Children's home run by Inspirations Leicestershire Limited

Inspection report children's home: 2557603 1 Registered provider: Inspirations Leicestershire Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned. It provides care and accommodation for up to three children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been a change of manager since the home opened. The new manager had previously been the home’s deputy manager.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first full inspection since it was registered.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 25 November 2020 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children's home: 2557603 2

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report children's home: 2557603 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from trusting relationships with a stable, consistent staff group. Children present as relaxed and comfortable. They experience a nurturing environment where positive behaviours are reinforced and achievements are celebrated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children experience a planned admission to the home. Staff have a clear understanding of each child’s history and needs because they carefully gather information from parents and social workers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A strength of this home is the good, timely communication between home staff and all the professionals and family members in each child’s network. For example, there is daily exchange of information with schools about each child’s needs. Children’s families regularly visit the home. This has helped children to repair and improve their relationships with important family members.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have worked with the children to improve the format of placement plans so that they are child friendly. They have also adapted the home’s complaints system so that it is easier for children to use.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good daily routines. Staff take account of children’s sensory needs when developing strategies to help children to have a positive start to the day and to settle at night.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made progress at school since moving to the home. They are better behaved in the classroom and have higher attendance. For one child, there have been delays and difficulties in securing full-time education in the right setting. Managers requested planning meetings, liaised with the placing local authority and escalated concerns appropriately. Children have improving health because of proactive care by staff and effective partnership working with specialist resources. Staff have helped to reduce children’s anxieties by carefully preparing them for health appointments. One child had previously struggled with attending the dentist. After writing their own social story about visiting the dentist, the child successfully attended an appointment for treatment. A psychologist attached to the team provides consultation and training to staff. This supports staff to have a comprehensive understanding of children’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to engage in activities and to develop interests and hobbies. There has been some impact on the range of activities available to children during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, children have made good use of the home’s garden. Children also enjoy walks, cycling and going for drives with staff. Inspection report children's home: 2557603 4

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

Staff and managers are aware that children with additional needs, such as learning disability, have increased vulnerabilities and safeguarding needs. Individual placement plans include detailed risk assessment, risk management and behaviour management plans.

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

The home is subject to daily health, safety and maintenance checks to ensure it is a safe environment. Overall, there have been a low number of safeguarding incidents or concerns. Children have reduced self-harming behaviours. Staff undertake direct work with children following any incidents, tailored to their ability and understanding. Children have opportunities for one-to-one time with staff, such as evening drives and walks. This enables regular direct work to take place.

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

A small and reducing number of physical restraints take place in the home. Managers carefully review restraint records and seek children’s views following each incident. Carefully planned daily routines reduce opportunities for conflict between children.

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

There have been no incidents of children going missing. However, emergency information prepared about each child in case they should go missing. Staff are familiar with the home’s missing-from-home procedures. One child sometimes damages furniture in his room if he is angry or distressed. This behaviour has resulted in minor injuries. He has also expressed low mood. His placement plan advises staff to undertake welfare checks. However, there is no specific guidance for staff about how these checks should be carried out. Staff and managers have not undertaken sufficient training to have a full understanding of how best to provide care to children with autism spectrum disorder.

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

Children in the home enjoy gaming and online activities. These are generally carefully set up and monitored. However, there have been a small number of incidents that indicate that a child might be at risk while online. Although some additional safeguards have been put in place, explicit agreements or guidance for staff have not been put in place. As a result, some staff were not sufficiently aware of the risks.

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

There was also one occasion when a member of staff had not adhered to the home’s safeguarding policy about bringing technology into the home. This had the potential to have an impact on children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have carefully completed a phased introduction of children into the home, over a year, following careful consideration of individual needs. This has ensured Inspection report children's home: 2557603 5 that the home remained settled and that children were supported to adapt to change.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager collaborates effectively with other agencies. She escalates concerns appropriately if there is delay in providing services to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager organises regular team meetings that support staff development. She also provides staff with regular supervision. These forums are used effectively to ensure that staff fully understand children’s needs. A range of quality assurance mechanisms are in place to evaluate children’s progress and the difference the service is making to children. An experienced operational manager carries out a review of practice following any incident. Social workers and education staff are positive about the difference that living in this home has made for children. There have been no complaints from families or professionals or children. Inspection report children's home: 2557603 6

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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)(ii)(iii)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff and managers require training in understanding and managing the risks associated with the use of digital technology. 14 June 2021

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)) 14 June 2021 Inspection report children's home: 2557603 7 In particular, staff require training to enhance their knowledge of the needs of children with autism spectrum disorder and their skills in working with children with autism spectrum disorder.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Inspirations Leicestershire Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 131a London Road, Oadby, Leicester LE2 5DP

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Inspector

Cathey Moriarty, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2557603 8 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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