Children's home run by Homes2Inspire Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1256060 1 Registered provider: Homes2Inspire Limited

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

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 18 to 19 December 2017

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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 outstanding

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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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Key findings from this inspection

 Highly effective leadership and management ensure that children and young people receive well-planned, individualised care. Management decisions are always child- centred and promote positive outcomes for each child and young person.  Children and young people are happy; they feel safe and enjoy the nurturing and homely environment.  Admissions into the home are supportive and well planned. Once settled, children and Inspection report children’s home: 1256060 2 young people make progress, develop their independent living skills and become more self-confident.  Children and young people are looked after by well-trained staff, who genuinely care about them and are happy in their work.  The management of safeguarding concerns and protection arrangements are effective. Emerging concerns are responded to appropriately and risks are reduced over time.  Involved professionals hold a positive view of the quality of care provided.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Children and young people are encouraged to engage in a broad range of stimulating activities and new opportunities.  Staff manage presenting behaviours effectively and support children to start to regulate their own behaviours.  No breaches of children’s homes regulations have been identified.

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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

 To improve health and well-being further, the team should seek the input of an appropriate health professional, such as a dietician, in the planning of menus and nutritional intake.

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Recent inspection history

This is the first inspection since this children’s home was re-registered under new ownership in May 2017. Inspection report children’s home: 1256060 3

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Recommendation

 The registered person is responsible for ensuring that each child’s day-to-day health and well-being needs are met. Staff should work to make the children’s home an environment that supports children’s physical, mental and emotional health, in line with the approach set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3) This specifically relates to the registered person reviewing dietary intake and nutritional content of menus with a relevant health professional.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people are happy and are very settled living at this home, although one child has only recently moved in. Comments from children and young people include: ‘I don’t think I would want to change anything.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people have built trusting relationships with staff, contributing to children and young people’s sense of well-being. They know that staff care about them and some prefer to spend time engaging with staff rather than go out on an activity. It is clear that children and young people feel that their views are valued. This means that they feel respected and involved. One young person said: ‘I like this home. Staff are caring because they are helpful and understanding, regardless of what happens.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff want the very best for children and young people, and are happy in their work. They tirelessly strive to create a warm, nurturing ethos, where children and young people feel safe and will reach their potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Attendance and achievement within education are prioritised. A strength is the additional role of a regional educational coordinator. Having this post improves liaison with schools, virtual school teams and placing authorities, ensuring that individual needs are met. As a result of the emphasis on education, children and young people are starting to develop aspirations for the future. One young person is liaising with the local authority about the potential for an apprenticeship within the children’s rights team. An education professional spoke very positively about the difference the service has made for one young person, saying: ‘It’s just amazing how the young person has now gone to college. I would never have thought this would happen.’ This professional also commented on how well the young person is achieving and now expanding their learning and taking on additional classes. Inspection report children’s home: 1256060 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people are generally in good health. Staff take every opportunity to provide education about health and well-being. Individuals who smoke are encouraged to stop and are provided with appropriate guidance. While children and young people are encouraged to make healthy food choices and are each educated about healthy eating, the impact of food choices is a concern for some individuals. This inspection recommends involving a health professional in menu planning and improving nutritional awareness for staff, children and young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Dependent on age and stage of development, children and young people are encouraged to take on increasing responsibility for areas of their care, for example using public transport and making their own health appointments. Some young people manage a budget, shop for food items and cook their own meals. This shows that they have the opportunity and are supported to develop the skills they will need to live more independently in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people maintain important relationships with family and friends. Arrangements are agreed with placing authorities, and, where required, full supervision of visits is supported by staff. Families speak positively about the way the staff liaise with them and keep them updated.

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

Children and young people, for the most part, feel safe and are confident to speak with staff if they have a concern. They know that staff prioritise their safety and well-being, for example by checking on them when they appear to be low in mood and by endeavouring to keep in contact with them when they are away from the home. Comments made by children and young people demonstrate that they have a strong sense of feeling supported, which clearly enhances their sense of security.

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

Behaviours are reported to have improved for individuals since they moved to this home. Staff use positive reinforcement to encourage behavioural changes, rather than adopting a more punitive response. There is low use of physical intervention in the management of behaviours, with nine incidents of restraint since the home was registered in May 2017. During the inspection, one young person did raise concerns with inspectors about the management of a recent incident from his perspective. Managers were unaware of the young person’s views as he had not shared these during the earlier debrief discussion. Managers provided an immediate and proactive response, including a commitment to undertaking a full investigation to aid understanding, and to take any necessary follow-up actions.

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

Policies, procedures and risk management plans are understood by staff and guide practice when children and young people are found to be missing. There has only been one formal missing-from-care incident since the home opened. While there have been unauthorised absences, staff understand their roles and responsibilities and respond quickly, including searching for individuals and following them to try to secure their prompt return to the home. A police officer from the missing person’s team commented: ‘The staff continue to be proactive in trying to prevent and/or contain missing episodes. Inspection report children’s home: 1256060 5 They respond effectively when called to collect young people who have been located.’

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

There have been two incidents of individuals not directly associated with the home gaining access to bedroom areas. However, the response from leaders and managers has been strong. The first occasion in July 2017 was linked to a young person opening a fire door to allow an ex-resident into the home. He was found within minutes by staff and he quickly left the home. Managers identified learning from this event and an alarm buzzer was fitted to the fire door. More recently, a resident young person appears to have distracted staff and allowed a young person in through the front door. Staff were alerted to this and the young person was removed from the home. Managers have initiated a review of the circumstances of this incident, which was incomplete at the time of the inspection. It is evident that, while these incidents are of concern, managers have acted immediately to strengthen practice, in order to improve safeguarding

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leadership and management are highly effective. The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. The wide range of training undertaken by the manager has given her an exceptional understanding of children and young people’s needs. She is aspirational and she demands high standards from the staff group. The manager leads by example, stating: ‘I do not expect my staff to do anything that I would not do.’ She is very passionate about the staff team and advocates on behalf of children and young people. For example, she is currently challenging the educational plans for one young person. This ensures that the unique and specific needs of young people are not only understood but addressed. The manager seeks every opportunity to enhance her knowledge base. For example, she visits other children’s homes to identify best practice. This ensures that practice is consistently reviewed to enhance the care that children and young people receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager’s knowledge about the children and young people in her care is exceptional. She knows about the progress that each child and young person is making. The manager is enthusiastic and passionate about improving lives. She is ambitious for the children and young people in her care. She works diligently to achieve excellent outcomes for them. The manager motivates staff and encourages an open and honest working environment. Morale within the home is excellent, with a cohesive, established staff team. Staff are consulted with and feel valued. A staff member reported: ‘We have a 100% open and honest environment here, and that’s because we can talk to her about anything.’ The staff team holds the manager in high regard, with one staff member reporting: ‘I am well supported here. She is the best manager I have had.’ The manager understands the importance of staff training and prioritises this in the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

home. The manager identifies the strengths and weaknesses of each staff member and helps them to develop their skills. All staff have completed, or are on target to complete, Inspection report children’s home: 1256060 6 the required professional qualification. In addition to mandatory training, staff receive specialist guidance in areas such as attachment and trauma. As a result, they are very well equipped to meet the individual needs of the children and young people currently living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager uses research to inform practice. For instance, the team has been developing its knowledge of therapeutic practice. This gives the team an insight into the current and long-term impact that trauma can have on children and young people’s lives. Young people are central to decision-making and are consulted with about the running of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Team meetings and staff supervision are highly effective. As a result, staff feel extremely well supported. High-quality, effective supervision promotes very good-quality care and ensures that practice is monitored.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The deputy team manager and the manager share the same aspirational goals. Their knowledge of each child is exceptional. The deputy manager is dynamic. Her insight into the complex issues that affect children and young people living in residential care is excellent. The cohesive staff group provides children with great consistency. A homely and nurturing environment has been created by the manager and the deputy manager. Professionals all say that communication and partnership working are excellent. A personal adviser for one of the young people summed up their views by saying: ‘The manager and staff offer a supportive, caring environment and keep me up to date regarding what is happening.’ Another professional commented: ‘The manager has a good grasp of things and will keep me updated regarding what is happening, whether that is good or bad stuff. This helps me to know what is happening with the young

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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: 1256060 7 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: 1256060 8

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Angela Muchatuta

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Inspector

Mary Timms, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1256060 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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