Children's home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1274093 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

This home is run by a private company that is owned by a national charity. It provides care for up to five children who experience social and emotional difficulties. The manager of the home registered with Ofsted in April 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living at the home at the time of inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 31 January 2023

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1274093 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/01/2023 Full Outstanding 16/11/2021 Full Good 19/11/2019 Full Outstanding 18/02/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 1274093 3

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outstanding

Children’s experiences of living at their home are ones where staff help them to feel safe and valued. The children wake up in bedrooms with bedding and curtains that they have chosen and pictures of their family on the walls. Staff know children’s routines, such as their favourite drink with their breakfast. Children open their bedroom doors and see loving notes left by staff on their door pinboards. Children use their door boards to communicate with staff around all areas of their lives, such as what gender they identify as, what pronouns they prefer or where they would like to visit. Children speak of their home with pride and a genuine sense of belonging. One child said staff may not be ‘biological family, but they are family to me.’

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outstanding

The manager has recently completed trauma-informed training. She has used this to inform the recent redecoration of the home. The manager has chosen soft-hue lightbulbs and warm colour schemes for the walls and carpets. She has also focused on moving away from institutional practices, such as children having to ask for cleaning products or clean towels and bedding. Children now have a cabinet on their bedroom landing that is filled with safe cleaning products, fresh towels and bedding. As a result, when children wish to clean their rooms, they can do so safely and autonomously. This helps children to feel at home.

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outstanding

Children feel that staff love and care for them. One child spoke of how staff were ‘not scared to show they love us.’ They spoke of how they can braid the hair of other children at the home. This child said, ‘I feel loved and cared for and able to show I care for others too.’ Children’s experience of being loved is key to the progress that they make in all areas of their lives.

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outstanding

All children are in education. Staff ensure that children’s education meets their individual needs. As a result, children make considerable progress in education. One child had recently experienced difficulties in attending school. The manager advocated for the child to have an assessment of their learning and psychological needs, and the child was able to access a bespoke educational package. The child’s tutor felt that the child had made considerable progress since this package of education was agreed. They attributed this to the manager’s advocacy and understanding of the child’s needs. Another child had not felt able to attend school before living at the home. The child’s social worker and independent reviewing officer made a direct link between their child moving into the home and a significant increase in their attendance at school. They felt that this was due to the child feeling more settled since living at the home.

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outstanding

Staff ensure that children’s health needs are met quickly and children with additional health needs attend specialist appointments. One child had experienced significant toothache prior to living at the home but was also anxious to go to the dentist due to their additional needs. The manager registered the child with a private dentist, Inspection report for children’s home: 1274093 4 and a plan was agreed alongside the child, which helped them to attend appointments. The child no longer has sore teeth and is beginning to feel able to attend their dental appointments. Staff prepare the child weeks in advance, which helps the child experience small manageable moments of stress. This helps the child to build their resilience.

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outstanding

Children spend meaningful time with family and friends. Staff understand the importance of building and maintaining children’s relationships with their families. Parents are positive about how staff promote family time and the respectful and inclusive way in which staff communicate with them. One parent said that the staff ‘reinforce how much my child is loved by me, but also show her that she is cared for by them.’

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outstanding

The manager takes great care when children leave or move into the home. Children who leave are encouraged to maintain a relationship with staff, and many children still visit the home after leaving. Children’s photos are on display in the hallway. However, one child’s move was unplanned. The manager ensured that staff visited the child in their new home twice a day for nine weeks after they moved. As a result, when children move, they experience consistency, care and a model of adult relationships that does not re-traumatize them or add to any loss they may have experienced.

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outstanding

Children say that they feel safe. Children’s risk assessments are robust and demonstrate that staff know how to keep children safe. Staff have an excellent understanding of each child’s needs and vulnerabilities. Social workers and independent reviewing officers agree that children are kept safe. One social worker said that the home had ‘provided safety and security for a child who had not experienced much of that in life.’

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outstanding

Staff have developed child-friendly versions of risk assessments alongside the children so that children know what staff are worried about. Staff’s language and recording are child-friendly, non-blaming and respectful, and they can see beyond children’s presenting behaviours and understand their attachment needs. Staff’s use of restorative approaches with children helps children to feel less overwhelmed.

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outstanding

Children rarely go missing from care. When they do go missing, the staff look for them and keep in constant contact. The manager has a strong relationship with the police. This has enabled her to challenge what she considered poor practice when one child was missing and returned by police. The police officer stated that they had a ‘great professional relationship’ with the manager and are confident in the manager’s ability to keep children safe.

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outstanding

Staff understand the risks that using the internet may pose to children. The manager is confident and creative in her plans with children in this area, and staff Inspection report for children’s home: 1274093 5 help children to understand any potential risks around internet use. Children can consider how to keep themselves safe. One child asked for a mobile phone without internet access of their own accord, as they clearly understood what the manager and staff were worried about.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager of this home is a tenacious and unapologetic advocate for the children she cares for. She is aspirational in her expectations of her staff team and leads staff in a collaborative manner. Staff say that the manager is ‘excellent, hardworking and professional’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager prioritises staff well-being and, as a result, the staff say they feel valued and cared about. One member of staff said that without the manager there would be no ‘family’. Another said that the manager had changed their life. The staff team is stable, and staff know each other well. The manager does not have to use temporary staff. When new staff have started work, the manager has ensured that more-established staff members are also working alongside them. This has ensured that children continue to receive excellent, consistent care and have developed strong relationships with all staff members.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has a keen interest in evidence-based and research-informed practice. She continues to develop a research project around physical contact and developing ‘loving care’. The manager works alongside a clinical psychologist to consider how she can continue to integrate this into the existing therapeutic models that the staff use in working with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager protects time for the staff to receive supervision monthly. One staff member reported that supervision ‘always challenges you to improve yourself. It is strengths based.’ Staff have access to a comprehensive training package within the company. Additionally, the manager will often commission specific training when she identifies any gaps in her thematic audits of the home. Staff have regular learning circles, which seek to further develop their understanding of legislation and give them space to reflect on the children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has established consistent and robust quality assurance measures. She regularly requests audits from the senior managers and regularly takes part in peer reviews and internal reviews of the home. As a result, the manager has an excellent oversight of the development of the home, and staff continue to provide an excellent level of care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff have established strong and meaningful relationships with teachers, social workers and other professionals. The manager has also worked to build relationships with neighbours and the wider community. Children receive postcards when their neighbours go on holiday and cards at important times of the year, such as Christmas. Children have also participated in a local charity race and donated items to a local dogs’ home. As a result, children are supported to build Inspection report for children’s home: 1274093 6 strong links within their community, which will improve their confidence and build their relational resilience. Inspection report for children’s home: 1274093 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: 1274093 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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Cherelle Robinson

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Inspector

Majella Russell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1274093 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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