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

The home provides care for up to five children and young people. It provides care for children and young people who have complex needs, which may include challenging behaviours and emotional needs. The home has two registered managers. One was registered in 2014 when the home was operated by a different provider. She transferred and re-registered when Homes2Inspire Limited was endorsed as the registered provider in May 2017. A second registered manager was approved by Ofsted in April 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 31 October to 1 November 2018

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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

Date of last inspection: 18 December 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good Inspection report children’s home: 1256060 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/12/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1256060 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that-

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Requirement Due date

(a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to-

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to the need to produce detailed placement care plans, including health plans, as referred to in the statement of purpose. 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that-

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Requirement Due date

(a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to-

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to the need to act promptly to improve the living environment when identifying the need for maintenance attention, redecoration or an improved standard of cleanliness. 30/11/2018 Inspection report children’s home: 1256060 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive good-quality, individualised care. Some young people have formed strong attachments with staff over time and see this as their home. Young people settle in quickly and begin to build relationships with staff. One young person said, ‘I like the staff. They always listen to me.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people know that staff genuinely care about them. They recognise that staff encourage them to make progress and to achieve. All young people make progress. An example of this for one young person is having vastly improved self-esteem, self- awareness and personal presentation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people admitted to the home having chaotic sleep routines, non-school attendance and poor eating patterns are supported to make changes. Staff set boundaries regarding the use of electronic equipment. This has led to improved daily routines. Staff encourage young people to have a healthy diet. Young people are supported to be more aware of a healthy lifestyle and to become more involved in their own care. Staff recognise that more work is needed, but they are committed and work diligently to engage young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A lot of work is put into supporting young people’s education. Small achievements are celebrated. Education professionals reported that the team is fully committed to young people’s education, advocating for their best interests in multi-agency meetings. Staff were proud of a young person’s successful transition from school to college. Regardless of the staff’s efforts, some young people do not attend full-time education and show little interest in making change in this respect.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All young people are supported to become more independent and take greater responsibility for themselves. Those young people moving towards leaving care are taught daily living skills, and they receive support to manage a budget. This means that young people are preparing for successfully living independently in the future.

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

Staff are confident and knowledgeable in their approach to safeguarding young people. Safeguarding issues are recognised quickly and responded to appropriately and in line with statutory guidance.

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

Staff know the areas of vulnerability for each young person, and they work proactively to reduce any potential for harm. Risk assessments and behaviour management plans are very detailed and are implemented effectively.

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

Young people have become safer since moving to this home. An example of this is the Inspection report children’s home: 1256060 5 notable reduction in drug taking and alcohol use for one young person. Young people who previously spent a lot of time away from the supervision of adults are starting to respond to the consistency provided by staff and the boundaries. Additionally, young people are learning how best to keep themselves safe when they are away from the home and they learn how to regulate their emotional responses.

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

Behaviours are well managed. A culture of positive reinforcement is preferred, but reasonable sanctions are also used to encourage changes in behaviour. Physical intervention is used as a last resort, and, when physical intervention is used, the incidents are scrutinised by managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, the home has had the addition of a second registered manager. This has come about because the initial registered manager has taken on additional responsibilities within the provider organisation. These additional responsibilities take her away from a full-time role at the home. Both registered managers and staff reported that, while this has required adjustments to their practice, their view is that the arrangement is now working effectively. Both registered managers are appropriately experienced. One manager has achieved the required qualification, and the other manager is working towards the level 5 diploma in leadership and management for residential childcare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Both registered managers know the young people well and they monitor the progress they make. The managers advocate broadly in the young people’s best interests and both are confident enough to challenge external agencies when required. An example of this is repeatedly requesting a mental health assessment for a young person and challenging a slow response by a placing team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are happy in their work and they feel supported in their roles. Staff receive development and training opportunities appropriate to their roles and responsibilities. While some members of the team have moved on to promotional opportunities elsewhere in the company, there remains a steady core of staff. This means that children receive consistent care from staff who know them well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered persons have acted to address the recommendation set at the time of the last inspection. Planned menus have been reviewed by a health professional and subsequent advice adopted into practice. Linked to the improved practice is the success of one young person, who has benefited from measurable weight loss over the inspection period and is healthier because of this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Two areas of weakness are identified at this inspection:

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

 Cleanliness and maintenance requirements are not always addressed. Examples of this are a build-up of dirt on painted woodwork, damage to walls still evident despite repair and areas in need of decoration. These issues had not been identified and addressed through management reviews of the quality of care Inspection report children’s home: 1256060 6 provided.  Placement care plans have insufficient detail and are not as described in the home’s statement of purpose. While staff demonstrate that they understand the care arrangements for each child, the lack of detail has the potential to result in individual needs not being met.

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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 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 7

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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, Prospects House, 19 Elmfield Road, Bromley, Kent BR1 1LT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Angela Muchatuta

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Children’s home details

Registered managers: Joanne Webb and Sarah Huddlestone

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Inspector:

Mary Timms, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1256060 8 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:

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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