with peers and with adults. Another child has developed confidence and resilience, and as a result he benefits from positive connections with a range of adults and peers. This is significant progress, given their history of difficulties in sustaining relationships.

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

Children have risk assessment and behaviour management plans. When risks are identified, children have individual sessions with key workers that address these risks. For example, children have benefited from information raising awareness about social media and online safety. Children are encouraged to add their comments to the session and to view them as their records. The inspector noted that key workers end sessions on a positive note; for example, a discussion about a birthday wish list.

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

Sanctions and reparations are used appropriately to address behaviour. Records include a consideration of the effectiveness of the measure used and record the discussion with the child. This information is discussed, and good behaviour is modelled and reinforced in key-work sessions. The result is a reduction in incidents of concern. Staff manage and respond to children‟s risky behaviours well due to their knowledge and experience of children‟s individual needs.

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

There are no concerns about substance abuse, and only a limited number of incidents of children going missing from the home or having an unauthorised absence. Staff report any absences, following procedures and work closely with social workers and police. There are records of return interviews by staff and by social workers, or missing coordinators. These are helpful and include observations about the child‟s presentation on return, and the context leading up to the absence.

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

There is a low number of physical restraints. Staff record details about their efforts to de-escalate, or distract and prevent the need to intervene. Records of physical restraint show that procedures are followed. The manager reviews the information, as does a trained instructor. The records do not consistently include information about debriefing staff and speaking to the child after an incident. This is essential in evidencing that Inspection report children‟s home: 1254864 6 children and staff have had the opportunity to share any concerns and to inform any learning about each incident.

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

Staff have safeguarding training as part of their induction, and ongoing training as part of their development. The manager and staff have received training regarding the additional vulnerabilities of children who have disabilities, preventing radicalisation, risks regarding digital technology, risks regarding sexual and gang exploitation and missing incidents. One member of staff is completing an accredited course on preventing cyber bullying.

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

Children have contracts, from the start of their placement, about their use of digital technology. This includes allowing staff to monitor the use of phones and other technology, in some circumstances. As a result, there have been limited incidents of concern. Staff reinforce the positive use of technology and raise awareness about the risks associated with its use.

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

The manager and staff have received training relating to allegations against staff who work with children, and safe caring. As part of the induction, staff receive information about whistle-blowing procedures. No allegations or complaints have been made leading up to this inspection. The manager has liaised with, and referred concerns to, the local authority designated officer in the past and these have been appropriate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced and qualified. She is undertaking an additional management qualification to update her knowledge and skills. She is a visible, hands-on manager. She is very positive about the staff group and likewise its members are positive about the support they receive and about her skills and experience.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager reports that she is very proud of the work of the team. She believes that children do have improved outcomes as a result of the consistent care they receive and the positive relationships they are sustaining. The team has a healthy combination of staff who have worked in the home for a number of years, and more recently appointed staff. Staff report that team colleagues are supportive and flexible.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular team meetings, they contribute to the agenda and participate in the meetings. They have regular supervision and report that supervision adds value. Supervision records viewed evidence that safeguarding is covered, that staff have an opportunity to reflect on practice and that children‟s needs are discussed. Supervisors receive supervision training. Supervision is audited and continues to be developed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have a range of training and development opportunities. Staff have had relevant training. Some staff are qualified, and a small number are undertaking mandatory qualifications. Staff present „toolbox talks‟ to their peers in team meetings. This supplementary, informal training is usually health and safety related. Staff also lead „learning circles‟, and recent training has included healthy eating, managing allegations Inspection report children‟s home: 1254864 7 and good communication.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are good partnership working arrangements with social care, health and education colleagues. This supports staff to understand and meet children‟s needs. The manager attends a multi-agency safeguarding network meeting. This forum includes updates about risks in the community. This informs assessments of risk, which may impact on children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals report that partnership working with staff is very good, and that staff advocate on behalf of children. Social workers informed the inspector that there is good communication. Staff are particularly prompt in sharing safeguarding concerns, and they understand children‟s needs. The manager is confident in challenging agencies if there is a concern about delay in progressing a child‟s plan or meeting children‟s needs. A recent example is the manager raising concerns with a placing authority about the need for safe contact arrangements for a child. The manager ensures that there are quality assurance mechanisms in place to support improvement. She finds the independent visitor reports useful and responds to the recommendations in a timely way. She views the independent visits as a learning opportunity for herself and for staff. There are regular audits of children‟s records, as well as health and safety inspections. The manager ensures that the development plan

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

and location risk assessment are regularly reviewed and updated. This means that the service continues to be developed. The manager is aware of the strengths of the home and areas to be developed. A strength is the staff team. The staff ensure that children feel listened to and their achievements are celebrated. Staff are also good at promoting community contacts and opportunities for the children, and as a result, children‟s confidence is enhanced. An area for further development is the quality assurance of records, capturing and evidencing some of the skilled work that staff are undertaking on a daily basis.

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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 differences 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 whom 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 Inspection report children‟s home: 1254864 8 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: 1254864 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Homes2inspire Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Prospects House, 19 Elmfield Road, Bromley BR1 1LT

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Inspector

Cathey Moriarty, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: 1254864 10 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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