Children's home run by Homes2Inspire Limited

Interim inspection report children’s home: 1256404 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: not applicable

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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

At the previous inspection, there were concerns about admissions and discharges, and concerns that some children and young people were not settling in the home. Managers have reviewed the referral process and have made improvements. This has included looking at the information sought from local authorities. Managers are now giving careful consideration to the needs of the children already living in the home when making decisions about new children moving in. Managers have developed a pre-admission assessment tool. This is designed to include information about each child’s assessed vulnerabilities, in addition to their known risks and behaviours.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

When there have been difficulties in meeting a child’s needs and/or difficulties in managing the impact of a child not settling and not engaging, managers have liaised with placing authorities and have requested multi-agency meetings without delay. Interim inspection report children’s home: 1256404 2 In addition, the team benefits from a lessons learned and reflection exercise following the ending of every placement.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the previous inspection, behaviour management strategies and interventions were not effective in managing bullying behaviour. This has improved. Incidents of bullying behaviour have reduced and when there have been concerns, these have been consistently and robustly addressed. Staff have completed individual work with children, discussions have taken place in residents’ meetings and staff have held mediation meetings with children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Plans to address risk and behaviours have improved. Plans are updated in a timely way following the receipt of new information and these plans are comprehensive. All children’s plans include information about responding to the risks associated with their use of digital technology. Plans also include an assessment of vulnerability to risk. For example, one child is easily influenced and staff are carefully monitoring the impact of other children’s behaviours on him.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Careful planning for admissions has led to the home being more settled recently. There are no concerns about the use of physical restraint, and there has been a very low number of physical interventions. Incidents of children being missing from the home have continued, but these incidents have reduced significantly following one young person moving to another placement, as this placement was not meeting his needs. Staff follow missing from home procedures, liaise with social care and the police and work closely with family and friends to locate children and young people and return them to the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are benefiting from established routines and clear expectations. These are supported by the consistent use of incentive plans.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s records have improved. Plans and records are tailored to children’s individual needs and their level of understanding. Staff are more consistently capturing children’s views and contributions. This is a thread running through all records.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children reported that they feel safe in the home and that staff are working with them to help them keep themselves safe in the community. A child said that the home, ‘is my rock. It is my home, but most of all it is where I feel safe. I feel proud to live here.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Overall, children have made progress since the last inspection. Some children are making slower than expected progress. Staff and social workers have identified the causes for this and are working with specialist services to help the children to respond to the services and support being offered.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Progress in education and training is mixed for children living in the home. All children have education and training placements. One child, who has recently moved into the home, has been receiving home tutoring while an education placement was sought. Managers and the education coordinator have worked effectively with the virtual school Interim inspection report children’s home: 1256404 3 and education providers and they have secured an appropriate placement. Another child is making exceptional progress from her starting point, and she has an excellent attendance and achievement record.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two children have attendance records that require improvement. A recommendation is made for staff to support them to overcome barriers to engaging in education and training. These children are currently disengaging from some relationships in the home. However, staff are persevering in building relationships, providing nurturing care and positive reinforcement. Staff are consistently encouraging good routines. As a result, despite some change to engagement, there has not been an increase in risky behaviours.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s health needs are identified and are being met. One child has some specific health needs currently and staff are working closely with health colleagues to ensure that these are carefully monitored and supported.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff work closely with the child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) to identify and meet emotional and mental health needs. Staff consult with CAMHS regularly. Staff from CAMHS have attended team meetings to support the development of staff knowledge and skills. Staff encourage children to develop healthy lifestyles and to have healthy relationships. As a result, they have enhanced confidence and self- esteem.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This provider has developed a comprehensive, accredited programme for young people, to demonstrate their skills in independent living. Currently, some young people in the home are not engaged in this programme. This requires improvement. Managers and staff should be tenacious and consistent in engaging and using this programme with young people as they approach adulthood, as it will benefit them when they move on from the home. A recommendation is made to address this.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is improved effectiveness in leadership and management. The registered manager is thoughtful and child-centred in his practice and leadership style. The manager believes that there is a good balance within the team of experience and skills. The team members are enthusiastic and committed, and are aware of the need to continuously develop and improve.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The team’s practice has benefited from improved quality assurance processes. Staff are using reflection to consider the outcomes when young people move on. Audits have been undertaken to look at the quality and impact of supervision, record-keeping and individual work undertaken with children and young people. Auditing has identified good practice and some areas for development. This would be further improved by linking audit findings to actions in the home’s development plan.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is positive feedback from agencies and families about partnership working. One young person’s social worker said: ‘She is a different child to when she first came. She has benefited from all agencies working very well together with the staff in the home. She is more confident. She has been able to share information that she has not shared Interim inspection report children’s home: 1256404 4 before and this will help professionals to understand her needs.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A complaint has been made recently that is subject to investigation. The complaint is not from a child or young person and there are no concerns about the safety and welfare of the children and young people living in the home, while this investigation is undertaken.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/08/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good

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Recommendations

 Staff must help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or adult care, or to live independently. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)

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Recommendations

 The registered manager must ensure the necessary support is given to children to enable them to access their education or training. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.13)

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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 Interim inspection report children’s home: 1256404 5 it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’.

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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: 1256404 6 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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