Children's home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1255748 1 Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Ltd

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a large independent provider, to provide care and accommodation for a maximum of five young people who have a range of complex difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since March 2019. Interim management arrangements are in place.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

p.1

inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

inadequate

There are widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected.

p.1

inadequate

Date of last inspection: 11 December 2018

p.1

inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1255748 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/12/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1255748 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure ─

p.3

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

p.3

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.3

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.3

Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

p.3

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.3

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

p.3

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

p.3

Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

p.3

Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. 21/06/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 1255748 4 (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e)) The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on ─

p.3

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

p.4

Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

p.4

Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

p.4

Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

p.4

Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

p.4

Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to 21/06/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 1255748 5 understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

p.4

Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them.

p.5

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii)(xiii))

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

p.5

Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

p.5

Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and 21/06/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 1255748 6 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

p.6

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that the health and well- being needs of children are met; children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

p.6

Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well-being;

p.6

Requirement Due date

that each child is registered as a patient with a general medical practitioner and a registered dental practitioner; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require.

p.6

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(b)(c)) 21/06/2019

p.6

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

p.6

Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping 21/06/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 1255748 7 the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

p.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

p.7

Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

p.7

Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

p.7

Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

p.7

Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

p.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans.

p.7

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(viii)(ix)(x))

p.7

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.7

Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

p.7

Requirement Due date

that arrangements are in place to ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and plan for, and help, each child to 21/06/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 1255748 8 prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

p.7

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed.

p.8

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c))

p.8

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Young people are not making good progress. This is because there has been a significant increase in their risk-taking behaviours, which staff have been unable to manage.

p.8

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Young people’s care records are contradictory and do not always reflect current needs. Additionally, care records do not always reflect the placing authority’s plans. Records are not always signed and dated. This makes it difficult to know what plans are current. This is essential, particularly when young people are being supported by staff from other homes run by the organisation who do not know them well. These shortfalls mean that young people do not always receive the support that they need and that they are not adequately protected.

p.8

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Young people’s health needs have not been met. Staff continue to encourage young people to attend routine health appointments but with limited success, as young people often refuse to attend. Furthermore, health appointments have been missed, and there has been no explanation for this. There is little evidence of healthcare needs being followed up or prioritised. Staff do not demonstrate an understanding of the importance of ensuring that young people’s physical and emotional needs are met. The requirement made at the previous inspection has been repeated.

p.8

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Young people’s experiences and progress in education, training and employment are variable. Some young people who were not in education prior to moving into the home have started to engage in education, but this is sporadic. One school reported that it rarely sees the young person and that communication with staff from the home has been poor. Staff have not provided any structure for those young people who are not in education, training or employment. These young people often stay in bed until late, and there is little structure to their day. Young people are drifting and missing important opportunities to reach their potential.

p.8

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

There have been some improvements in consultation with young people. A range of systems have been implemented to give young people the opportunity to express their views and feelings. Inspection report children’s home: 1255748 9 Staff are committed to ensuring that young people can remain in contact with their families and people who are important to them. For example, they have been instrumental in arranging for a young person to see their siblings. The young person did not have any contact with them prior to moving into the home. They now have regular contact with each other and they share and enjoy activities together.

p.8

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

Young people are not protected from the risk of harm. Young people’s risk-taking behaviours have increased since the last inspection in December 2018. Staff have been unable to manage these risks. There is a lack of boundaries and structure for young people. Any boundaries that are introduced are ineffective. Feedback from different agencies, including the police, has raised concerns about the inability of staff to manage young people’s behaviours.

p.9

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

Inappropriate matching of young people’s needs has resulted in some young people being influenced by their peers, exposing them to behaviours that they have not previously engaged in. Young people have regularly gone out late at night and in the early hours of the morning and have engaged in criminal activities and unsafe behaviours.

p.9

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

Several young people are using drugs and alcohol, which has often led them to engage in criminal activity to fund their habit. Staff have been unable to stop young people from smoking in their bedrooms, which has presented a risk of fire. Staff have not taken advice from medical services when young people’s health has been affected by being intoxicated. There is no evidence that staff have closely monitored young people in these instances. This increases the risk of harm to young people.

p.9

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

Young people’s risk assessments are inadequate and do not help to keep them safe. Risk assessments do not always reflect current needs and risks, and they do not accurately reflect the level of risks. Additionally, there are inconsistencies between placing authority risk assessments and strategies and the strategies implemented in the home. Management monitoring systems have failed to identify these shortfalls.

p.9

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

Staff follow missing from care protocols and work closely with partner agencies. In some instances, staff have gone above what is expected by going to different parts of the country to search for young people. However, strategies to prevent young people from going missing have been ineffective. The risks posed to young people when they are away from the home are not always recognised. At times, young people have been at significant risk of harm and abuse.

p.9

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Since the last inspection, leadership and management at the home have been ineffective. There have been a significant number of safeguarding issues, which staff have been unable to manage. Shortfalls in staff practice, particularly in relation to safeguarding incidents, have not been identified by management. Inspection report children’s home: 1255748 10 The registered manager resigned in March 2019, and interim management arrangements are in place.

p.9

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

At the last inspection, requirements were made in relation to the management of young people’s behaviour, the promotion of education, and leadership and management. Management monitoring systems, including additional support provided by senior managers and the organisation’s quality assurance team, have been ineffective. This inspection identified that none of the above requirements have been addressed and therefore they have been repeated. At present, managers are responding to matters brought to their attention, but do not have a firm grasp on the quality of care provided.

p.10

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The process for matching and assessing the compatibility of young people requires improvement. Poor matching and identification of needs have contributed to the significant increase in risk-taking behaviours by most of the young people. The registered provider has failed to take effective action in liaising with placing authorities when it has been clear that staff cannot meet some young people’s needs.

p.10

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have not provided good, individualised care to help young people to reach their full potential socially, academically and in preparation for adulthood.

p.10

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff morale is low. Staff have commented on inconsistencies in staff practice. Some staff said that they do not feel listened to by managers regarding the admission and matching of young people.

p.10

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Several complaints have been made by young people against staff. A review of these complaints and ‘lessons learned exercises’ have been undertaken by a manager from another of the organisation’s homes. The review identified that relationships between young people and some staff are not good. Professional boundaries have been blurred by staff sharing personal information with young people. Some staff have used inappropriate language to engage young people. A requirement was made at the last inspection regarding positive relationships, and this has been repeated.

p.10

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is a commitment to partnership working, but feedback from partner agencies is variable. Some social workers reported that staff communicate very well with them, whereas other professionals stated that communication is poor and needs to be improved.

p.10

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 Inspection report children’s home: 1255748 11 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.

p.10

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: 1255748 12

p.11

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Ltd

p.12

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Shaw Trust House, 19 Elmfield Road, Bromley, Kent BR1 1LT

p.12

Inspector:

Katarina Djordjevic, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1255748 13 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.

p.12

Inspector:

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.13

Inspector:

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.13

Inspector:

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

p.13