Children's home run by Homes2Inspire Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 2534696 1 Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately-owned children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children or young people. Its statement of purpose states that the home’s policy is to consider children with complex needs which may include challenging behaviours and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has a suitably qualified registered manager in place. The manager also manages another children’s home which is located nearby.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 25 to 26 November 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: This is the home’s first inspection since registration with Ofsted in June 2019.

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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: 2534696 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 registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children; the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance.

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Requirement Due date

The registered manager must undertake such continuing professional development as is necessary to ensure that the registered manager has the skills needed for managing the home.

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to having an increased understanding of the statutory guidance ‘Working together to safeguard children’ 2018 and The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010. 31/01/2020

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made positive progress since they moved into the home. The individualised care they receive has enabled them to settle quickly and feel comfortable in the home. They engage more with their education and there has been a decrease in risky behaviour. A teacher said, ‘It’s warm, friendly and inviting. Our student says that he feels he’s well listened to and gave [the home] 10 out of 10 at a recent review.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living at the home have often experienced multiple placement breakdowns in the past. These experiences mean that building relationships with staff members can be very difficult. Staff work hard to promote positive relationships with children and succeed in building respectful relationships. An independent reviewing officer commented on how welcoming the home is and how quickly staff had engaged and supported the young Inspection report children’s home: 2534696 3 person.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive day-to-day experiences. They are confident that they will be listened to and their wishes and feelings acted on. A range of varied activities are planned weekly, such as travelling on the train to local cities, bike riding, walking, going to the gym or shopping. Different experiences help children get to know their new local environment and start to feel part of the local community. Children’s independence skills grow. As well as being encouraged to tidy and clean up after themselves, they have to work through an independent living framework. This work could eventually lead to a qualification as well as improved independence skills. Staff take every opportunity to support children to learn, for example encouraging budgeting while doing a weekly food shop.

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

Multi-agency working to keep children safe is a strength of the home. The manager and staff have a very clear understanding of each child’s individual vulnerabilities. They are working very closely with other professionals, particularly the police, social care and youth offending services, to take part in a comprehensive safety plan to keep children safe. The plan is working. As a result, children become safer and missing-from-care episodes have decreased substantially. A police officer said, ‘I was quite impressed in the way the home has absorbed their responsibility. That’s impressive from our point of view. It’s a good, tight plan. It would appear the plan is working.’

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

Staff are confident in understanding how to keep children safe. They understand the dangers to children when they go missing from care. Effective action is taken and key organisations are informed immediately. They actively search for children if they are missing and work closely with other professionals until the child returns home. Behaviour is well managed and there has been no use of physical intervention to keep children safe since the home opened. Staff understand the home’s whistle-blowing policy and know that children’s safety is paramount.

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

A door buzzer system is used within the home. This helps staff monitor the whereabouts of children at night-time. It is not always clearly written in children’s risk assessments why this monitoring is necessary, or how it promotes their welfare. Furthermore, it is not clear if children and social workers have given their permission. Inappropriate use of the system could result in an invasion of privacy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home was registered with Ofsted in June 2019. High levels of support and guidance for staff from a well-experienced and qualified manager mean that children receive good-quality care. There has been some staff turnover since the home opened. The staff team is now stable and the manager is looking at ways in which to further develop the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager prioritises the needs of children and advocates strongly on their behalf. Inspection report children’s home: 2534696 4 The manager understands the need to work in partnership with other agencies and in collaboration, but he will challenge agencies if he believes they are not providing the help and services needed by children. An example of this is in ensuring that education providers work quickly to lessen the delay in getting an education placement set up. Working in partnership with agencies is fundamental to the ethos of this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Members of staff feel that they are well supported by the manager. They have access to a variety of training courses to help increase their skill and knowledge in working with children. Staff are quickly enrolled on the appropriate level 3 qualification course, required for staff to provide the best care to. Through training and one-to-one supervision, the home’s manager also has opportunities to take part in professional development. Gaps in the manager’s knowledge about important key documentation relating to residential childcare were identified during the home’s registration. The gaps in knowledge remain and, although there has been no negative impact on children as a result, there is the potential for this.

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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: 2534696 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: Kelly Gliszczynski

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Inspector

Catherine Honey, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2534696 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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