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

Inspection report children’s home: 2515380 1 Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Ltd

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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 two young people who have complex needs, which may include challenging behaviours and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The appropriately qualified manager was registered when the home first opened in February 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 30 September to 1 October 2019

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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: Not applicable. This is the home’s first inspection.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2515380 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

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the need for plans to reflect an appropriate level of detail about young people’s individual needs, and clarify how each area of care will be met. 25/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3)) 25/10/2019

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people benefit from the well-maintained domestic living environment. The home is decorated and furnished to a high standard, providing young people with a bright, modern, homely atmosphere.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since registration in February 2019, three young people have lived at the home, but as solo placements. The team has worked tirelessly to engage each young person and to support their individual needs. Of note is the way that staff advocate for young people, promoting opportunities and firmly supporting their individual rights.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive individualised, well-organised care. However, a lack of detail within written plans raises the potential for needs to go unmet.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is seen as important. The manager is relentless in her approach to ensure that young people have appropriate education plans. Young people have the opportunity to take part in a range of stimulating activities, including planned short-break holidays. Inspection report children’s home: 2515380 3 Young people’s views are valued and considered within the day-to-day care arrangements. They are encouraged and supported to contribute to placement planning decisions. Staff strive to build positive relationships with each young person and to engage them fully in their care. Even though concerns resulted in two of the placements ending early, neither young person wanted to leave. This shows that even when presenting behaviours are very challenging, staff continue to support and maintain relationships.

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

Staff understand young people’s individual vulnerabilities. Detailed risk assessments guide staff practice and promote the protection of young people. Staff work alongside external agencies effectively to keep young people safe. The one current resident confirms that she feels safe living at the home.

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

Behaviours are generally well managed, with an emphasis placed on positive relationships rather than the use of punitive sanctions. The guidance provided by staff helps young people to start to understand the impact of their behaviours. Young people have presented with some particularly difficult behaviours. This has included aggression towards staff and anti-social behaviour spilling out into the local community. Managers are proactive in reviewing events and acting on learning points to strengthen practice when necessary.

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

A coordinated, risk-managed approach is taken when young people go missing. The team reports concerns to the police promptly. Good communication with external professionals and families supports the safe return of young people.

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

While the risks for some young people did not reduce following a move to this home, other young people have become safer as a result of living here. One social worker said that a young person’s violent outbursts had notably reduced since moving to this home. The social worker said that she is confident in the home’s behaviour management strategies. Safeguarding practice is effective. Staff follow missing-from-home protocols, communicate concerns to external agencies and ultimately make decisions to end placements if this is in the young person’s best interests.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is led by an experienced and effective registered manager. She is enthusiastic and sets high expectations for the care provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

While some staff have resigned since the home opened, there remains a resilient core team. Staff say that they feel supported. They receive a good level of training, including targeted training to meet emerging care needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regardless of the good care provided, two placements have ended earlier than initially planned, due to identified high-level risks. This shows that managers recognise when young people are not making the desired progress. Such decisions are not taken lightly Inspection report children’s home: 2515380 4 and follow extensive communication with placing teams and external agencies.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The team maintains good communication with external agencies. Comments from involved professionals reflect a positive view of the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have responded appropriately to several complaints from neighbours. While advocating appropriately for young people’s rights, managers recognise the impact of certain behaviours on the local community. A requirement has been set to ensure that complaints records meet the requirements of children’s homes regulation.

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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: 2515380 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Angela Muchatuta

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Inspector

Mary Timms, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2515380 6 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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