Children's home run by Inspire Children’s Services Limited in St. Helens

Inspection report for children's home: SC411825 1 SC411825 Registered provider: Inspire Children’s Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns this home. The home’s statement of purpose states that it provides care for up to two children.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since September 2021. The current manager is registered with Ofsted at another home in the same company.

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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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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: 23 September 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC411825 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/09/2019 Full Good 07/08/2018 Full Good 11/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 06/06/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC411825 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child lives at the home. The child has lived at the home for some time and despite recent changes in the staff team he has adjusted well and continues to form positive relationships. He is receiving continuity and consistency of care, which is helping him stay settled and secure. The child states he likes the staff and is happy. He is very relaxed in the company of staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the child well and his complex needs are understood. The child receives good-quality individualised care and support from staff who are skilled and nurturing in their approach. Staff undertake tailored direct-work sessions with the child, such as on sexual health. The child is responding well to this input. This is helping the child stay safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has well-established boundaries and routines in place through the input of staff. For example, he is consistently up and ready to go to school in the mornings. His attendance in school is excellent and he is making good progress in his studies. He was awarded the position of school prefect for his year and wears his badge with pride. This is a great achievement, boosting his overall confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote a healthy lifestyle by providing the child with a wide variety of fun activities, geared to his specific interests. With his love of animals and wildlife, the child has enjoyed trips out sea fishing, bird watching and dog walking. He also likes to go swimming and play football with his peers. This is helping him stay fit and healthy. In addition, it is giving the child opportunities to socialise and build relationships with his friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The current contact arrangements between the child and his siblings are very limited. Although the manager and the staff are working in line with the child’s care plan, they are not providing sufficient challenge to the local authority or advocating effectively on the child’s behalf in promoting sibling contact in line with his wishes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are proactive in supporting the child’s growing independence. For example, staff have been instrumental in helping the child to secure a part-time job for the child in a local cafeteria. The child is thriving on this experience because it is giving him a sense of responsibility.

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

Staff are highly committed to maintaining the safety and well-being of the child living at the home. They are proactive in reducing the risks to the child, for example, undertaking follow-up work with the child in response to concerns identified relating to online safety. As a result, the child has a better understanding of the risks involved. Inspection report for children's home: SC411825 4 The risk assessments, in the main, capture the child’s known risks and vulnerabilities. Staff demonstrate a good insight into the risks and the strategies in place to manage them. They are well aware of their roles and responsibilities in closely supervising the child, particularly when using the internet, but there is no separate risk assessment in place.

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

Although staff attend a variety of training events, including on child sexual exploitation and safeguarding, records do not clearly show if they have completed a course in radicalisation. Training in this area would bolster their overall knowledge and skill base.

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

The child can talk to trusted adults about any concerns or worries he may have. The child says he feels safe and listened to. He is making good progress in regulating his emotions. The child recognises when he has done wrong and shows remorse for his actions by, for example, writing letters of apology to staff. This is a positive step, in that he is becoming increasingly respectful towards staff and showing a growing maturity.

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

Positive behaviour is promoted well. Sanctions are rare. When they are applied, they are realistic and fair, with good evaluation by the manager. Achievements are celebrated through rewards, and incentives are helping the child achieve specific goals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a newly recruited but experienced manager who is passionate about her role and has high aspirations for children. She has recently replaced the permanent manager and is in the process of making an application to register with Ofsted. She divides her time between this home and another home in the same company. She is supported by a deputy manager who shares the same ethos.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and deputy know the child’s needs well and the level of progress achieved. Care plans accurately reflect the child’s needs and are adapted as they change. Managers work well with outside agencies. For example, plans are in place to support the child’s independence and further education as he approaches school- leaving age. This is achieved in close consultation with the child, social worker and education providers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager leads a small but settled team of staff who demonstrate a positive commitment and drive in promoting good outcomes for children. Staff report that they enjoy their respective roles and feel supported by the manager through regular supervision and team meetings. Staff receive a good range of training to meet the needs of the child, such as in trauma and autism, however, it is not clear from the records that all staff have received training in areas such as radicalisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feedback about the manager’s leadership is unanimously positive. One staff member said, ‘The manager is listening to staff’s ideas for the future and Inspection report for children's home: SC411825 5 encourages staff to work with their strengths. I am up to date with all my training and feel I gain experience and new knowledge from all the training sessions.’ Feedback from external professionals is also positive. The social worker for the child said, ‘Staff are highly committed to [name of child] and they are meeting his needs consistently to a very high standard. They often go above and beyond the role to ensure that he remains happy, safe and settled.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Good internal monitoring systems mean that the child is continuously supported to reach important milestones. The records held in the home are, overall, of good quality and show a picture of children’s achievements. These are complemented by photo files of the child immersed in a wide variety of stimulating activities. The home itself is warm, welcoming and, in the main, kept to a high standard. Inspection report for children's home: SC411825 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

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to promoting sibling relationships, using various forms of contact where possible, in line with children’s wishes and feelings. 25 February 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home meets children’s basic day-to- day needs and physical necessities, including keeping bathroom areas in good clean order and repair and well maintained, specifically, removing any unnecessary adaptations. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)  The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them, including carrying out a specific risk assessment for internet safety. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that staff access all relevant training to support their ongoing development needs, including in radicalisation, and that Inspection report for children's home: SC411825 7 they apply this knowledge in their practice where possible. (‘Guide to the

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Recommendations

children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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: SC411825 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Inspire Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 3 Craig Court, Standish Street, St Helens, Merseyside WA10 1GJ

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Inspectors

Mike Charnley, Social Care Inspector Rose Maddocks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC411825 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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