Children's Home run by Homes2Inspire Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1256367 1 Registered provider: Homes2inspire 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. It provides care for up to five children with complex behaviours and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has recently left the home. A new manager has been appointed but has not yet started. There is an interim manager in place.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1256367 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/07/2021 Full Good 13/08/2019 Full Good 28/02/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 01/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1256367 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are developing trusting relationships with staff. Staff request as much information as possible about children’s needs and histories to inform their care. Sometimes children have moved into the home at very short notice. Staff are skilled at welcoming children and getting to know their likes, dislikes and personalities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from good routines and consistent boundaries. Some children who have previously experienced a lack of structure in their lives are making significant progress. As a result, they have grown in confidence and self-esteem. They take pride in their bedrooms and in their achievements. One child has been involved in recent local Pride events.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children are making progress with their education and training. Carers work closely with education staff and social workers. Together, they support children to overcome barriers to education and engage in educational opportunities. Some children are making slower or mixed progress, but staff work closely with the education coordinator to proactively respond to any setbacks.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are being supported to develop life skills and age-appropriate independence skills. Some children are learning to budget and plan and cook meals. One child has received very positive feedback about a voluntary work placement that has led to the possibility of employment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are sought daily. Children influence decisions about what their day looks like and decide who they want to talk to about any worries. Visiting with family, friends and professionals is promoted and supported. Staff have helped to progress arrangements for one child’s visits with family. This means he has been able to spend time with family without professionals present.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children presented as comfortable and confident. They were very positive about their life at the home. One child told the inspector he would give the staff 9.9 out of 10.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with a range of health professionals to ensure children’s health needs are identified and met. One child is having his medication reviewed as a result of carers’ observations about behaviours.

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

Children living in the home have detailed plans that support keeping them safe. Children’s needs and risks are continuously assessed and plans are regularly updated. Child protection procedures are followed and, where appropriate, multi- agency meetings are held to agree plans. Plans include advice about triggers to concerning behaviours such as going missing, aggression and self-harm behaviours. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256367 4 Children are encouraged to contribute to their own plans and to say what does and does not work for them. This helps to reduce concerns.

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

One child’s plan had not been updated following an incident of new behaviour. This has now been addressed. In addition, a social worker had not shared information with staff or managers about some areas of risk for a child. This is also being followed up to ensure information is accurate, and that risk and behaviour plans are well informed in the future.

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

There has been an increase in self-harming behaviours for one child living in the home. Records show that staff are carefully and sensitively monitoring concerns and that this increase was linked to events outside of the home. The concerns have started to reduce.

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

Some children have been missing from the home and absent without authorisation. Staff follow procedures, they look for children and liaise with the police and with family and friends. Staff report incidents to responsible local authorities. Events of children going missing have reduced. However, very recently, there has been an incident when a child left the home during the night. This requires robust review and learning.

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

Staff receive training in de-escalating behaviours and the safe use of restrictive interventions as part of their induction and annual refresher training. There have been a small number of physical interventions since the last inspection. A sample of records reviewed showed that the criteria for intervening was met to prevent harm to the child and/or to staff. If there is a physical intervention, the incident is subject to review by an independent trainer.

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

Staff and managers are currently reviewing the use of incentives and sanctions or consequences to ensure they are effective. This will be done in consultation with children.

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good

Staff and professionals spoke highly of the previous registered manager, who has recently left. A new manager has been appointed but has not yet started.

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good

Since the last inspection, concerns that were raised about the conduct of some staff members have been addressed. Some staff have moved on from the home. This does mean that the staff group has been through a period of change, and there has been some impact to management and staff capacity in the home.

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good

Some senior staff have not had regular supervision, which may impact oversight of practice if not addressed. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256367 5 This inspection found some children’s plans had not been updated and some essential information had not been shared by a local authority, which may be because of reduced management oversight of the quality of care.

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good

One child did not settle in the home, and behaviours that presented risks to staff, himself and others increased. The manager liaised with the placing local authority. However, when the local authority did not find an alternative placement in a timely way, this should have been escalated.

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good

The staff team is enthusiastic and committed. They know the children’s needs and preferences well. Although the staff team has undergone changes, they are positive about making a difference for children.

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good

Senior managers know the areas for development in the home and will be working with the new manager to address them. The independent visitor provides thorough reports to support development of practice and ensure compliance with regulations.

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good

Social workers are positive about communication with the home’s staff and the progress most children are making as a result of their relationships with care staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256367 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 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

Managers should ensure risk assessments and plans for children are informed by all known information about risk to the child and risk the child may present to others. Managers should also ensure there is a review of night-time supervision of children in the home and that any lessons learned from a review of a recent incident are shared. 5 September 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 promotes their welfare. 5 September 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1256367 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Senior managers should consider the impact to children and staff of change within the staff team and consider and implement strategies to limit changes that support sufficiency. Also, managers should make sure that they escalate their concerns about children’s placements to the child’s local authority.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and 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 for children’s home: 1256367 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Homes2inspire 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

Cathey Moriarty, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1256367 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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