Children's home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1258134 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

This 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 emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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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 serious and widespread failures that mean children are not protected and their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded. The care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/07/2021 Full Good 08/07/2019 Full Good 23/01/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 25/06/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 3

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inadequate

Overall, the experience and progress of children is inadequate due to shortfalls in the protection of children, and leadership and management of the home.

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inadequate

Children do not receive consistent support regarding their emotional health and well- being. An example of this is a child who has been struggling emotionally, but not supported in a timely way. A professional told an inspector that the staff did not take what the child was saying seriously. Another professional was concerned that staff had not taken the appropriate action. Not responding appropriately to the child carries a risk of harm.

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inadequate

During the inspection, there was an evident lack of routine for children, particularly regarding their education. All but one of the children were in bed until almost midday. One child has not been in formal education since September 2022. The child commented during the inspection that there were no plans for their education. There has been a lack of robust challenge to the local authority regarding this child’s education plans. Children are not supported with their education in a meaningful, effective way. A member of staff said that they had ‘smacked on the door’ to get the child up for education, but the child refused. The language used and the approach employed was not professional or nurturing.

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inadequate

Children are not cared for in a high-quality, homely environment. One of the bathrooms is in a poor state of repair. There is mould and dirt in the shower, spillages on the floor and dirt collecting in corners. The bathroom cabinet had no doors and the area presented as unhygienic and unsightly. Children told inspectors that they hate using this bathroom. There are other areas within the home that require improvement regarding the level of cleanliness and hygiene. For example, one child’s bedroom had a strong odour, and a dirty mattress that was stained and marked. Children’s bedrooms were extremely untidy, and children were living a chaotic environment.

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inadequate

However, positive relationships were evident between children and staff. A parent was welcomed into the home by staff when visiting their child. Children are able to spend positive time with their family and people who are important to them.

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inadequate

One child reflected positively on the progress they have made since living at the home. The child recognised that their behaviour had changed and was better. This was echoed by two external professionals working with the child.

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

There are examples of staff failing to follow safeguarding procedures in a timely manner. One child was not collected by staff members and had to make their own Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 4 way home late at night. The child returned home in the early hours of the next morning and felt unsupported by the staff. This incident led to another child in the home feeling anxious.

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

Another incident involved children being left unsupervised in the home’s car, with the engine running. The children attempted to drive the car down the street. This could have resulted in serious injury to the children and/or harm to passers-by. The responsible individual was unaware of the seriousness of this incident. There was a delay in reporting this incident, in which children were at risk of harm.

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

A child has not received their prescribed medication according to the instructions, therefore compromising their health and welfare.

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

An external organisation carried out a fire risk assessment in July 2022 and recommendations were made. The risk assessment found that not all fire doors were working properly. The risk assessment also recommended that a hole in the cellar ceiling, which could accelerate a fire, needed to be repaired. Most of the recommendations from the fire risk assessment have not been completed. The hole in the cellar ceiling remains and the doors remain faulty. Senior staff expressed concern about the organisation’s response to the shortfalls and said that they had been asking for the work to be carried out for some time. A member of staff was not clear where the fire extinguishers were situated. The arrangements for fire protection in the home are not sufficient.

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

Not all sanctions used by staff are restorative, and some sanctions are overly punitive. For example, a child had gone missing from the home and the sanction imposed by staff was for the child not to have their new phone for three weeks. Discussion with a manager identified that rather than this sanction, there should have been a key-work discussion around why the child went missing from home.

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

The home’s statement of purpose states that the home follows a therapeutic approach to behaviour management. This was not evident in the sanctions sampled.

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

There were some positive comments from members of staff, who said that they feel that the children are safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has been no registered manager at this home since December 2021. The current acting manager has been absent from the home for two months. Leadership arrangements were unclear during the inspection. Senior staff who were present during the inspection were unaware of who was in charge and responsible for running the home. Management oversight of the home and the quality of care provided is poor.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have not actively monitored the quality of care provided to children. Opportunities to learn from practice have been missed. When concerns have arisen Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 5 about a member of staff, managers have taken sufficient action to address the issues of concern.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has been a lack of supervision for some members of staff. The deputy manager told inspectors that he has been informally acting up as the manager. He has not received supervision at a time when he needs it the most.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff lack the requisite experience and knowledge of working in residential childcare. Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that there are adequate staffing arrangements for each shift. On the first day of the inspection, the most- experienced member of staff in the home had been in post for nine weeks. She did not have any previous experience of working in a children’s home. Other staff on duty were new in post. One had worked at the home for just three weeks and the third member of staff was only on their second shift. This collective lack of experience carries risk and, without appropriate support and guidance, staff are ill- equipped to manage children’s complex needs and promote their welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are examples of when staff have lacked the knowledge, experience and skills to protect children from harm. On one occasion, a child’s relative had stayed in her bedroom all night, undetected by staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

At times, the quality of staff practice in the home has been very poor. Children have witnessed arguments between staff, including senior staff. This has caused the children distress and anxiety. The children are aware of personal information about staff members, and they are aware of actions taken by managers when practice issues have been identified. Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 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 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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that staff work within the home’s model of care, as identified in the statement of purpose. 20 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study; 20 January 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 7 help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)(x)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to children accessing education consistently, and robust challenge to the local authority about education provision.

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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

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 11 December Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 8 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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to shortfalls in the way that children are helped and protected. This also relates to poor performance issues for some members of staff, resulting in safeguarding concerns. Furthermore, this relates to unhygienic conditions in areas of the home.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— 11 December Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 9 research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all records are reviewed and monitored by the manager and that the team works together effectively. This is also in relation to staffing arrangements, which have not been adequate to ensure that the home is a safe environment for the children to live.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that— medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the children are given their prescribed medication. Medication practice was the subject of a recommendation at the last inspection. 20 January 2023

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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. (Regulation 25 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to shortfalls to the home’s arrangements for fire prevention. 11 December

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is an organisation or a partnership; 20 January 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 10 does not satisfy regulation 28; or

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that there is an appropriate person who is responsible for the leadership of the home.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that staff have regular supervision that is reflective of practice. This was a recommendation at the last inspection. 20 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children. They will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 11  The registered person should ensure that any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. In some cases, it will be important for children to make reparation in some form to anyone hurt by their behaviour and the staff in the

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Recommendations

home should be skilled to support the child to understand this and carry it out. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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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: 1258134 12

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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

Responsible individual: Craig Whitchurch

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Inspectors

Kathryn Hurley, Social Care Inspector Caroline Brailsford, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 13 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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