Children's Home run by Inspire Care (UK) Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC487764 1 SC487764 Registered provider: Inspire Care (UK) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A privately owned company runs this home. It is registered to provide care for up to two children who may have had adverse childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has submitted her application to register with Ofsted and is working towards a Level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 7 September 2022

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC487764 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC487764 3

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improvement to be good

Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. Since the last inspection, there have been some staffing changes in the home. This means that children have not always experienced care from staff who know them well. One child told the inspector that he likes the staff, but sometimes they can be inconsistent. However, he was positive about the approach of the new manager and said that he had a good relationship with some core members of the staff team.

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improvement to be good

The home is looking tired and worn and has sustained some damage as a result of incidents. There are locks on all internal doors. These features detract from an otherwise homely environment. The manager has identified these issues and has plans in place for ongoing improvement.

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improvement to be good

There has been a decline in children’s school attendance since the last inspection. The children’s files lack the required information to guide staff effectively. This affects the quality of information that the staff have available to help them meet the children’s educational needs. As a result, it is not clear what action staff are taking to support educational progress when children are not attending school.

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improvement to be good

Notwithstanding this shortfall, one child has participated in some of his GCSE exams. This is progress from his starting point. In addition, his aspiration to be a chef has been supported well by the staff. He has attended regular work experience in a restaurant, which has progressed to a part-time job. The child spoke positively about these experiences during the inspection.

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improvement to be good

Children are registered with local healthcare services and supported by staff to attend routine health appointments. Children are encouraged to maintain healthy lifestyles, and one child regularly attends the gym. However, not enough action has been taken to monitor one child’s long-term health condition. This is a missed opportunity to support the ongoing review of the child’s needs and implement strategies that may be helpful to the child.

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improvement to be good

Children’s views, wishes and feelings are not routinely gathered. When children do express their views, it is not always clear how these have been responded to. This does not provide children with reassurance that those caring for them are listening and acting on what they say. The manager has identified shortfalls in this area and has implemented new systems to ensure that children have opportunities to express their views. Children are supported to maintain contact with people who are important to them. Staff are acting as good advocates for one child, who has expressed his wish to develop contact with his family.

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improvement to be good

There has been a comprehensive and multi-agency review of one child’s placement, because managers and staff feel that they are no longer able to meet the child’s Inspection report for children’s home: SC487764 4 needs and that he requires more specialist care. Leaders and managers are working hard to sustain the placement to ensure that the child has a positive transition from the home. A social worker told the inspector that the staff have done all they can to meet the child’s needs and have advocated well for him.

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding systems and safeguarding records require improvement. There have been occasions when staff have not consistently responded to children’s risk-taking behaviour, and this has left children vulnerable to harm. At the time of the inspection, leaders and managers had identified shortfalls in this area. They have developed robust action plans to support children’s safety and are developing staff’s skills through training and upskilling opportunities. As a result, staff have an improved understanding that helps them to support children to become safer.

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improvement to be good

Children’s individual risk assessments cover a range of risks and behaviour and include strategies that staff use to support children. However, risk assessments are not updated as risks change and emerge. This leaves staff, particularly new staff, without access to clear and up-to-date information.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not always managed children’s behaviour effectively. There have been incidents in the home that have resulted in the staff calling police to help manage children’s behaviour. However, under new leadership and with improved support and guidance for staff, police call-outs to the home have reduced.

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improvement to be good

An internal review of restraint practice within the home has taken place. This was because there was an increase in physical interventions for one child living in the home. While physical intervention is used as a last resort, this review identified shortfalls in the quality of records and management oversight. This has prevented a proactive approach in supporting staff to learn from incidents. All staff are in the process of being retrained to support improved practice in this area.

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improvement to be good

When risks to children are identified, follow-up work is not always completed. Staff are not yet skilled in using professional curiosity to explore risks with children and help them to develop skills to stay safer. The manager has plans in place to develop staff’s skills in this area. In the meantime, she is working in partnership with other agencies, such as the youth offending team, to ensure that children receive support and that staff continue to deliver this support within the home.

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improvement to be good

When there have been allegations, managers have worked in partnership with safeguarding agencies. However, on one occasion, a staff member remained in the home when an allegation was made against them. This practice is not in line with the organisation’s safeguarding procedures. Managers have carried out a review of this incident and learning has been identified.

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improvement to be good

Staff have received 'training around internal safeguarding policies. However, not all staff have a good understanding of the roles of partner agencies, such as the local Inspection report for children’s home: SC487764 5 authority designated officer. This does not support staff to develop multi-agency working and stronger safeguarding practice.

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good

At the time of this inspection, the manager had been in post for four weeks. The manager has submitted her application to register with Ofsted. She genuinely cares for the children and wants the best for them. She has quickly developed an understanding of the children’s needs and their experiences.

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good

Since being in post, the manager has completed a thorough review of the quality of care and protection children receive. She has a good understanding of the shortfalls in practice and has proactively implemented a robust action plan to improve standards in the home. The manager has a range of auditing tools to assist her with this. This has the potential to improve children’s experiences, progress, welfare and safety.

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good

The manager recognised that new staff had not completed the required induction to the home. Those who have not received an appropriate induction have now been able to complete this, and staff already working in the home have been asked to refresh their knowledge and skills by completing induction tasks again. In addition, there has been a review of staff skills and experience to identify areas of upskilling that are required. This is supporting the ongoing development of the staff team.

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good

Staff have completed a wide range of online training. However, not all staff have undertaken training specific to the needs of the children. Five out of nine staff have the required qualifications. There are plans in place to ensure that unqualified staff achieve this qualification within the required time frames. Although some staff are new to the role and unqualified, they are enthusiastic to learn and they demonstrate a commitment to their role. They are caring and child-focused and have a good understanding of the children’s needs and interests.

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good

Since the last inspection, managers have failed to ensure that staff receive consistent supervision that promotes their development and allows them to reflect on the care that they provide to children. The manager has responded to this shortfall by increasing support through more regular team meetings and she is now planning regular supervision sessions with individual staff.

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good

Some records viewed during the inspection were not recorded accurately and missed essential information. For example, when incidents occur, records of the incident are not dated correctly, information is not recorded clearly, and it is not always clear what action has been taken to support and safeguard children. The manager had identified this and has plans in place to improve the quality of recording. A recommendation is made to ensure that this work continues. Inspection report for children’s home: SC487764 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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children have the opportunity to express their views, wishes and feelings on a regular basis. In addition, ensure that children are supported to understand how their views, wishes and feelings have been considered. 21 July 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

that staff— 21 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC487764 7 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. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager should ensure that children are provided with daily structure and routines that support their educational progress when they are not attending school.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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 develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iv)(v)(vi)(xii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must ensure that staff have the skills to understand and respond to children’s behaviours; that staff help children to understand rules and boundaries and develop skills to manage conflict without causing harm 21 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC487764 8 to anyone; and that staff support children to understand how to build healthy and safe relationships with others.

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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

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

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)(ii)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must provide staff with written guidance or plans that include how to protect children, and these must be reviewed regularly and updated when new risks emerge.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the provider must ensure that staff understand their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding children, and ensure that staff undertake work with children to help them to understand risks and how to keep safe. 21 July 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

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— 21 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC487764 9 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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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

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)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must ensure that all staff have received the training necessary to carry out their role, and that care is delivered in line with the statement of purpose; that they review, implement and make use of monitoring and review systems to ensure that shortfalls are identified and rectified; and that they make every effort to achieve continuity of staffing for children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is repeated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b) 21 July 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children living there, and is a homely, domestic environment. The home 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)  The registered person should ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to respond to the health needs of children and help children to manage long-term conditions. This specifically relates to staff supporting children’s health needs through regular monitoring and review and identifying any Inspection report for children’s home: SC487764 10 patterns that may help to inform ongoing treatment and support. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34,

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Recommendations

paragraph 7.12)  The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny. This specifically relates to ensuring that managers have oversight of restraint practice in the home to enable them to identify shortfalls and reflect and learn from incidents that occur. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘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: SC487764 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Inspire Care (UK) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Keystone Chartered Accountants, 263 Nottingham Road, Nottingham NG7 7DA

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Inspector

Natasha Skinner, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC487764 12 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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