Children's Home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited in Nottingham

Interim inspection report children’s home: 1254745 1 Registered provider: Homes2Inspire Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to five children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A private company owns and operates the home.

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Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The managers, staff team and responsible individual have worked hard to address the deficits found at the previous inspection. Young people’s plans have been comprehensively reviewed. Some young people have moved on from the home in a planned way. The number of young people in placement was reduced for a short period to enable staff to focus on individual young people’s needs and experiences. While there have been a number of changes in the home, staff and managers have had the time to reflect on placements and on practice issues. Staff have received training and mentoring and the manager has introduced more effective quality assurance mechanisms.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, there were concerns about how well staff understood some of the young people’s behaviour. There were also concerns about staff adhering to risk Interim inspection report children’s home: 1254745 2 assessments. Staff have now received training to help them understand young people who engage in sexually harmful behaviour or present with sexualised behaviour. Managers have improved risk and behaviour management plans. These plans are regularly reviewed and updated. Staff work closely with a range of specialist services to support meeting young people’s individual needs. Staff reflect on incidents with young people in individual sessions. Incentive plans are robust and staff are consistently reinforcing positive behaviours. As a result, the number of concerning behavioural incidents have reduced.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are working with health colleagues to meet young people’s health needs, including emotional and mental health needs. One young person has specific health needs; staff monitor this carefully and maintain detailed records to share with a specialist nurse. Managers have liaised with the young person’s consultant and social worker when they have been concerned about the impact of medication. This demonstrates a good understanding of the young person’s complex health needs. Staff work closely with the child and adolescent mental health service that provides consultation to staff to support them to meet individual young people’s needs. Some young people are receiving direct support from this service.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been a delay in addressing the speech and language needs of a young person. While managers have recently secured an appointment with specialist services, they should have escalated this sooner. A recommendation is made to ensure that this is robustly followed up to prevent further delay and to ensure that progress is made.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

All young people have education and training arrangements in place. One young person has been supported by staff to seek employment and has recently been successful in securing an apprenticeship. Staff, managers and the education coordinator have ensured that there are education arrangements in place for young people who have recently moved to the home. However, one young person has been subject to exclusions, as a result of their behaviour in school. The education plan is of poor quality and is not helpful in addressing the concerns and improving progress for this young person. The manager will liaise with the social worker as a matter of urgency. A recommendation is made to address this.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people have opportunities to take part in a range of activities. One young person has continued to attend cadets, others attend the gym and go swimming. Young people say that they enjoy group activities, such as going to the cinema or going bowling. Young people are looking forward to holidays that are planned for later this year.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff monitor friendships carefully. Any conflict between peers is de-escalated in a timely way and is discussed as part of individual work. Staff have provided mediation for young people to resolve differences. Discussions about positive relationships take place in residents’ meetings. As a result, despite a number of changes in the residents’ group, the home is more settled and relationships between young people have improved.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been an improvement in the recording of incidents, absences and physical interventions. Records include information about events leading up to incidents, how Interim inspection report children’s home: 1254745 3 staff have tried to de-escalate situations and the tracking of actions recommended to reduce and/or prevent further incidents. Young people’s views are included in the records. Managers are quality assuring records before signing them off. Managers have analysed records and identified that there are trends and patterns which can be used to inform young people’s incentive plans and risk and behaviour plans. This means that information is used to inform good practice and to support improving outcomes for young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people report that they feel safe. There have been a number of changes to the group of young people. These changes have, at times, impacted on their behaviours. As a result of improved monitoring and the analysis of records, managers have liaised with local authorities in a more timely way to request multi-agency meetings. In some cases, decisions have been made to end a placement. However, placements have ended when alternative, appropriate placements have been secured for the young people involved. There is a clearer understanding and recognition of the impact on other young people when a young person is not settling in the home or is not responding to services provided.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There was a concern at the previous inspection about the level of police involvement in supporting staff to manage challenging behaviour in the home and in the community. On some occasions, involving the police was appropriate and was in response to potentially criminal behaviour. However, reflection on some of the incidents evidenced that risk assessments and behaviour management plans had either not been helpful or had not been adhered to.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The incidents of police involvement with young people living in the home have significantly reduced. The police liaison officer for the home is very positive about communication with staff and managers, and reports that contact is appropriate and helpful in keeping young people safe. The manager is committed to partnership working with the police and contributes to network meetings.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been a reduction in young people being absent from the home. Where there are concerns about young people being absent or going missing from the home, procedures are followed appropriately. Staff contact the police, social workers and family and are proactive in ensuring that young people are safe. Records show that many of the recent incidents are associated with the behaviour of a particular young person. Managers requested a multi-agency meeting to consider the needs of this young person and the decision was to end their placement in a planned way.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers have reflected on the combination of young people, their behaviours and risks and have identified learning that will influence their pre-admission assessments in the future.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are building positive and trusted relationships with young people that positively influence young people’s behaviour and choices. One young person had a history of self- harming behaviour. As a result of careful monitoring, individual work and positive relationships, this behaviour has reduced. Interim inspection report children’s home: 1254745 4 There has been a reduction in aggressive behaviour and behaviour associated with some of the young people not adhering to the home’s rules.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers are good at using local resources and networks to support them in meeting the needs of young people. Staff work closely with a number of specialist services to support young people and to help them to keep themselves safe.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This inspection has identified some areas of practice where progress has been slow. Education plans require improvement and individual key-work sessions should be strengthened. Managers need to rigorously ensure that they receive all relevant information about young people before making a decision about admission to the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Good progress has been made in the home’s quality assurance processes and this has had a positive impact on young people. Managers have received quality assurance training. Both managers and senior staff have received supervision training. There are comprehensive auditing and checklist processes in place to support staff to complete daily tasks and update essential records effectively.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Positive feedback was given from partner agencies regarding how well young people’s needs are met, how staff build positive relationships with young people and how good communication is helping to progress care plans.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people were very positive about living at the home. One young person said: ‘I am happy here and I feel safe. I am looking forward to going on holiday and the staff are helping me so that I can be independent.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One social worker reported: ‘This young person has built good relationships with staff. This has enabled him to share information about his family background. Staff were supportive and this young person has kept in touch since he moved on.’

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/08/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Interim inspection report children’s home: 1254745 5

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Recommendations

 Children’s home staff should act as effective advocates for or on behalf of a child who may be experiencing difficulties with education or training matters including, but not limited to, attainment, admissions, attendance or behaviour, as any good parent would do. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.12) This is in relation to staff and managers challenging the placing local authority and/or the education provider when the child’s education plan is not effective in supporting the child to make progress.  When children have specific health needs or conditions, they should be supported to manage these subject to their age and understanding. When a child needs additional health or well-being support, staff should work with the child’s placing authority to enable proper and immediate access to any specialist medical, psychological or psychiatric support required. (‘Guide to the children’s homes

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Recommendations

regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.10) This is in relation to a young person experiencing delay in receiving essential speech and language support.

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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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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’. Interim inspection report children’s home: 1254745 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Homes2Inspire Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Homes2inspire Limited, 19 Elmfield Road, Bromley, Kent BR1 1LT

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Inspector

Cathey Moriarty, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: 1254745 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 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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