Children's home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1278708 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 crisis care for one child who experiences social and emotional difficulties. The manager of the home registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

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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 good

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1278708 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/03/2023 Full Outstanding 18/08/2021 Full Outstanding 23/10/2019 Full Good 29/01/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1278708 3

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outstanding

One child has lived in this home since the last inspection. The child moved out of the home for a brief period during the year. The manager understood the potential for this move to have a detrimental impact on the child’s well-being. He advocated for the child to return to the home when professionals felt that a secure children’s home might be in their best interests. The manager’s commitment to never ‘give up’ on the child, especially at a point of crisis, has helped the child to rebuild trust in adults. As a result, the child speaks of staff as their family and displays a strong sense of connectedness and belonging, which is key to their excellent progress.

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outstanding

The child’s experience of living in their home is one of feeling safe and being part of a family. The child said: ‘Some days can be hard but when [the name of the children’s home] is here it makes me happy again.’

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outstanding

Staff know the child well and understand their routines. This predictability helps the child to feel less overwhelmed. Every morning, the child wakes in a bedroom which they have personalised. The child walks downstairs to drink their favourite morning coffee from a mug which staff have bought specially for them. They walk past their artwork, which staff have proudly displayed on the walls of the home. The child opens the front door to a notice board, on which staff write them little notes every day. Staff have worked hard to make the home feel homely and welcoming and there is a clear sense that the child is celebrated in all spaces.

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outstanding

The child has fun with staff. They enjoy coffees together; they go bowling and visit zoos. The child has also visited a themed historical attraction in London. Staff carefully plan activities to strengthen their relationships with the child but also to build the child’s independence. Staff also help the child to collect their medication and use the bus. This helps the child to manage the stresses associated with everyday routines. As a result, the child feels a growing sense of control over their life and they have been able to enjoy free time in the community. The child’s resilience has increased significantly over this inspection year. Their independent reviewing officer commented that the child’s ‘progress has been significant in the past six months’. She attributes this to ‘how safe they feel and the relationships they have built with staff. This is key to their flourishing.’

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outstanding

Staff ensure that the child’s health needs are met. They are supported to take a variety of medication which helps them to feel more regulated. Staff have worked with the child through their independence journey. They have helped Inspection report for children’s home: 1278708 4 the child plan how to manage their medication regime when they move out of the home.

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outstanding

The child is not currently in full-time education. However, education staff praised the manager. They commended his tenacity and advocacy. They said he worked tirelessly to get a bespoke education package for the child. They acknowledge how well staff have worked alongside them to support the child in accessing vocational courses. As a result, the child has been able to achieve within education and has their functional skills qualifications. The educational provider said the child made exceptional progress in a short time. They attributed this to staff working in close partnership with them.

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outstanding

Staff recognise the importance of supporting the child to stay connected with important people in their lives. Staff have listened to the child and supported them to spend time with their family. Staff have taken a risk-aware approach to supporting the child to maintain a relationship which was important to them, but also posed a risk to them. As a result, the child has been able to maintain this relationship online. These important relationships have helped the child to increase their relational support networks. This will help them as they move into adult life.

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outstanding

The child’s plans and risk assessments are exceptionally detailed. They reflect guidance from outside therapists and multidisciplinary meetings. They also clearly outline the support required for the child to stay safe. The manager regularly reviews and evaluates risks. He also evaluates the strategies in place to manage them. The records give clear guidance to staff detailing how to reduce the risks to the child. The records match the staff’s understanding and are reflective of the practice in the home.

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outstanding

Managers and staff have a comprehensive understanding of the child’s needs, behaviours, risks and vulnerabilities. The manager meets with the child weekly and uses this to inform risk assessments. He recently completed a piece of work with the child. He talked with the child about how their brain can shut down at key moments of crisis. He also discussed strategies to help them access higher parts of their brain and their language. Staff have all worked with the child to name their feelings. As a result, the child’s emotional vocabulary and self-awareness have increased. The child recently approached staff after an incident where they self-harmed with a deodorant can. They asked staff to keep the can in the staff office, as they recognised their own vulnerability. In this moment, the child was able to conceptualise the risks to them and seek staff support. This is directly linked to staff’s work with the child

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outstanding

around developing their emotional health. Inspection report for children’s home: 1278708 5 The manager recognises that the child may not always be able to articulate their feelings. He has worked with staff and the child to develop alternative and creative strategies which the child can use to tell staff how they are feeling. The child has been able to use their love of music to communicate with staff. When they feel low, the child will play a certain type of music. Staff recognise this symbolic communication. They are proactive and responsive to the child’s needs. Staff have also worked with a clinical psychologist. Together, they developed a ‘comfort box’ with the child. This box contains items which the child has identified will help to regulate them. Staff use this box regularly. The child’s social worker noted that she had ‘witnessed staff de-escalate a dissociation which [the child] was struggling with, using her box, with

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outstanding

Safeguarding incidents are very well managed and reported to the appropriate agencies quickly. Where there has been an allegation against a staff member within this reporting period, senior management at the home ensured a response which safeguarded the child immediately. However, the home failed to commission training on closed cultures which they had committed to. The child has experienced minimal incidents of restraint. The three incidents were at a period of crisis for the child and necessary to keep them safe.

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outstanding

The child’s medication regime is extensive. Staff support the child to take their medication. The manager ensures that the medication is stored safely and securely.

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outstanding

Professionals agree that the child is safer now than when they moved into the home. They praise the quality of staff relationships with the child as key to their increased safety. The child’s independent reviewing officer said: ‘The home provide care which has allowed the child to flourish. [The child] has come such a long way in the six months since [they were] discharged from hospital.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a strong advocate for the child in his care. He speaks warmly of the child and shows compassion and care for them. The manager is new in his post. However, he is supported by a responsible individual who has a wealth of experience in managing children’s homes. The responsible individual spoke of a plan in place for the manager to ‘link in’ with sister homes within the company. The goal is to use peer support networks to further support and develop him as he completes his level 5 qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager leads staff in an open and fair manner. Staff talk of him being approachable and relatable. Staff say that they could discuss any matters directly with him. They also say that he is responsive to their needs, which allows them to have a good work-life balance. Inspection report for children’s home: 1278708 6 The manager has a good understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement in the home. Quality assurance measures within the home are good, but could be better developed. The manager completes checks but not always with sufficient rigour or including feedback from the child. He does not collate quality assurance activities to enable an holistic overview.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager completes regular supervision with staff. Staff report that the manager uses this time to support their reflection on the child’s needs. As a result, staff know the child well and can meet their evolving needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have access to training which meets the child’s needs. The manager has commissioned specialist training on ligatures and self-harm. Staff have regular opportunities to reflect on their practice in monthly learning circles and team meetings. The child’s personal adviser said that staff ‘are great at educating themselves. The manager attends the weekly multidisciplinary meetings and this has been key to ensuring that staff have the skills to meet the child’s needs.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has strong relationships with professionals around the child. These working relationships strongly promote a team around the child approach. The child’s independent reviewing officer said that these professional relationships have been ‘key to ensuring that [the child] remains at the centre of everything and staff have the skills to meet their needs as they evolve.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 1278708 7

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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 registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due Date

In particular to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish

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Requirement Due Date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it. (Regulation 45 (2)(b)) 1 July 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that procedures for dealing with allegations of bullying are in place and that staff have the skills required to intervene, protect and address bullying behaviours effectively; specifically, that staff complete closed cultures training and there is some reflection following this within learning circles and staff meetings to embed the learning. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.16)

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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: 1278708 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: 1278708 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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Inspector

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