Children's Home run by Homes2Inspire Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report children's home: 1256367 1 Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private company that is owned and operated by a national charity. It provides care for up to five children with complex behaviours and emotional difficulties.

p.1

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.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 11 December 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children's home: 1256367 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/08/2019 Full Good 28/02/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 01/05/2018 Full Good 16/01/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children's home: 1256367 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who have previously found it difficult to attend education, have made good progress. One child has been able to do some exams a year early, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and is now planning to go to college. Older children are helped to explore potential careers through work experience. Some children have also secured part-time jobs.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have taken part in a wide range of activities. Now that pandemic restrictions are being lifted, children are excited about activity plans, including a holiday. There are times when children become frustrated because staff are not available for activities. The organisation is aware of this and has plans in place to implement more flexible staffing arrangements, so that children’s individual needs can be better met.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children are admitted into the home, the process is smooth. Children say that they are made to feel welcome and that they are supported well. One child has recently moved out successfully and become independent after living at the home for a number of years.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The house is a pleasant place for the children to live. It provides space for relaxation, enjoyment and play.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children have some very good relationships with staff. One-to-one sessions help children to explore their worries and problems. However, some children say they do not fully trust in staff. This is because there have been some occasions when staff members have not acted in a professional manner. Children have also raised concerns that they have overheard staff conversations about other children. The concerns of the children about this issue have not yet been addressed. However, the organisation is committed to putting this right and has plans to resolve the matter.

p.3

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

Children are safe. There are some examples of children engaging well with staff so that they learn how to reduce their vulnerability in the home and in the community.

p.3

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

Children who go missing are very well protected by staff. Staff keep in touch with children when they are out, search for them if their whereabouts are not known and work with other professionals well to encourage their safe return. One social worker said: ‘I cannot believe the checks and the support they put in.’ Staff managed some very difficult situations well. As a result, children have been kept safe.

p.3

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

There are some very positive working relationships with other professionals. For example, the manager has responded positively to some suggestions from the Inspection report children's home: 1256367 4 police. As a result, staff have recently received some training in the use of ‘non- blaming’ language when children are at risk of being exploited.

p.3

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

Staff training is good in relation to safeguarding children. Staff know what to do when a safeguarding situation arises and fully understand their safeguarding responsibilities.

p.4

good

There have been some performance issues within the staff team, including incidents in which staff have not maintained appropriate levels of professionalism. The management response to these issues has not been strong enough. Although managers have taken some actions, they have not ensured that children have been kept updated. Managers have not reassured children that their concerns are taken seriously. As a result, some children have lost faith in some staff and management. One child told the inspector: ‘There is no point in complaining because nobody listens.’ Other children feel very well supported and say that they have strong, trusting relationships with staff.

p.4

good

A new manager started in April 2021. He is energetic, enthusiastic and has good plans to make sure that children feel listened to. Staff feel very confident in his management. He has already introduced a children’s advocate who is establishing supportive relationships with the children. Small changes have already been made in the home as a direct result of listening to children. This is an improving picture.

p.4

good

Staff are well-trained. Most have achieved the required qualification. However, staff supervision lacks structure and does not always provide staff with comprehensive feedback on their performance. As a result, supervision is not used effectively to help staff to improve their practice.

p.4

good

There are times when there are two staff on duty with the current group of five children. Staff report that this can hinder the quality of care. There has been an isolated occasion when staff could not look for a child who was missing because they needed to look after remaining residents. The organisation is aware of this issue and has plans in place to improve staffing arrangements. However, the issue was previously identified at the last assurance visit in 2020, so there has been a delay in making the necessary improvements. Inspection report children's home: 1256367 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.5

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

p.5

Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

p.5

Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(viii)(x))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This is in relation to incidents of unprofessional conduct by staff. 12/08/2021

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 12/08/2021 Inspection report children's home: 1256367 6 ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d)(f)(h))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This is in relation to management responses to children’s concerns about staff conduct. This is also in relation to staff ratios.

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff respect children’s privacy and support other children to do so. This is in relation to children overhearing conversations between staff about other children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.17)  The registered person should ensure that staff encourage children to share any concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. Children must be able to take up issues or make a complaint with support and without fear that this will result in any adverse consequences. Regulation 39 sets out the requirements on the registered person to have a complaints procedure. Children must be made aware of this procedure and be reminded of it where necessary. This is in relation to children not feeling confident in the complaint’s procedure. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page

p.6

Recommendations

22, paragraph 4.13)  The registered person should ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. This is in relation to poor quality supervision and the performance management of staff. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

p.6

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’. Inspection report children's home: 1256367 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspector

Caroline Brailsford, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 1256367 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8