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

Inspection report children’s home: 1241757 1 Registered provider: Inspire Children’s Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned home. The provider states in the home’s statement of purpose that care is provided for up to three children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since April 2022.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 22 February 2022

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1241757 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/02/2022 Full Good 28/11/2019 Full Good 12/06/2018 Full Good 23/08/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1241757 3

p.2

improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, there were three children living in the home. No children have moved into or out of the home since the last inspection.

p.3

improvement to be good

The home environment presents as tired and in need of maintenance. In the conservatory, there is a cracked window which has not been replaced or sealed. One child’s bedroom has holes in the walls and there is furniture which has been damaged and not replaced in the rooms of two children. Consequently, children are not supported to live in a well-presented, comfortable and healthy environment.

p.3

improvement to be good

Two of the three children living in the home are not attending education. There are plans in place to engage the children in education. However, the strategies contained within the plans are not effective. Staff do not provide those children who are not attending education during the daytime with structured activities to complete. As a result, not all children are making meaningful progress in education.

p.3

improvement to be good

Relationships between the children living in the home are not being promoted effectively. There have been several occasions where children have felt bullied by other children in the home. These incidents have been addressed; however, there is little evidence of staff encouraging positive relationships in a creative manner. Children are not developing the skills and strategies to manage their own conflicts.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children are generally healthy. Staff make sure that all children are registered with medical professionals. One child has refused to attend several appointments; however, it is clear from records that staff have been encouraging him to attend.

p.3

improvement to be good

The staff encourage and support children to keep in touch with their family and friends. The staff facilitate visits to family and ensure that support is available. This helps children to maintain a sense of their identity.

p.3

improvement to be good

Restraint is not always being used within the legislative framework. There has been an occasion where child was detained in the home without a deprivation of liberty order in place. Behaviour management plans have not been followed. This has led to incidents escalating and restraint being used which staff should have de-escalated.

p.3

improvement to be good

There are risk assessments in place for children; however, not all identified risks have been assessed. For one child, there is no risk assessment in place for child sexual exploitation, which is a significant concern for this child. Staff have not been provided with clear guidance on how to reduce this risk. These shortfalls compromise the safety of the child. Inspection report children’s home: 1241757 4 There has been a reduction in incidents of children going missing from the home. Children each have an up-to-date missing-from-home plan and staff know the strategies within the plans. When children are away from the home, staff remain in regular contact.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children know how to make a complaint, and complaints are responded to appropriately by the manager. The manager responds to children’s complaints in writing to acknowledge receipt and to notify children of the outcome. Children state that they feel listened to by the manager.

p.4

good

The home is managed by a suitably experienced registered manager, who is currently undertaking appropriate qualifications. The manager is also registered to manage another children’s home for the same provider.

p.4

good

Staffing in the home is a significant concern. There has been a lot of changes within the staff team. Children spoke of finding it difficult to build trusting relationships with staff due to the changes which have taken place. The manager has not provided the children with continuity of care.

p.4

good

Most of the staff are unqualified. New members of staff complete a clear induction process and are enrolled on relevant training courses. However, there have been occasions where unqualified and inexperienced staff have been allocated as shift lead, with new members of staff. This has resulted in an escalation of incidents which have not been managed in line with children’s plans.

p.4

good

Staff report that they feel supported by the manager. They receive regular and good-quality supervision; however, it was noted that support is not always readily available due to the manager also managing another home.

p.4

good

The registered manager ensures that staff access training which is relative to the needs of the children. Staff have a good variety of training, including training around child sexual exploitation and radicalisation. As a result, staff have a good knowledge and skill base to safeguard the children. Inspection report children’s home: 1241757 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(vii))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered manager ensuring that all maintenance work is completed to enable the children to live in a home that is of a good standard. All children must be provided with adequate facilities to store their clothing in. 29 September 2022

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

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; 29 September 2022 Inspection report children’s home: 1241757 6 have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.5

Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that there is a risk assessment for all identified risks, including child sexual exploitation, which provides clear guidance to staff.

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c)(e)(f))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the staffing of the home promotes the welfare of the children and helps them to aspire to their full potential. 29 September 2022

p.6

Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

p.6

Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child); 29 September 2022 Inspection report children’s home: 1241757 7 serious damage to the property of any person (including the child).

p.6

Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b) (2))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all restraints are necessary and proportionate. Additionally, children cannot be deprived of their liberty without an order from the court.

p.7

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all children of compulsory school age are in education. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14)

p.7

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: 1241757 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Inspire Children’s Services Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Rose Maddocks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1241757 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9