Children's home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1255748 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 four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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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: Good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1255748 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/03/2023 Full Good 11/08/2021 Full Good 15/07/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/05/2019 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 1255748 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the previous inspection, one child has returned home. Children currently living at the home have been there for a long time. This level of stability creates a real sense of belonging for each child. This has been critical in allowing children to build secure and meaningful relationships with a team of staff who they know, trust, and rely on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are cared for by staff who understand their needs. Staff speak about children with enthusiasm, warmth, and compassion. Staff demonstrate unwavering commitment to the children. This enables children to flourish in all areas of their development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage and support children to explore and develop their interests. Children enjoy many positive experiences and develop hobbies and talents. Children access community activities on a regular basis. For example, one child is a member of a local football team. Staff support children to take age-appropriate risks. Because of this, children’s confidence and self-esteem improve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand and meet children’s health needs well. Staff encourage children to lead a healthy lifestyle. They support children to attend healthcare appointments and to be active. This helps to maintain children’s physical well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Well established routines and structure mean that children are well prepared for the school day. This helps them to learn. Staff work closely with education providers to ensure there is effective partnership working to help children make good progress. Where children are not engaged in education, staff work hard to motivate them to learn. Children receive consistency in care and education. As a result, children engage with learning and make clear educational progress.

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

Children enjoy the trusting relationships they have with the manager and staff. Children know they are listened too. Children can share their worries or any concerns, and they know that staff will take these seriously. This reflects the staff’s ability to manage and support children to work through their worries. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

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

There have been incidents of children going missing from care. When this happens, staff have followed missing protocols and procedures well. When children go missing, staff are quick to respond. They go above and beyond to ensure the child returns home as soon as possible. Staff offer children care, reassurance and empathy following missing episodes. As a result, incidents of missing for one child has significantly reduced. Inspection report for children’s home: 1255748 4 Staff complete all mandatory training required. They also receive bespoke training which is tailored to the individual needs of the children. Staff discuss safeguarding issues in team meetings and in regular, formal one-to-one meetings with their manager. This provides opportunities for staff to discuss and reflect more about specific safeguarding issues. As a result, staff fully understand how to keep children as safe as possible.

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

Children are safer because their individual risk assessments and plans are clear and informative for staff. This ensures that staff understand well potential risks to children. When there is an incident of concern the manager and staff reflect on the plans and risks and adjust the plans if required. Staff regularly update children’s plans so that 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 environment is homely and welcoming. Staff ensure children develop a sense of belonging and stability. The staff see themselves as a family around the children, in a family home. However, the home would benefit from repairs and improvements in the outside garden

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been away from the home but has recently returned. During this time an interim manager has been overseeing the home. The interim manager worked at the home previously and so knows the children very well. She is highly committed to the children she cares for and has high aspirations for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a strong advocate for children. She challenges decisions she believes are not in their best interests or where the child’s needs are not being met by the responsible placing authority. She challenges to help ensure that the right services are available to children to help them to make progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy their work. Staff feel very well supported in their roles and day-to-day practice. They know the manager values them. The manager is visible and approachable. They work well together, and staff morale is high. The manager and team are fully committed to providing positive, nurturing care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has recruited a diverse team, which enriches the quality of care. Some members of the team are new. In addition, structured induction processes ensure that new staff have a well-planned introduction to the home. This supports staff to provide good care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective management systems are in place. Childrens records are of a good standard and provide details of care provided. Regular audits take place to ensure plans are dynamic in nature and change with the child. This supports the progression and achievement of children’s goals for their future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership work with external agencies is largely effective. The manager and staff have built positive working relationships with the placing authority. However, within Inspection report for children’s home: 1255748 5 management monitoring systems, there is a lack of feedback from parents, children, staff and external professionals about children’s progress. The home would benefit from seeking more feedback to help to continually improve the experiences and care of children at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1255748 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. They are responsible for proactively implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. With particular reference to seeking independent feedback from all those involved in the care of each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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Recommendations

 The registered manager should ensure the home is a nurturing and a supportive environment that meets the needs of their children. With particular reference for the external garden areas (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 1255748 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: Homes 2 Inspire Limited, Lumonics House, Valiant Office Suites, Valley Drive, Swift Valley Industrial Estate, Rugby CV21 1TQ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Matthew Earnshaw

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Rachel Rodriguez Rosario Tola Benjamin

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Inspector

Thirza Smith, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1255748 8 regulates and 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 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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