Children's Home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited in Nottingham

Inspection report children’s home: 1256610 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 run by a private company that is owned and operated by a national charity. The home provides care and accommodation for up to three children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager is suitably experienced and qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we sus- pended 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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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

Date of last inspection: 29 January 2020

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children’s home: 1256610 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/01/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/10/2019 Full Good 05/12/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/08/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1256610 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff create a warm and comfortable home environment that children can enjoy and be proud of. Staff give children a sense of belonging by ensuring that photos of the children, and those who are important to them, are displayed. Children have helped to decorate their rooms. As a result, bedrooms all reflect the choices and preferences of the children. Further improvements are being made to the home’s garden area, and children are being supported to take ownership of this project.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff complete sensitive and thoughtful individual work with children. This helps children to express their feelings, talk about the things that matter most to them and form strong bonds with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made good progress in education. Some of the children have previously experienced considerable disruption to their education, including school exclusions and poor attendance. Children are now receiving the support that they need to make progress. One child has recently passed her GCSEs and has just started an apprenticeship.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children develop good relationships with staff. They said that staff are ‘there for us’. Children enjoy spending time with staff in fun activities. As a result of these positive and trusting relationships, children feel able to confide in staff and are confident that they will be listened to. One child described the staff as ‘family’. Children said that they love the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have been supported to develop important life skills. For example, one child walks to school independently, and another child travels independently to see friends. Children help by doing chores around the home and are encouraged to take part in menu planning, meal preparation and shopping.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the risks that children face online. They work in partnership with local safeguarding agencies to develop bespoke strategies that help children to use social media safely. Staff monitor the children’s internet and social media activity closely, while helping them to spend time online safely.

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

Managers ensure that staff know the importance of sharing any safeguarding concerns that they might have. Information on how to raise concerns is readily available throughout the home. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of reporting procedures. Managers have ensured that when concerns are raised about the welfare of children, these are shared appropriately with safeguarding agencies.

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

Children have trusted adults to turn to if they have any worries. The children’s guide, provided for children when they move into the home, is of good quality. It Inspection report children’s home: 1256610 4 ensures that children know how to access support, and that they understand their rights and entitlements. When children raise complaints, they are responded to quickly and thoroughly. Extensive work takes place to make sure the child can see that their concerns are taken seriously. The manager writes to the child to tell them how the complaint will be investigated, and then gives a full explanation of the complaint outcome.

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

Although staff do have a good understanding of children’s vulnerabilities, risk assessments did not identify all known risks for one child, and lacked specific guidance for staff on how to manage the risks. The manager made amendments to risk assessments during the inspection to rectify this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding of each child’s care plan. She advocates for children effectively so that they receive the services they need. Children have a good relationship with the manager, who they are able to confide in, and they know that she will listen to them and take their views seriously.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s approach is thoughtful and engaging. This is appreciated by the staff, who all value the support that she gives them. One staff member said, ‘She makes me feel so valued as a member of the team and makes me realise as a home how much we all care for one another. She is always there to support us.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The ethos of the home is very inclusive. The manager makes sure that children are involved in and consulted on all decisions about their home. Staff aim to make the home feel like a family home. Children feel valued and secure in the busy, fun and nurturing environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers provide staff with regular supervision. However, discussions in supervision are very task-focused, and not reflective enough. Some learning opportunities have been missed as a result.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management monitoring systems have not been robust enough. They have not supported the manager to identify shortfalls in some records and assessments.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been managed well by the home. Staff have worked flexibly and creatively, demonstrating considerable commitment to the children. Inspection report children’s home: 1256610 5

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to ensuring that risk assessments reflect all known risks for each child, and include guidance on how staff should respond to risks. 25 October 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 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1) (2)(h)) 25 October 2021

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Recommendation

 The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and Inspection report children’s home: 1256610 6 experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: 1256610 7

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Matthew Earnshaw

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Inspector

Zoey Lee, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1256610 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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