Children's home run by Restorative Social Care Services Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 1252095 1 Registered provider: Inspire Social Care Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and run. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The registered manager is highly experienced and suitably qualified to lead and manage the home.

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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 outstanding

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1252095 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2018 Full Outstanding 06/12/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 06/06/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1252095 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are making progress relative to their starting points and considering their history and trauma prior to coming into care. This is because the staff work hard at building trusting relationships with the children so that they are able to grow and learn in an environment which is supportive and caring.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff demonstrate through their actions that they care and enjoy the company of the children. Staff make every attempt to encourage both children to engage in positive activities in their local community. There has been limited success with this as both children prefer to spend the majority of their free time with their respective peers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote and encourage the importance of education. They regularly communicate with the children’s individual education providers. One child has done very well in achieving 100% attendance at college and she has been motivated to engage in extra tuition in maths and English. Another child has experienced a more disrupted educational pathway. The manager and staff have worked collaboratively with the virtual schools in identifying the right resource. The child continues to have varied behaviour. However, daily handovers and additional support have led to measurable improvement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff regularly and creatively use a range of consultation methods to engage with the children on key issues, such as criminal exploitation, staying safe and healthy relationships. Equally, the children are involved in decisions about their day-to-day lives and staff regularly tell them that their views and feelings are important. Both children have been involved, prior to their admission to the home, in decorating and personalising their bedrooms to their desired tastes. It is clear that the children experience a sense of belonging and permanence as one child commented: ‘I love my room, and the staff are sound too. I get on with all of them.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children clearly feel listened to and progress has been made in their ability to share their worries and anxieties with the staff. One child in particular really values the therapeutic support. Feedback from the therapist has been very positive in saying: ‘Staff fill the gap. [Name of child] has made such progress having suffered much trauma.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Continuous communication between the care staff, professionals, parents and also the children ensures that everyone is aware of the goals that the children are working towards. This is helping the children to plan for their futures in their journeys to independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Contact with family and friends is promoted and supported despite the challenges that this presents. This has helped to maintain and restore fractured relationships. Friends and family are welcome at the home and on occasions they come for Sunday lunch. Inspection report children’s home: 1252095 4

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

A real strength of this home is that children say they feel safe and protected. This is because the children enjoy living at the home and have good relationships with staff. Work is completed with the children in a way that helps them to stay safe. Staff routinely complete visual welfare checks when the children are on free time and they more often than not adhere to staying in touch. This helps to minimise risk-taking behaviours.

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

Children have up-to-date and well-documented risk assessments and placement plans. When there has been a need to use physical intervention, for one child, staff are appropriately trained and balanced in their responses. Staff are more able to identify triggers and to de-escalate behaviours, which have resulted in a marked reduction in the duration of holds. The consistent and restorative approach has helped the child to self- regulate their behaviour.

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

There is a robust strategy in place and staff follow the joint working protocol for missing children. Staff go above and beyond looking for the children and liaise closely with the police. Return home interviews routinely take place. It is very rare that staff do not know the whereabouts of the children in their care due to knowing who their friends are and where they live.

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

One child is working well towards her independence, with plans on track for her to move to semi-supported accommodation. Her risks and vulnerabilities are well known. Her practical skills are well established and work is tailored around her emotional well-being. This has increased her self-confidence and is giving her the skills to manage her mental health better.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has been in post since the home opened. He is suitably qualified and highly experienced in the role. He is confident and ambitious and leads by example. The manager is hands-on in his approach and like the staff has developed a good rapport and understanding of the children in his care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

All professionals and carers involved in the children’s lives comment that communication is excellent between the home and themselves. Working in partnership is a key strength to improve children’s outcomes and to keep them safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There are highly effective systems in place to monitor children’s progress towards set individualised goals. Effective communication by the management with staff ensures that there is a consistent approach to children. Staff are very well trained in a wide range of subject areas such as criminal exploitation, mental well-being and safeguarding, which all have a current impact or a potential impact on the children in the future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff put the children at the centre of everything that they do. There is a culture of providing a family atmosphere which is accepting, nurturing and supportive at all times and in particular when children are struggling to manage their behaviour. Inspection report children’s home: 1252095 5 Staff feel supported through regular and reflective supervision, and staff are also supportive of each other. Staff are supported in their professional development and retention of staff is excellent. Case records are clear, analytical and reflective. They demonstrate children’s involvement and that the voice of the child is valued and held in positive regard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager understands the strengths and areas for development within the home. The manager has maintained his strong leadership skills since the last inspection to ensure that service delivery and staff practice is of high quality.

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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: 1252095 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Inspire Social Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Inspire Social Care Services, Unit 3, Craig Court, Standish Street, St Helens, Lancashire WA10 1GJ

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Inspector(s)

Cath Sikakana: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1252095 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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