Children's Home run by Inspire Care (UK) Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children's home: 1271234 1 Registered provider: Inspire Care (UK) 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 privately owned company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children who have experienced adverse childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since 10 September 2021. A new manager has been appointed to the home. He holds a level 5 qualification in leadership and management. The new manager will apply to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this home on 18 February 2021 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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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are widespread failures that mean children are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded, and the care and experiences of children are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 18 December 2019

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good Inspection report for children's home: 1271234 2 Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/12/2019 Full Good 28/11/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 12/09/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 1271234 3

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inadequate

This is the home’s first full inspection since December 2019. The home received an assurance visit in December 2020 and a monitoring visit in February 2021. Since the assurance visit, three children have left the home and two children have moved in. At the time of this inspection, two children lived at the home.

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inadequate

Children’s overall experience and progress are compromised by widespread failures in the ways that staff protect children.

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inadequate

Managers fail to provide children with appropriate help and guidance regarding health concerns. As a result, a child’s health condition deteriorated during his time living in the home. When one child refused to take prescribed medication for a period of three months, staff did not consult medical professionals to seek alternative ways to help the child and consider the potential implications of them not taking the required medication.

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inadequate

Children do not live in a homely environment. Despite improvements being made to communal areas, managers have not ensured that children’s bedrooms are clean and provide a nurturing environment. A lack of attention to basic care and good hygiene practice from staff does not promote a sense of self-worth for children.

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inadequate

Staff use bedroom door alarms to monitor children’s movements in the home at night. Door alarms are activated continuously and used routinely for all children rather than to meet individual needs. There is no assessment as to whether the use of door alarms remains proportionate and appropriate for each child.

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inadequate

Managers do not provide age-appropriate routine and structure for all children. For example, some children have had unlimited access to the home’s Wi-Fi across various electronic devices, which staff did not monitor. As a result, children would spend the nights playing on games consoles and would struggle to get up and engage in schoolwork or activities the following day. This led to challenges when the new manager and staff tried to implement new, more appropriate, boundaries and routines.

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inadequate

Despite the significant shortfalls identified during this inspection, some children make progress. One child has improved their school attendance and children are encouraged by staff to develop skills in cooking and budgeting in preparation for adult life.

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inadequate

Two new children have recently moved in the home. Both children arrived at the home in a planned way. They received welcome packs and staff explained the day- to-day routines and boundaries in a child-centred way. Inspection report for children's home: 1271234 4

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

Staff do not respond promptly to children’s risk-taking behaviours. For example, staff do not take the appropriate protective action when children place themselves at risk by their internet use. The failure to respond effectively to new and emerging risks leaves children vulnerable to harm.

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

New children and staff have not taken part in fire evacuation drills and are unaware of the procedures to follow in the event of a fire. In addition, the fire risk assessment has not been reviewed for over a year. This was addressed during the inspection but shows a lack of oversight and attention to matters that, if left, have the potential to compromise the safety and welfare of children.

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

Staff are unsure of how to manage children’s behaviours and so rely on police assistance to help them. Over a 10-month period, staff contacted the police 19 times to support them. Staff are ill-equipped to support children with their behaviours and this increases the risk of children being criminalised.

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

Managers do not ensure that allegations made by children have been thoroughly investigated. Children are not made aware of the outcome of the allegation and required follow-up actions are not completed. Managers have failed to notify Ofsted of allegations made against staff. This lack of due diligence does not promote children’s safety and welfare.

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

Since the last inspection, three new staff members have joined the team. The organisation’s robust safer recruitment practice helps to ensure that children are cared for by suitable adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not receive the training they require to provide safe and effective care to the children. Individual needs of children are not well understood because staff do not receive the relevant training to support them, including training relating to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autistic spectrum disorders. None of the staff have received ADHD training and only two members of staff have received training in relation to autistic spectrum disorders. Consequently, staff are not equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to respond effectively to the children’s complex needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers fail to monitor and review records of sanctions and incident reports. Due to this, some reports are incomplete, with relevant information missing. This lack of effective oversight prevents managers from being able to clearly identify and act on shortfalls in staff practice, identify patterns and trends and make improvements to the way in which staff manage children’s challenging behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff contact relevant partner agencies when children go missing from home. However, managers and staff do not challenge professionals from children’s placing authorities when they fail to take necessary steps to ensure a child’s safety and Inspection report for children's home: 1271234 5 welfare. For example, on five separate occasions, children have not been provided with an opportunity to have an independent return home interview. This means that children do not have the opportunity to discuss with someone independent of the home potential concerns they may have about why they went missing from the home and what happened while they were away.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff speak highly of the new manager and say that they feel supported through supervision and confident in the direction that he is giving them about how best to support the children. Inspection report for children's home: 1271234 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children are provided with an opportunity to have an independent return interview following missing-from-care episodes. 3 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children’s bedrooms are adequately maintained. 3 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met; 3 January 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 1271234 7 children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to making sure children are supported with all aspects of their health, and that staff seek advice when necessary and without delay about how to help children maintain good health and well-being.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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 each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to direct work being completed with children following incidents and discussing the impact of behaviours. 3 January 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 1271234 8 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;

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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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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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)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that managers and staff understand and act on risks to children’s welfare and safety promptly and effectively. This includes risk assessments being up to date and managers and staff acting on issues relating to internet safety. 3 January 2022

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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— 3 January 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 1271234 9 lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that staff receive relevant training and complete mandatory training in line with the organisation’s policy.

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that bedroom door alarms are not used as a blanket approach and that each risk is assessed individually. 3 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

ensure by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home, and so far as reasonably practical, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in the case of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that fire risk assessment is reviewed in a timely fashion and any new staff and 3 January 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 1271234 10 children in the home receive a fire safety induction and evacuation drill.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff and managers having a clear understanding of the behaviour management policy, to reduce the need for police intervention in the home. 3 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; 3 January 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 1271234 11 within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that records of restraint and sanctions are completed in full, that children receive de- briefs following incidents and that managers have oversight of all reports.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must prepare and implement a policy which—

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response. (Regulation 34 (1)(b) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that clear records are kept about any investigation into an allegation and that children are informed about the outcome of any investigation into an allegation they have made. 3 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the provider informs Ofsted of any allegations made in the home and that notifications to Ofsted are provided without delay. 3 January 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 1271234 12

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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 for children's home: 1271234 13

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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: 1271234 14 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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