Children's Home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited in Nottinghamshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2605690 1 Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Ltd 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 two children with social and emotional difficulties.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2605690 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/08/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2605690 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress despite significant challenges with their mental health. They enjoy positive relationships with staff, which are based on trust and empathy. Relationships between staff and children are a strength in this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to develop interests and hobbies. Children have developed their skills in animal care as they care for their animal companions. Staff celebrate and encourage these interests and support and guide children to provide this care. This gives children a sense of achievement and helps raise their self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children have challenges with self-harmful behaviour, the staff create an environment where children can be open about this behaviour. For example, when children cannot have free access to anything sharp, including cutlery, this is sensitively managed without creating any further stigma.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Before children come to live at this home, they receive information which details what to expect and who will be caring for them, and shows pictures of the home. This means children’s anxieties are reduced during a time of change and uncertainty.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education progression has been delayed for children. They have had to wait several months before suitable educational providers have been identified. Staff do not routinely encourage educational activity through the day. Children are often in their bedrooms into the early afternoon. There has been drift and delay in organising and formalising education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are not consistent in their responses to children’s negative language. This means that children may not be sure what is a socially acceptable way of speaking when away from the home in social or educational settings.

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

Staff understand the home’s safeguarding procedures and what to do if they are worried about a child. They have training in safeguarding children, including those who are at increased risk of causing harm to themselves. Children are safer because of this targeted training.

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

When children are involved in an incident, staff complete detailed records, meaning that a manager can make an informed decision about any further action required. Some of these incidents detail serious episodes of self-harmful behaviour. At times, managers and staff manage high-risk incidents, and they remain vigilant.

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

Managers and staff ensure that children’s risk assessments are reviewed and changes are made to reduce risks. For example, one child’s bedroom is searched to ensure items that can cause harm are removed. These room searches are carried Inspection report for children’s home: 2605690 4 out sensitively. On another occasion, clothes were removed due to the risks presented by some items.

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

When children are deprived of their liberty via a court order, staff know what restrictions must be in place. They also know which areas of risk can be assessed, depending on the child’s daily presentation. This ensures that, where it is safe, children are given a degree of normality.

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

Managers undertake regular health and safety risk assessments and routine fire safety checks are carried out by staff. Effective oversight of this process by a manager means this monitoring is strengthened. Children are supported to routinely leave the building as part of the fire drill.

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

Records and documents about children are usually of a good quality, informative and detailed. However, on occasions, the records have not been updated to reflect the current leadership and management structure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is yet to be registered. She oversees two of this provider’s homes, both of which provide a bespoke service to children with complex needs. She continues to develop and strengthen the staff team and is ably supported by deputy managers. A consistent and committed staff team provides children with consistency of care and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular and supportive supervision with a senior member of staff or a manager. Staff at all levels have opportunities to develop. They can access an extensive suite of training opportunities that are tailored to the complex care needs of the children. Learning and development begins at induction and continues to support staff to develop as they become part of an established team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff love their work. They are motivated and bring a wide range of skills and life experiences to their roles. They speak confidently about their safeguarding responsibilities and they understand the needs of children well. Staff know the importance of their own supervision, including the importance of time to reflect when caring for children with complex mental health needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have ensured that children live in a warm and inviting home. Children have sufficient space for privacy. The home’s decor is of high quality and children are encouraged to decorate their bedrooms to suit their individual personalities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

At this inspection, one requirement and two recommendations have been made. Inspection report for children’s home: 2605690 5

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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 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;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

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

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

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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; 30 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2605690 6 that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(ix)(x)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to children not accessing any formal educational provision.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should understand factors that affect children’s motivation to behave in a socially acceptable way. Staff should encourage an enthusiasm for positive behaviour through the use of positive behaviour strategies, in line with the children’s relevant plans. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.13)  The registered person should be familiar with the home’s policies on record- keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2605690 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lumonics House, Valiant Office Suites, Valley Drive, CV21 1TQ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Craig Whitchurch

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Inspector

Simon Hunter, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2605690 8 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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