Children's Home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report children's home: 1256061 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

The home provides care for up to five children and young people. The service 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 2016 when the home was first opened, operated by a different provider. This manager 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 February 2018

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 17 to 18 December 2018

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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 good

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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: 13 February 2018

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 1256061 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/02/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report children's home: 1256061 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 registered person must ensure that— within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home a record is made which includes a description of the measure and its duration: details of any methods used, or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)(v)) 31/01/2019

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The warm, nurturing relationships between staff and young people stand out as being very special. All the young people only spoke positively about their care. One young person said, ‘I like everything.’ Another young person, who is relatively new to the home, said, ‘I already really like being here, just being with everyone. It’s like a family.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Consistently stable placements allow young people to settle, to develop attachments and take full advantage of the support provided. Several young people have lived at the home for over a year. The diverse peer group have excellent relationships and, on the whole, they enjoy spending time together. The support and acceptance shown between young people demonstrates that they learn to become tolerant and more able to empathise.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people enjoy spending time with staff. One young person said, ‘They are funny, humorous and just make my day better.’ A broad range of interesting and stimulating activities are provided. The group travelled to Scotland during the autumn half term, and staff and young people enjoyed exploring together and taking part in activities. This well-planned holiday also provided the opportunity for a young person to visit his family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Two young people have successfully moved on to independent living arrangements. A social worker spoke very highly of the support provided and the progress made by the young person she worked with. She said, ‘He moved in a boy, and left a man with his head held high.’ On the day of the inspection, one of these two young people contacted staff to finalise arrangements to visit for Christmas lunch. The other spontaneously visited to see everyone. This demonstrates how young people benefit from continuing Inspection report children's home: 1256061 4 support, which eases their transition into independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Professionals involved with the home consistently spoke highly of the care provided and of the extremely effective working relationships with the managers and staff. An education professional highlighted the excellent level of support provided to a young person who is struggling during education.

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

Young people are safeguarded effectively by highly organised and individualised risk management strategies. Staff know the young people well and understand how best to protect them. The most vulnerable young people are always fully supervised and supported. This ensures that they are kept safe from harm.

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

There have been no missing from care events since the last inspection. This is linked to young people feeling very settled and safe. Improved resilience and the capacity to self- manage personal issues mean that young people do not want to leave the home.

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

Behaviour management plans are implemented well and help young people to begin to manage their emotional responses and behaviours. Staff are trained to use physical holds to keep young people safe, but these are only used as a last resort. Some recording shortfalls within behaviour management records are noted. This is because the detail of holds used, and the duration of each hold, are not always evident. The management team immediately committed to using a specific incident as a learning and development opportunity for the team. Additionally, managers committed to improving behaviour management records to rule out the use of ambiguous wording.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The management team is extremely committed, passionate and inspirational. The impact of positive role-modelling by managers is obvious across the service. The staff team members all work enthusiastically to achieve the best possible outcomes for young people. Staff think highly of the managers and the support they receive. Staff spoke about the very high standards demanded by managers, which staff respect and welcome.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff development is seen as key within the delivery of a high-quality service. As a result, staff understand personal and team roles and responsibilities. Core training is underpinned by additional training, which is facilitated to meet specific, individual needs. For example, there has been specific training regarding dyspraxia and mental health support. Team meetings and supervisions are used to promote learning opportunities. An addition to practice, not seen broadly in other children’s homes, is the effective use of ‘learning circles’. Topics are set, typically to cover a month period. Staff are set tasks to research a topic and undertake reading. Learning is underpinned by staff presentations and discussion time in team meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers know the young people well and advocate for them at every opportunity. Inspection report children's home: 1256061 5 Managers are proactive and act confidently to challenge external agencies to ensure that young people’s needs are 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: 1256061 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Homes2Inspire Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 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 manager: David Bartlett and Rebecca Smith

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Inspector:

Mary Timms, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children's home: 1256061 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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Inspector:

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

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