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

Inspection report children's home: 2667592 1 Registered provider: HOMES 2 INSPIRE LIMITED

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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 large national charity. It provides care for up to two children. The home cares for children who may have emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

There were two children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The home is led by a suitably experienced registered manager.

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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 children's home: 2667592 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/03/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/08/2022 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 2667592 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a home which is maintained to a very high standard. The home is an inviting space. Children’s bedrooms reflect their personalities and interests. One child is encouraged to maintain their bedroom as part of an independence plan. However, this was not kept clean and tidy. Staff have not always remained vigilant when children were not able to maintain their spaces to a good standard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress. Both children are now attending school regularly. One child is benefitting from accessing a school after several years of being out of a mainstream education. The confident of the other child has increased while living at the home, they now aspire to attend college. Where it is identified that children would benefit from greater support with their education, the manager is quick to advocate for them, liaising with professionals at the local authority to secure additional services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and staff have warm and trusting relationships. As a result, children feel able to share their thoughts and feelings and engage well in both children’s meetings and one to one discussion with staff. Children have good relationships with each other and they enjoy spending time eating and socialising together. This contributes to the family atmosphere in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children get to spend time with their families, supported by staff. One parent said that she felt that the staff, respected her. The staff had advocated for more regular telephone communication between the child and parent, this was something requested for some time. Parents spoke positively of the care provided by staff and how this provides them with reassurance. They feel that staff understand the children’s needs and communicate with them effectively, particularly when incidents have occurred.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s care plans do not include important contextual information about the child’s historical experiences, interests, and personalities. Staff are not prompted to reflect on areas of the child’s care where more specific responses may be needed or where there are not current concerns or risks.

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

The home has remained settled since the last inspection, with a reduction in behaviour that challenges staff. Children have not gone missing from care and there have been no complaints or allegations. There have been no safeguarding notifications, sent to Ofsted.

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

Children's risks, needs and vulnerabilities are well understood by staff. Staff are guided by effective behaviour support plans which are thorough and updated regularly. These help staff to think about antecedents to behaviour and what they can do to de-escalate situations. The manager prioritises trying to reduce the children’s risk-taking behaviours. There has been a focus on developing smart targets for staff and children to work on Inspection report children's home: 2667592 4 together. These focus on ways in which identified risks can be better understood or minimised in the future.

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

Staff resort to using physical intervention to manage children’s behaviour, only as a last resort. The staff manage children’s behaviour using agreed therapeutic approaches which serve to distract children or de-escalate potentially difficult situations. Staff record these incidents in a thorough manner. Staff and children are given the time to reflect on incidents, both shortly after the event and again when the child is calm and more settled. The manager is proactive to reflect on physical interventions and encourages staff learning from such incidents. The manager has been able to identify patterns of when holds have occurred, recognising that a change to a child’s routine around bedtime could reduce challenging behaviour.

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

There have been several administrative errors when prescribed medication has been given to children. Staff do not feel confident with newly implemented medication procedures. This has led to errors and omissions in recording. This could potentially have put children at risk of harm or impacted their wellbeing should the incorrect medication have been subsequently given.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been recent organisation change. This has meant the manager has been able to spend more time in the home. The manager has developed and is implementing an action plan to make improvements, following the last inspection. She is ambitious for the children and staff. Consequently staff morale is good, and staff are invested in the ethos of nurturing care offered to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have a good understanding of the needs of children and the actions required of them to keep children safe. Staff training has been prioritised and the manager has begun to inform practice with research. Staff value their regular supervisions and the opportunity to come together in team meetings. There has been a commitment to ensuring that there are comprehensive minutes of meetings available for staff unable to attend the meeting. This ensures that the staff care practice remains consistent.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager understands the importance of maintaining good oversight and monitoring of care practice in the home. She reviews incidents proactively and encourages staff to learn and develop. A monthly review of the children’s care plans allows for progress to be recognised and for patterns of behaviour to be understood. The manager uses these reviews to effectively challenge professionals where needed and to advocate for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been no regulation 45 report required since the last inspection. Therefore evidence is not available to demonstrate compliance with the requirement previously set. This will need to be reviewed at a subsequent inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There remain shortfalls in the safer recruitment processes. Not all staff have the required photographic identification, and so this does not meet regulatory requirement. Inspection report children's home: 2667592 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, 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 recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children's home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that safer recruitment procedures are followed for all staff employed to work with children, including those employed through an employment agency. This includes ensuring that photographic identification is seen for staff. This requirement is restated. 15 July 2024

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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 order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— 15 July 2024 Inspection report children's home: 2667592 6 the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children's home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child.

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Recommendations

 Care which meets each child's needs and promotes their welfare, taking into account of the child's gender, religion, ethnicity, cultural and linguistic background, sexual identity, mental health, any disability, their assessed needs, previous experiences and any relevant plans. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 14, paragraph 3.2)

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Recommendations

 For children's homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children's homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than 'institutional' impression. ('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 children's home: 2667592 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, England CV21 1TQ

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Craig Whitchurch

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Inspectors

Louise Copping, social care inspector Eleanor Quanbrough, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: 2667592 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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