Children's home run by Homes2Inspire Limited

Inspection report children's home: 1255745 1 Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since 2017.

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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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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 19 February 2020

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 1255745 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/02/2020 Full Outstanding 22/01/2019 Full Outstanding 24/01/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report children's home: 1255745 3

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outstanding

Children have an extremely positive experience at this home. They are cherished by the staff, who have only lovely things to say about them. Children are treated with great sensitivity by staff. Their care is highly individual to their specific needs. Children are unanimous in their positive views, saying, ‘This place is amazing’, and, ‘I am really happy.’

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outstanding

Events such as a child’s first day at school, prom nights and holidays are captured in photos of these memorable times. These are displayed around the home, providing a family feel throughout. Photos of children who have left are also prominent. The children here know that they will not be forgotten. The home’s own ‘Echo’ newspaper helps everyone to celebrate achievements and good times.

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outstanding

Children who have left the home remain in contact. They tell staff about their news and receive support and encouragement. One young person who had recently left came back to the home for Christmas dinner and to join the festivities.

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outstanding

Children achieve some excellent grades in education. This is a very positive achievement. For example, one child is achieving the equivalent of A grades. The child has made considerable progress from their starting point of not being at school at all prior to moving in. The COVID-19 pandemic has not affected children’s progress. When children are newly admitted, any gaps in for school placement are minimal and filled with creative educational activities.

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outstanding

When children go through difficult periods, staff are creative in finding ways to help them. For example, when one child had to self-isolate because of the pandemic, staff created a café menu and delivered ‘room service’ for the week. Staff made certain that a lot of fun came from a difficult situation. This teaches children how to be resilient through arduous times.

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outstanding

Children learn to develop a moral compass and how to express themselves in appropriate ways. They are encouraged to think outside of their comfort zone. They have recently learned about the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement. They have celebrated ‘Gay Pride’ with their own festivals in the home. There has also been a ‘Dress to Express’ event. Children learn that they can be themselves. Every child’s personality is highly celebrated, whatever their background and life choices.

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

Staff know their responsibilities in relation to protecting children. When children go missing, staff always look for them. They do not give up looking until the child returns home safely. Children are asked where they have been and if they were safe. Individual work with children equips them with the knowledge they need to Inspection report children's home: 1255745 4 understand their own risks and to be safer. Lessons are learned and direct work with children ensures that they improve strategies to protect themselves. One child said: ‘I used to be the top in the county for running away and now I don’t at all.’

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

In one incident of a child going missing from care, there was a delay in contacting the police. This was contrary to the child’s risk assessment. On another occasion, staff did not follow the protocols when a child went missing. The manager had identified these shortfalls through monitoring. This has led to lessons being learned by the team and improvements being made.

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

Physical interventions are used as a last resort. There has only been one in the past year. Staff have other methods of behaviour management, such as humour and de- escalation. Following a recent incident when a child’s behaviour deteriorated very quickly, staff analysed the incident to establish if they should have acted differently. Staff are happy to discuss areas for improvement. The staff team is aspirational. They analyse incidents to prevent reoccurrence. This approach safeguards children.

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

There is always an appropriate and positive response from staff when children harm themselves. These responses help children to cope with difficult and overwhelming feelings. One child reflected on her mental health and said, ‘I am much better in myself emotionally than before.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The highly skilled manager is supported by a capable deputy. Together, they lead the home, modelling a nurturing, kind and sensitive approach to children’s care. Their analysis of daily care is extensive. This helps them learn and develop. They know what has happened in the home and about any developing shortfalls. The children are in very capable hands.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

When the manager talked about the children, she demonstrated care and pride as if they were her own children. She referred to one of the children and said: ‘[Name] makes my heart sing with joy.’ The manager’s enthusiasm cascades down to the staff team. The manager maintains a culture of high expectation of staff. She wants them to be excellent practitioners. To achieve this, staff are supported, encouraged and trained to deliver very high-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

When children told the inspector about the staff, one said, ‘[Name] is the nicest person I know.’ Another child gave the staff team ‘100 out of 10’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The managers have built up excellent links in the community, despite the lockdown restrictions. The staff and children have baked cakes for the local church. They have invited church elders to the home. They have successfully broken down barriers in the community. Consequently, they are well established in their community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Since the last inspection, managers and leaders have continued to develop the practice in the home. Children have remained at the centre of these developments. A session was held with children about the qualities they wish the staff team to Inspection report children's home: 1255745 5 have. Children have also been invited to write about the home so that managers can ascertain their views from another perspective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers have embraced a project called ‘Language that cares’. This has filtered down to staff, who continue to learn about how their approach to children can be improved. This project has also led to some improvements in the children’s records. Some records are written with great sensitivity. This demonstrates that work with children is of an exceptionally high quality. Children will know that they were genuinely cared about if they look back at their records in the future.

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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’. Inspection report children's home: 1255745 6

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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

Caroline Brailsford, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 1255745 7 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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