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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1240801 1 Registered provider: Inspire Childrens Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company and provides care for up to three children who may experience social or emotional difficulties and learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since April 2023.

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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

Date of last inspection: 8 November 2022

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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: 1240801 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/11/2022 Full Good 23/03/2022 Full Good 12/11/2019 Full Good 19/06/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1240801 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are three children living in the home. One child has moved into the home since the last inspection. This was planned, and the child had the opportunity to visit the home before moving in. The manager’s plan for this move included talking to the other children who live in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is a spacious property. During the inspection, areas of the home were identified that required attention, such as stains on children’s walls and broken blinds. Leaders and managers took prompt action to address some of these shortfalls to ensure that the home is clean and well presented. Further work is required to clean the stains on the carpets in the lounge and hallway. A recommendation has been made to address this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although there have been staff changes, the team is now stable. Consequently, children are receiving consistency and continuity of care. The inspectors observed good interaction between the children, the manager and staff. One professional said, ‘The consistency of staff has helped the child settle well’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children attend education, where they are making good progress. When one child experienced some difficulties, the manager and staff were proactive in meeting with education providers. A robust plan was put in place to support the child to increase their attendance and focus on specific aspects of learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children with their health needs. Direct work is undertaken to help encourage children to attend appointments, learn about the risks of smoking and understand diabetes. All children are registered with universal health providers. One professional said, ‘[name of child] has made significant progress with his emotional well-being.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are fully supported by staff to spend quality time with family and friends. Communication between staff and families is positive. This is helping children’s self-identity and sense of belonging to a family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are well supported in developing their independence skills. For example, they are learning how to complete their weekly food shopping, change lightbulbs and tend to the garden. This is helping them develop new skills and is preparing them for moving on from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are given opportunities to experience a range of activities both inside and outside the home. For example, these include trips to theme parks, pamper nights and activity centres. Children’s individual interests are also celebrated. For one child, pictures of their activities are captured in his life-story work. Inspection report for children’s home: 1240801 4

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

Children say they feel safe in the home. Staff understand all children’s known risks. They understand the procedures to follow when children are missing from home. They actively look for the children and keep agencies and family members updated. Return home interviews are offered to all children. This supports them to understand that there are procedures in place to keep them safe.

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

Risk management plans are individualised and regularly updated. However, not all plans contain clear steps that staff should take if an incident occurs. Furthermore, information within risk assessments does not sufficiently identify how risks have reduced. This does not provide staff with clear guidance to support children to stay safe. This is a repeat requirement. This does not impact on children’s overall safety.

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

Positive behaviour is promoted. The inspector observed staff demonstrating good role modelling and encouragement to help a child manage their daily routine. The staff provide each child with clear and consistent boundaries. Consequently, children are learning about acceptable behaviour in a family environment.

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

Some children in the home are prescribed medication. All staff are trained to safely administer medication. This is stored securely, and records are well managed.

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

The home’s location risk assessment has improved to consider local transport links and the risks posed by this. This is helping staff to ensure there are suitable safeguards in place. When it has been necessary to complete room searches, staff have completed these in a sensitive way, and they are appropriately recorded.

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good

Since the last inspection, there has been a change in the management of the home. The previous registered manager moved to another home, and a new manager started. He registered with Ofsted in April 2023. He knows the home well, having worked there as a deputy. This has provided the children with continuity.

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good

Staff say they work well together and were complimentary about the new manager. They said he is supportive, and staff feel appreciated.

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good

Leaders and managers have not addressed one of the requirements from the last inspection. The manager’s internal monitoring systems have not been effective in identifying and responding to the weaknesses of the home. For example, areas of the home require attention, inaccurate information was found in some children’s records and oversight on incidents and risks assessments require further improvement. During the inspection, the manager took appropriate and prompt action to address this. These shortfalls could have been potentially avoided if systems were more robust. Inspection report for children’s home: 1240801 5 Safer recruitment checks are in place. However, the manager has not identified inaccuracies within one staff member’s employment history. This has no impact on the care provided. However, it has the potential to do so.

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good

The manager ensures that there are suitable levels of staffing in the home. However, the months and years are not present on the roster. Additionally, when agency staff were used for a short period, not all their names were recorded on staff rosters. This is not safe practice for children as, at times, there is no clear record of who is working with the children.

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good

External monitoring is completed by an independent person, and the manager finds this helpful. However, recently, there have been some delays in the reports being submitted to Ofsted. This reduces the overall quality and assurances that are intended by these visits. A recommendation has been made to address this.

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good

During the inspection, some breaches were identified in notifying Ofsted of all serious incidents. This means that the regulator is unable to review the information to ensure the provider has taken appropriate action to keep children safe. This leaves children vulnerable to the risk of harm.

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good

There is a variety of feedback forms in the home. However, the manager’s quality of review report lacks analysis and fails to consider the views of parents, professionals and staff. This is a missed opportunity to learn from further feedback. A recommendation has been made to address this.

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good

Staff benefit from regular supervision and team meetings taking place. These are detailed and of good quality. There is a good level of training available to all staff. This gives staff the skills to meet children’s needs. Recently, the manager has invited professionals into the home to provide staff with information to help further their knowledge to support children with their emotional well-being. Inspection report for children’s home: 1240801 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

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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that there are clear steps in place should there be an incident of self-harm. 30 June 2023

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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

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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. 30 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only— 30 June 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 1240801 7 employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that all employment gaps for a member of staff are sufficiently checked. Where there are gaps and inaccuracies, the manager had spoken to the staff member to clarify the information.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the fact that the roster must contain the months and year. In addition, where agency staff have worked in the home, their full names should be in place on the roster. 30 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; 30 June 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 1240801 8 an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a welcoming and homely environment. This includes ensuring work continues to the home’s décor to remove the stain on the hall carpet and the stain on the lounge floor. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that when completing the review of care report that this contains feedback from professionals, parents and staff. This will enhance the manager’s analysis and conclusions. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15,4)  The registered person should ensure that the independent person sends the reports into the regulator in a timely way. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.6)

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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: 1240801 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Inspire Childrens Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Inspire Childrens Services, Unit 3, Craig Court, Standish Street, St. Helens WA10 1GJ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Michael Bradshaw

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Inspectors

Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Kayleigh Treanor, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1240801 10 inspects 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. 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

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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