Children's home run by Homes2Inspire Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1255745 1 Registered provider: Homes2Inspire Limited

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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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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: This is the first inspection of the home since being re- registered under new ownership in May 2017. Inspection report children’s home: 1255745 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home is outstanding because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people make notable and sustained progress within very stable placements. They are happy, have very positive relationships with staff and are extremely confident in the care that they receive. Comments from young people included, ‘I do not feel like I am in care. This is my home.’

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people’s safety is always prioritised. Known and potential risks are managed effectively, resulting in young people becoming safer over time.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The strong emphasis placed on attendance and achievement in education means that young people are making positive progress. One young person said that the reason she is continuing with her college course is because staff really believe in her abilities.

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Key findings from this inspection

 A notable strength of the service is the highly effective leadership and management team. The passion and commitment demonstrated by the registered manager are very special and are seen as important to the excellent service provided.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The outcomes for young people are excellent. There have been no safeguarding incidents, no incidents of missing from home, no complaints and no young people smoke or participate in substance or alcohol misuse. There has only been one very brief physical intervention since the home was registered and young people do not engage in concerning risk-taking behaviours.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people benefit from the very nurturing care provided by the committed staff team. Young people report that they have positive relationships with the staff and know that the staff care about them. The atmosphere of positivity is evident from the manager’s comment that, ‘The home is lucky because all the children are brilliant.’ When asked what the best thing about the home is, one young person said, ‘That we are cared for and loved. They always put us first and if there is a problem they will always help out.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

A stand-out positive factor is that the five young people genuinely value each other and Inspection report children’s home: 1255745 3 have excellent relationships. Positive interactions are encouraged and have evolved because of the warm and therapeutic care provided. The positive relationships underpinned the success of a four-day holiday to France, including visiting Disneyland Paris and a trip to Paris. This has provided young people with very positive memories of a ‘brilliant holiday’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff and managers work closely and very proactively with education providers. This means that everyone understands young people’s changing needs. A social worker said, ‘Liaison with the school is excellent. The young person I work with absolutely loves school and learning. She is doing as well as she possibly can. Staff encourage her with her reading and support her with homework.’ Comments from young people included, ‘My education has gone well in the last six months. I now go in and learn whereas I used to go in and be naughty.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

A strength of the home is the support provided to young people to develop the skills they will need to live independently in the future. Each young person becomes increasingly independent and takes on more responsibility within care arrangements. For some, this may be opening their bedroom curtains each day. For others, it may be helping staff to cook for the group. Two young people manage a personal budget for food and clothes, make their own medical appointments and confidently use public transport.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people maintain contact with their families and develop social relationships. As a result, they retain a sense of belonging and engagement. A social worker spoke very positively about the manner in which the team supported one young person to meet with his family, while living a distance from his home town.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people are generally in good health. Individual health needs are understood and managed well. Staff take every opportunity to educate young people about their health and well-being. This means that young people are able to make informed choices. The young people do not smoke and the majority follow a healthy and balanced diet.

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

Young people benefit from living in a safe and well-maintained home environment. They feel safe and each says that they are comfortable talking to staff about any concerns that they may have.

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

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities, and recognise the known risks for the individual young people and across group dynamics. As a result of the attention to educating young people about potential risks and protective behaviours, each young person has become safer since moving to this home. Young people are becoming more resilient and are seen to be making positive choices, when compared to previous behavioural patterns. There have been no incidents of young people going missing from the home, or even absences without consent. There are no patterns of risk-taking behaviour, no drug or alcohol use and no bullying within the home. Inspection report children’s home: 1255745 4 Staff respond quickly when young people feel vulnerable. For example, a young person described how on the previous day staff had offered to collect her from school rather than her catch the usual bus. She valued this as she had been feeling upset and anxious

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

The setting of fair and consistent boundaries means that young people know what is expected of them and contributes to their sense of well-being and security.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The highly effective management of the home is led by an experienced and appropriately qualified registered manager. This manager is held in high regard by the staff and involved professionals. A social worker said, ‘The management of the home stands out as a real strength.’ The inspirational manager leads a very positive culture where tolerance for difference and equality are promoted. She talks very knowledgably about the individual needs of each young person. She understands the barriers to individual progress and takes action when necessary to challenge external agencies, ensuring that needs are met promptly and appropriately. The manager and staff have high aspirations for each young person and work tirelessly to promote opportunities for personal achievement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Young people benefit from being cared for by highly competent and dedicated staff, who are clearly very happy in their work. The manager ensures that staff are highly skilled and well trained. Staff have gained, or are working towards, the required qualification. In addition to a broad mandatory training programme, staff attend additional training in order to meet more individual needs. Recently, a member of staff attended specific training in relation to supporting same-sex relationships. This means that the team confidently provides the service described in the home’s statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Partnership working with external agencies is a strength. One social worker said, ‘We have excellent communication. It really is a holistic support arrangement for this young person, working together with child and adolescent mental health services and school. I cannot fault the manager and the staff for the support that they provide.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Case records are up to date, comprehensive and stored securely. They contribute to a thorough understanding of young people’s experiences. A new planning format is a recent development. Young people are involved in the development of personal plans. One area of healthcare planning was raised with the manager to be considered for development This was addressed effectively and immediately during the inspection.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: 1255745 5 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 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: 1255745 6

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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: 1255745 7 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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