Children's Home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1275228 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 for up to two children with emotional, social and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is experienced and registered 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 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1275228 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/10/2019 Full Outstanding 11/02/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1275228 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and staff have good relationships. These relationships are built on mutual trust, honesty and respect. Children talk to staff about their worries and concerns. Staff act quickly to support children and keep them safe. Children say this helps them feel valued and cared for. One child said: ‘I’m really happy here, it’s the best home I’ve ever had. It helps me to feel this way knowing staff really care about me’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children attend school. They are making good progress. There is good communication between school and staff. This ensures that barriers to education can be addressed, to minimise the impact on the child’s attendance and learning. This has resulted for one child in an increase in school attendance. The child’s plans were tailored to meet his needs. This progress enhances the children’s future options.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s care plans provide clarity on the placement aims for children, including how the staff should care for children. Plans are live working documents. They reflect the changing needs of children and outline how children should be supported to achieve both their short and long-term objectives. This is supported by the high aspirations that staff have for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and children have meaningful discussions on a regular basis. Staff help children to achieve realistic goals and expectations. For example, one child has started to have a short amount of time, unsupervised, in the local community. This develops independence skills and self-confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of family connections for children. Staff make sure that children are helped to keep in touch with people who are important to them. This work has led to improved relationships between some children and their families.

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

Children know how to make a complaint. They can identify a trusted adult that they would speak to if they had any concerns.

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

The manager investigates complaints made by children. The manager keeps children appraised of the process. However, the manager does not write to the child informing them of the action taken as a result of their complaint. This would enable the child to revisit the letter should they wish and the information they have been provided with.

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

Managers have worked to alter the culture of the home, developing a much more therapeutic approach. For example, children learn about the consequences of their behaviour through natural consequences rather than punitive sanctions. Inspection report for children’s home: 1275228 4 Although staff have completed the required training, a proportion of staff are not yet implementing this therapeutic approach. As a result, children have continued to be given sanctions that are not in keeping with natural consequences.

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

Children’s individual risk assessments are of good quality. Risk management and behaviour support plans provide detailed guidance to staff, on keeping children safe. They provide staff with the direction they need to manage children’s risks and vulnerabilities well.

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

Incidents of concerning behaviour have reduced. Staff provide nurturing care. This means that when children struggle to manage their feelings and emotions, staff support them well. As a result, emotional distress for children has reduced.

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

Staff track the progress of children. Staff are alert to any behavioural triggers and they respond to stabilise children’s behaviour. This has ultimately led to positive outcomes. There has been a reduction in challenging behaviours, missing from home incidents and self-harm, and physical intervention has not been required for over a year.

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

Multi-agency working is a real strength. This approach promotes the full involvement of the ‘team around the child’. The children’s home staff and school communicate daily. A professional said: ‘All the concerns I raised when told [the child] was going to a children’s home have not been issues in this placement.’ Another said, ‘This home is what you would want all children’s homes to be like.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager was registered in November 2021. He has demonstrated a clear commitment to the children and staff. He is held in high regard by children, staff and other external professionals. He has created a nurturing, happy home where children are loved, and the staff are valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is reflective, thoughtful and seeks to improve his practice. There is a willingness to accept that things may not work, but also a real desire to get it right for children. As a result, children receive care that meets their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the recruitment of staff. This has resulted in managers having to undertake several shifts to ensure that the use of agency staff is kept to a minimum. This provides continuity of care to children. Despite managers working increased hours, this has not had an impact on the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have failed to ensure that staff receive regular supervision. This is a direct result of managers having less time to focus on management tasks. However, managers communicate with staff daily. Staff stated that they are very supported by managers. Staff feel valued and part of a team. They comment that managers are available and approachable. One staff member said: ‘This is the best management team I’ve ever had. I couldn’t wish for better support.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 1275228 5 The manager, when considering new admissions, makes certain that staff can meet the child’s identified needs. Introductions are carefully planned for new children moving to the home. A child recently admitted to the home described how the manager met with them before moving in. The child visited the home and was able to ask questions. This approach helps support children to have a smooth transition.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff quickly get children on track to make progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have completed all the required training to help them meet the needs of the children. This equips staff with the knowledge and skills they need to keep children safe. The managers review staff training. This helps to ensure that there are no gaps in the training and development of staff. This helps staff meet the needs of children. Inspection report for children’s home: 1275228 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 registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to staff not receiving regular professional and individual supervision. 21 February 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

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

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Requirement Due date

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)(ii)(v)(b)(i)(ii))(c))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to sanctions being punitive in nature rather than a restorative approach, supporting children to learn through natural consequences. 21 February 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1275228 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. This relates to ensuring that the child’s journey is captured within their daily records. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered persons 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 aware of this procedure and be reminded of it as necessary. (‘Guide to

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Recommendations

children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.13)

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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: 1275228 8

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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

Registered manager: Aaron Charles-Chambers

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Inspector

Zoey Lee, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1275228 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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