Children's home run by Homes2Inspire Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2515370 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 which is owned by a national charity. It provides care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2022.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2515370 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/01/2022 Full Inadequate 09/11/2021 Full Inadequate 02/10/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2515370 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Serious and widespread weaknesses in the care of children were found at the last assurance inspection, carried out on 8 February 2023. At this full inspection, Ofsted has found that improvements have been made to address these weaknesses and improve the care provided to children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children currently living in the home are making good progress. They are supported by a caring, patient and friendly staff team. When some children have been unsettled and have been involved in high-risk behaviours, staff have worked with external professionals and families to assure their safety. This has helped children to settle and enjoy their experiences. A child said, ‘This is the best placement and staff support me when I get upset.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff share positive relationships with the children, external agencies and families. They are sensitive to the needs of children and their families in maintaining contact and visits. Information concerning children is shared promptly and all relevant individuals are involved in decision-making regarding the care given to children. This multi-agency working process promotes an effective holistic approach to children’s care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported with their educational needs. When children struggle to attend and engage in face-to-face education in school settings, staff and the manager work collaboratively with school teams to ensure that children access structured online learning. Child-centred incentive schemes are used to enhance children’s participation in learning. This process is thoroughly reviewed to support children to reintegrate into school positively. A child said, ‘I complete schoolwork online but I’m looking forward to going back to school.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and the manager use creative approaches to capture children’s views and wishes. This is done through daily unprompted discussions, weekly meetings and key-work sessions where staff use a ‘curious to know’ approach to encourage children to reflect effectively. These discussions are a source of learning and help children feel listened to and appreciated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have fun engaging in variety of activities. These include visits to the cinema, going for drives, swimming and looking after their pet hamster. Children’s active lives help them stay mentally stimulated and physically fit and to develop nurturing skills through animal care.

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

Leaders and managers promote a good safeguarding culture in the home. They do this through careful planning and making children aware of risks and how to reduce them. The manager engages in reflective discussions with staff in meetings, Inspection report for children’s home: 2515370 4 handovers and supervisions, where she actively considers concerns and current risks and explores ways to keep children safer. Risk assessments are in place for guidance on keeping children safe, however, some of these lack rigour and oversight by the manager.

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

Some children have gone missing from home. These episodes of children going missing have reduced due to staff, managers and external agencies working together to implement and adhere to effective safety plans to reduce risk to children.

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

Staff share secure relationships with children. They use these bonds to support children when they struggle with their emotions and feelings. Physical interventions are not used, and staff are able to talk to children to support them to calm. When children cause harm to themselves, staff use therapeutic and nurturing approaches to help them to express their emotions and explore their feelings. Children also receive support from external professionals, such as child and adolescent mental health services and therapists. Children positively seek staff support when they are upset and develop ways of independently managing their emotions.

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

Children live in a safe environment. Regular health and safety checks are carried out. A generic evacuation plan is in place as part of the fire safety procedures. However, for one child, a personal evacuation plan has not been implemented in line with an agreed strategy permitted in their deprivation of liberty order, in regard to locking external doors when this is necessary to keep them safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

In the absence of the registered manager, this inspection was supported by the manager of another of the organisation’s homes. She showed good leadership skills and was able to explain how the care practice has improved. Leaders and managers have implemented effective changes and actioned all the requirements from the previous inspection. This has made a positive difference to the care given to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders, the manager and staff promote children’s progress. They use effective processes to assess progress made by children. These include monitoring and reward systems which enable children to track their own progress and identify areas for development. This encourages children to reach their desired goals and take pride in their achievements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff receive regular and effective supervisions and appraisals. When practice issues emerge, well-planned processes are used by the manager to hold reflective discussions with staff. Staff have positive relationships with the manager and feel supported. One member of staff said, ‘I can openly speak to her, she is always available and is empathetic.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers promote staff’s professional development. Staff receive mandatory training and training in line with children’s current needs. When training Inspection report for children’s home: 2515370 5 is out of date, the manager ensures that staff are booked on the next available training course. This assures a good standard of care to children and improves staff’s skills. Inspection report for children’s home: 2515370 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 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.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that assessments indicate children’s current risks and behaviours, how these can be managed and that they have oversight by the manager. 31 July 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

ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to ensuring children have personal evacuation plans in place where necessary. 31 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2515370 7

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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: 2515370 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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Inspectors

Alphie Khumalo, Social Care Inspector Tash Williams, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2515370 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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