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

Inspection report children’s home: 1256610 1 Registered provider: Homes2inspire Limited Full 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 three children. A private company owns and operates the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/08/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1256610 2

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(d)) 08/01/2019

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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

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and 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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(e)) 08/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and 08/01/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 1256610 3 have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)) The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it, and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 08/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4 and ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)(b)) 08/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

If the person who is in day-to-day charge of the children’s home proposes to be absent from the home for a continuous period of 28 days or more, the registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI of the proposed absence. If the absence arises as a result of an emergency or is unforeseen, the registered person must give notice of the absence— within one week of the beginning of the absence; and specifying the matters in paragraph (2)(b). The registered person must notify HMCI of the return to duty of the person in day-to-day charge of the home not later than 7 days after the date of that person’s return. (Regulation 48 (1)(3)(a)(b)(5)) 08/01/2019

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Recommendations

 Children should be in full-time education whilst they are of compulsory school age, unless their personal education plan contained within the care plan or other relevant plan states otherwise. The home must aim to support full-time attendance at school unless the child’s relevant plan indicates this is not in their best interests. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14)  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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Recommendations

 Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it Inspection report children’s home: 1256610 4 meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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improvement to be good

The quality of relationships between staff and young people is generally good. Social workers and independent reviewing officers confirm that most young people benefit from a good quality of care.

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improvement to be good

However, not all young people have positive experiences of the home. Some young people have not experienced consistency of care. In one case, the needs of a newly admitted child were not understood. The new manager quickly responded to this concern. Robust plans are now in place.

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improvement to be good

Educational facilities in the home are good. There is an education coordinator who has a dedicated role to support young people to reach their potential. The home has a designated education room, with access to a computer, the internet and a range of resources. However, staff have not ensured that all young people are in full-time education.

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improvement to be good

Staff promote recreational and social activities for young people. Young people confirmed that they have fun and take part in enjoyable activities.

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improvement to be good

Staff support young people to develop self-care skills. This means that they have increased levels of independence. Over time, young people are prepared for their eventual transitions to semi-independence or living independently.

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improvement to be good

Young people have been missing from this home. Staff work well with the police and safeguarding agencies to secure their safe return. However, young people do not always have an opportunity to have an independent return home interview. This fails to capture essential information about where they have been and the reasons for going missing. This means that staff do not know if young people have been harmed. Staff complete relevant records detailing incidents when young people go missing from the home. These records do not always show that staff recognise or act upon indicators of harm.

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improvement to be good

Staff are trained to use physical intervention. However, records of physical intervention do not contain accurate details of the intervention. This means that it is difficult to know if interventions are necessary, proportionate or effective. The manager has begun to audit the records and review staff practice.

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improvement to be good

There has been one allegation since the last inspection. The designated officer confirmed Inspection report children’s home: 1256610 5 that safeguarding concerns are reported in line with procedures. Internal investigation records show that managers have been diligent to ensure that there is a robust investigation.

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improvement to be good

There have been several new staff recruited since the last inspection. Recruitment records show clear vetting and safe recruitment practice. This protects young people from unsafe adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leadership and management arrangements have changed since the last inspection. These changes have had an impact on the staff team and the consistency of care provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

A new, skilled and experienced manager is now in post who is applying for registration with Ofsted. There is also a new responsible individual. These appointments will provide sound managerial oversight to improve the operation of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, the previous registered manager had been absent from the home for a period of more than 28 days. The provider ensured that there were interim management arrangements in place. However, Ofsted was not advised of the changes. This prevents the regulator from reviewing the suitability of the day-to-day management arrangements in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Partnership arrangements with social care professionals and the wider network have been variable. Social care professionals highlight that communication requires improvement. This includes providing case information when requested and consulting with social workers when new children are admitted to the home. Importantly, the need for staff to notify the local authority of all safeguarding incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Records are not detailed. Admissions records are not up to date. They do not contain accurate information about young people admitted and discharged from the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The statement of purpose is not up to date. It has not been submitted to Ofsted for a significant period. This means that the regulator is not clear about the operation of the home or staffing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The new manager understands the strengths and weaknesses of the home. She is undertaking a rigorous audit of the operation of the home. She demonstrates commitment to drive improvement within the home. Inspection report children’s home: 1256610 6

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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: 1256610 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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Inspector:

Amanda Ellis: social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1256610 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 looked after children, 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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