Children's home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1255744 1

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Homes 2 Inspire Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home is operated by a large national provider. It is registered to provide care for up to three children and young people aged between 10 and 17 with complex needs and who have experienced trauma and loss.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered in December 2019. She is completing a level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 26 and 27 January 2021

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to ensure that children are being adequately safeguarded.

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This monitoring visit

Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, Ofsted did not carry out a physical visit to the home. The inspector gathered evidence in several different ways, including talking to the manager, staff and children. Managers were also asked to provide documents electronically for the inspector to review.

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This monitoring visit

The manager and staff have continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to work in partnership with other professionals. This partnership has helped the manager and staff to meet the children’s care needs. Children’s social workers and the local police are complimentary about the care that children receive from the staff.

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This monitoring visit

Staff develop trusting relationships with children, who say they feel safe and happy in the home. Children who have previously experienced considerable moves between homes are now settled and making good progress in their education. One external professional told the inspector, ‘I’ve been very impressed by how much progress [name of child] has made since arriving at the home and how much he has settled.’ Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1255744 2 However, despite these positive features, there has been an escalation in allegations against staff and concerns about children going missing from the home. Some mistakes have been made and children’s safety has at times been compromised.

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This monitoring visit

For example, some children have not had positive experiences in the home and their placements have ended early as a result. In November 2020, there was an increase in children going missing from the home and being placed at risk of harm. This was largely due to poor matching and the admission process. The manager had not fully considered the needs of the other children and the potential effects on them before agreeing to new admissions. The manager has reflected on this shortfall and has now strengthened her admission procedures. Consequently, the home is now more settled.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have not always adequately supervised the children. For example, on two occasions in November 2020, children went missing from the home together. This resulted in them suffering significant harm while away from the home. The manager has since reviewed and strengthened the home’s procedures to help prevent children from going missing and to raise staff awareness. The manager has invested in walkie-talkies for the staff, to help improve communication. The manager has also invested in additional training and increased the frequency of staff supervision.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, staff have failed on two occasions to recognise and report safeguarding concerns in a timely manner. As soon as the manager was made aware of these shortfalls, she acted quickly to bring these to the attention of external professionals and to ensure that children were safeguarded.

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This monitoring visit

Risk assessments are contradictory and do not support staff in caring for children adequately. Staff do not follow the actions specified in risk assessments consistently. One child is at significant risk of self-harm and requires a high degree of supervision in the home. Records do not demonstrate that staff have consistently monitored the child as required. Furthermore, the manager has not reviewed the records to ensure that these are effective and appropriate.

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This monitoring visit

The requirement made at the last full inspection regarding children’s risk assessments and staff taking effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare has been repeated.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 05/11/2019 Full Good 15/07/2019 Full Inadequate 07/12/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 01/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1255744 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children’s risk assessments are clear, and staff understand and implement the home’s safeguarding and missing-from-care procedures. 28 February 2021

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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.

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)(e)) 28 February 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1255744 4 This specifically relates to ensuring that staff supervise children and implement children’s risk assessments. This also relates to the management oversight of this to ensure that they are effective.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements where they are fully satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lumonics House, Valiant Office Suites, Valley Drive, Swift Valley Industrial Estate, Rugby CV21 1TQ

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Inspector

Sue Young, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1255744 5 to 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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