Children's Home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2515380 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 that is owned and operated by a national charity. The home provides care for up to two children with emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has a new manager, who was registered with Ofsted in July 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 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: 2515380 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/01/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/09/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2515380 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good care and support from staff who are committed to them. This enables them to trust staff, which helps them to develop strong bonds. Children are encouraged to express themselves and explore their interests. This gives children opportunities to have new and positive experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend education daily. They are well prepared for the school day, and this helps them to learn. Staff work closely with education providers to ensure there is effective partnership working to help children make good progress in school. Children receive consistency in care and education. As a result, they engage with learning and make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well understood by staff. Staff encourage children to lead a healthy lifestyle. Staff work with a variety of health services to ensure that children have the help and support they need in relation to their health. Staff understand the complexities of each individual child and go to great lengths to prepare and support children for appointments. This helps children’s emotional and physical well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Feedback from external professional agencies is positive. Children receive good- quality individualised care and support. For example, one child is learning how to forge metal and has an ambition to become a blacksmith. The manager and staff focus on providing bespoke care to each child. Because of this, children’s confidence and self-esteem improve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The environment is homely and welcoming. Staff ensure children develop a sense of belonging and stability. They see themselves as a family around the children, in a family home. This supports the progress and the experiences of the children.

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

Children enjoy the trusting relationships they have developed with staff. Staff provide strong and consistent routines that the children benefit from. Children grow in confidence and self-esteem. This supports them to feel safe and secure.

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

Staff complete the mandatory safeguarding training as required. They also receive bespoke training which is tailored to the needs of children. Staff discuss safeguarding issues in team meetings. This provides opportunities for staff to discuss and reflect more on specific safeguarding matters. As a result, training is focused on care, support and the safeguarding needs of children.

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

Children are safer because their individual risk assessments provide clarity and give staff direction. When there is an incident, the manager and staff reflect on the plans and risks and adjust the plans as required. Plans are also subject to regular Inspection report for children's home: 2515380 4 updating, so they accurately reflect children’s risks and vulnerabilities. These plans provide staff with the direction they need to support and protect children.

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

The manager and staff have care plans for each child that are clear and understandable. These are developed in collaboration with external professionals. Plans are also subject to regular updating, so they accurately reflect children’s risks and vulnerabilities. While these plans provide direction for staff, plans for the future care of children when they are ready to leave the home require strengthening.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is new in post. He has high expectations for children and is ambitious to improve the care they receive. He demonstrates a genuine commitment to helping children make good progress in all areas of their lives. As a result, staff share his enthusiasm to improve children’s experiences and outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has begun to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of care provided and to establish robust quality assurance systems. This process is ongoing and these systems require time to become embedded. The manager has worked hard to ensure the home is a positive and engaging environment for children. However, there are some gaps in evaluating the quality of care provided and, at times, records lack emotional warmth or compassion. However, the manager has identified these areas and is embarking on improvement work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy their work. They see themselves as a ‘work family’. The staff have confidence in the manager and recognise the home has improved under his leadership. Staff have regular team meetings that are focused on the needs of the children. A culture of high aspiration is beginning to be embedded in staff practice. As a result, children are thriving in a nurturing home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well supported by managers in their day-to-day practice. Managers are visible and approachable. This has helped to build a stable staff team. Staff have one-to-one meetings and yearly appraisals. However, safeguarding is not routinely discussed in one-to-one meetings. Staff would benefit from opportunities to share concerns and develop their practice in these meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff complete a detailed induction and work shadow shifts in the home so that children can build relationships with them. Staff have comprehensive training and one-to-one meetings. These sessions provide reflective challenge for staff to learn, gain confidence and improve. As a result, staff have the skills and confidence to support and care for children. Inspection report for children's home: 2515380 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, The 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

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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 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)) 21 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. 21 August 2023 Inspection report for children's home: 2515380 6 (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically in relation to the planning for children moving on from the home.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the content and/or outcomes of supervision sessions reflect discussion on safeguarding issues which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs and risks of children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4)  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. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. 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: 2515380 7

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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: Kathryn Scoltock

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Inspector

Thirza Smith, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2515380 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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