Children's Home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited in Nottingham

Inspection report for children's home: 1255139 1 Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private company that is owned and operated by a national charity. It is registered to provide care for up to six children with emotional and social difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager is not registered with Ofsted.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 1255139 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/03/2023 Full Good 01/02/2022 Full Good 13/01/2020 Full Good 05/03/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 1255139 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the previous inspection, eight children have moved on to other placements. When children leave the home, managers ensure they receive exceptional support and assistance. Where possible, children are fully prepared and visit their new home before moving in. The manager and staff go above and beyond to continue with emotional support once children move because they understand the gravity of such life-changing moves.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment reflects that children are valued. It is homely, with a good standard of decoration and furnishings. Staff take pride in making the house a home. It is evident that the needs of the children have been put first.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children grow in confidence and self-esteem. This is because they receive good care and support from the staff team. The staff have positive relationships with each child. Together, they create a family feel in the home. This enables children to flourish in all areas of development.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop independence skills that are appropriate to their age and development. This includes taking age-appropriate and well-managed risks. Staff also encourage children to explore their interests. They enjoy many positive experiences and develop hobbies and talents. Children access community activities on a regular basis. Children are motivated to achieve their goals.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s time with families is encouraged and supported. Staff ensure there are arrangements in place for children to spend time with people who are important to them. There is good communication with family members and professionals. Children’s family members are also welcomed to the home, where they spend time together. This contributes to the stability of the children’s placements.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff take the education of children seriously. They advocate on behalf of children to secure the right educational provision, working with the relevant social workers and headteacher of the virtual school. One child has made remarkable progress since moving to an alternative provision. Both other children have in-house tutors while appropriate educational provisions are identified.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well met. Staff work with external professionals who provide additional support and guidance. The children are registered with local healthcare professionals and are supported to attend appointments.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Records for children include up-to-date information. However, they do not capture the warmth and nurture from staff. This limits children’s ability to understand their care experience in years to come. Inspection report for children's home: 1255139 4

p.3

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

Children are safer because their risk assessments and plans provide clarity and direction for staff. When there is an incident of concern, the manager and staff reflect on the plans and risks, adjusting them if required. Care plans are subject to regular updates, so they accurately reflect children’s risks and vulnerabilities. These plans provide staff with the direction they need to support and protect children.

p.4

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

Staff support children to understand the risks posed to them. They educate children on subjects such as internet safety, the use of illegal substances and weapons. They also work closely with external professionals, for example the fire brigade to teach children about the dangers of fire setting. This created a fun, yet serious, learning environment where children were aware of the law and what impact decisions could have on their futures.

p.4

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

Staff have received good-quality safeguarding training. As a result, they have a clear understanding of their safeguarding roles and responsibilities. Staff know how to report any concerns that they may have. Safeguarding incidents are rare. When they do occur, staff know how to respond and keep children safe.

p.4

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

Children are physically restrained only as a last resort to keep them and others safe. The manager has effective oversight of all records in relation to behaviour management. The manager challenges staff if she feels there are areas for practice development. Lessons learned are discussed with the team, ensuring they continue to improve practice.

p.4

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

There have been incidents of children going missing from home. When this happens, staff have followed the missing protocols and procedures exceptionally well. Staff are quick to respond and go above and beyond to ensure children return to the home safely and as soon as possible. Following incidents, the manager is proactive and reflects on them, working effectively with other agencies to ensure that strategies to reduce risks are carefully considered and remain effective.

p.4

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

When a new child moves into the home, the manager carefully considers the impact on children already living at the home. On one occasion, the manager felt that the information provided by the local authority about a child did not correspond with the behaviours they observed. Managers raised their concerns with the local authority and challenged them on the information they provided. As a result, the child has moved out of the home, and the manager has made a formal complaint to the local authority, as she understands the instability this has created for children due to an increase in disruptive behaviour.

p.4

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

The use of consequences is rare. However, when they have been used, they have been punitive and lacked a restorative approach. The manager is working with the team to change their approach. Inspection report for children's home: 1255139 5

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The acting manager is enthusiastic and dedicated in her role. She has high aspirations for children and believes in their potential. She has been part of the team for several years and, therefore, has already established trusting relationships with the team and children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The former registered manager continues to be passionate about the quality of care children receive and remains supportive of the manager. This was further evidenced by her returning to support the home’s Ofsted inspection.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has recently led the home through a three-month period of instability. She has managed challenges in the house group and the unplanned ending of one child’s placement. This has taken a lot of time and energy. However, the manager has demonstrated resilience despite recent events and ensured that the impact on children has been limited.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager strives for the best outcomes for children. She remains in contact with children who have moved on from the home. Several children who have moved on to independence still regularly visit the home. One child said, ‘I was going to say they are like my family, but they are my family. They believed in me, and this was the first time I have had this. Honestly, they really are amazing! They stick with us and don’t give up.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well supported by the manager in their day-to-day practice. The manager is visible and approachable; this has helped to create a stable staff team. Staff receive regular formal supervision, including yearly appraisals. However, supervision records do not include reflective practice. This is a missed opportunity to identify and discuss how staff can improve their practice.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager seeks training for the staff to meet the children’s evolving needs. This includes working with external agencies to use their knowledge to develop staff to have a greater understanding of children’s needs. As a result, staff feel well equipped to provide the children with effective care. The manager understands that staff development and training are fundamental to providing the best possible care to children, and so she accesses training quickly for staff to improve their knowledge and skills.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good oversight of the home. Effective monitoring and quality assurance systems are in place. The manager knows what is happening in the home daily and is aware of the home’s strengths and areas for development. Inspection report for children's home: 1255139 6

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any consequences used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)  The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61 paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should ensure staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be

p.6

Recommendations

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)

p.6

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: 1255139 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lumonics House, Valiant Office Suites, Valley Drive, Swift Valley Industrial Estate, Rugby CV21 1TQ

p.7

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Matthew Earnshaw

p.7

Inspector

Zoey Lee, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1255139 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8