Children's home run by Inspire Care (UK) Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280478 1

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Inspire Care (UK) 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 provides care for up to two children who have experienced trauma and encounter associated difficulties with their emotional well- being

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a manager since September 2020. A new manager has been in post since March 2021 and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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This monitoring visit

This home has not been inspected since registration. There have been no children living at the home. This monitoring inspection has been undertaken to monitor the home’s readiness to open because Ofsted has received mixed messages about this from the provider.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of visit, no children lived at the home.

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This monitoring visit

There is insufficient staff to meet children’s needs. Although four full-time members of staff have been recruited to work at the home, due to staff shortages in another home in the company, two members of staff are required to transfer to that home. The proposed registered manager acknowledges that new staff now need to be recruited to this home. Consequently, the home does not have enough staff to support and care for children.

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This monitoring visit

New staff are provided with an induction to learn about the role. However, there is no evidence that staff have received basic training to ensure that they have some of the skills and knowledge necessary to promote children’s welfare. Only one out of the four members of staff initially recruited has undertaken training courses, such as Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280478 2 safeguarding, fire safety, first aid and medication. As a result, it is not clear that staff have the necessary understanding to promote children’s welfare.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers do not safely recruit staff. For example, for four members of staff, it is not clear that steps had been taken, as far as reasonably practical, to verify the reasons why they had left previous employment involving children or vulnerable adults. For one member of staff, a reference has not been sought from their most recent employer. It is also not clear if all references received have been verbally verified. Two members of staff have gaps in employment that have not been explained. This means that unsuitable staff may be employed to care for children.

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This monitoring visit

Some aspects of the environment have improved, for example the home has been decorated throughout. However, other areas require attention. For example, in one child’s bedroom, window restrictors are broken and in need of repair. An intumescent strip is missing from the door to the staff sleep-in room, which compromises its effectiveness in the event of a fire. In addition, fencing in the rear garden is broken and managers are in the process of considering risk reduction strategies to prevent children from climbing onto a roof.

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This monitoring visit

The proposed registered manager has not kept the home’s statement of purpose under review and updated it in light of changes to the staff team. This means the document does not provide accurate information to placing authorities and parents who may have a child come to live at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have accepted the findings of this monitoring visit and have started to address the shortfalls. As a result of the findings, Ofsted have imposed a condition on the home’s registration requiring them to notify the regulator when they are ready to open the home. This will enable Ofsted to undertake a further visit to assess their readiness to do so.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280478 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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d)) 09 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 16 (1)) 09 July 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280478 4 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(b)(d)) 09 July 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280478 5

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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: Inspire Care (UK) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 263 Nottingham Road, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG7 7DA

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Inspector

Kev Brammer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280478 6 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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