Children's home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1255744 1 Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire

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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 national charity. It is registered to care for up to three children with complex needs who have experienced trauma and loss.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in March 2020 and holds a level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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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

Date of last inspection: 18 September 2023

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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: 1255744 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/09/2023 Full Good 14/03/2023 Full Good 08/12/2021 Full Good 05/11/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1255744 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This is a large and welcoming home. It meets the needs of the two children who currently live there. Their bedrooms are decorated in line with their interests and provide personalised spaces to keep their possessions. Communal areas contain pictures of the children, their computer console and their pets - a fish, two hamsters and a snake. A maintenance plan is in place to refresh areas of the home. Both children were seen and spoken to, individually and alone. A child who no longer lives in the home was spoken to on the telephone. The registered manager was present in the home throughout the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who live in the home are settled and make good progress. Carers have helped them to make safer decisions, which has led to a reduction in risky behaviours such as going missing from care and self-harm. Children have been supported to understand the complexity of relationships and make informed decisions about social media interactions. Children fully engage in regular imaginative, well planned and informative direct work. They ask questions and show interest in learning, reflecting on their past decisions and experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carers provide children with an array of positive experiences. They have taken them on holiday as well as providing ongoing encouragement to engage in activities in the community, such as attending the gym and participating in sports. Carers involve children in updating their memory books. They choose what pictures they want to include, write notes, and they draw pictures. Children experience clear and consistent boundaries. When decisions are made about children, carers gain their views. When necessary, carers advocate for children. This has contributed to a more settled home and the positive and trusting relationships that have developed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carers recognise the importance of children receiving an education. They talk to children about their achievements and their educational choices and aspirations. A teacher said that carers work well with the school and communicate with them. They said that the children are ‘thriving’ and linked the quality care that the children receive at home to the progress that they have made in school. Children experience routine within the home. This includes completing homework when they get home from school. Carers provide children with support to do their homework where it is required.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to understand and meet their health needs. Carers take them to appointments and encourage them to take on the guidance that they receive. Carers liaise with other professionals to improve their knowledge and gain advice. This has resulted in robust planning and support for children’s physical and mental health needs. One child’s request for carers to complete a referral for support from an external organisation was completed in a timely manner. Inspection report for children’s home: 1255744 4 Planning for one child to move out of the home was thorough. Carers worked with other professionals and a family member to ensure that the overall experience for the child was positive. The child said that carers involved them throughout the planning process, listening to their wishes and feelings. When necessary, carers had informative conversations with the child to address concerns in relation to stability and safety.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carers understand the importance of family relationships. When children have expressed wishes to spend more time with their family, carers have passed this information on to other professionals. This has resulted in work to determine how family time can progress in the best interests of the children. Three family members said that they receive a good level of communication from carers, particularly when they are arranging to spend time with children. They said that their children have made progress since moving to the home. Two parents highlighted improvements in their children’s receptiveness to boundaries. They also noted improvements in their child’s behaviour.

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

The children who live in the home said that they feel safe and that carers meet their needs. They said that carers talk to them about their concerns and risks. They are supported to understand why carers complete certain tasks, such as targeted conversations and mobile phone checks. Children feel able to talk to carers about their lives and said that they are listened to. One child recognised that the care he has received from carers has contributed to him being more able to manage his emotions and behaviours.

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

Carers have good knowledge and understanding of risk. They know the children well and are committed to keeping them safe. When concerns are raised in relation to a child’s safety, carers promptly share information internally and externally. They complete targeted work with children, particularly in relation to concerns about unsafe use of the internet.

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

When it is appropriate, documents that detail risk and guidance on how to manage and reduce risk are shared with children. They are given the opportunity to contribute to these documents and record their views. The documents provide a full narrative of events and actions that have been taken to keep children safe. These documents are written to children.

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

Incidents rarely take place in the home. When they do take place, carers intervene early to reduce the severity of them. They talk to children, providing guidance and implementing boundaries. Children are receptive to these techniques, which leads to reduced levels of anger and upset. Consequences and sanctions that have been given to children in response to negative behaviours are not always necessary or proportionate. Managers have recognised this and have begun work to change practice.

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

Carers take effective action to reduce the likelihood of children going missing from care. Planning to reduce missing-from-care incidents considers contextual risks. When children have gone missing, carers respond promptly to ensure their safety and return them to Inspection report for children’s home: 1255744 5 the home. Carers talk to children about their reasons for going missing. These conversations inform overall care and safety planning for children.

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

Sensors are used on the external doors of the home to alert carers if children were to leave the home during the night. There is no information to suggest that the level of risk children are exposed to warrants the use of this monitoring. Procedures to evaluate and review any impact on the children, or planning to reduce or remove this restrictive practice is not in place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is visible within the home, choosing to spend time with children and carers. This has allowed her to have good oversight of the home and to build positive relationships. The results of her hard work are evident when looking at the care and support provided to children and the care team. Decision-making within the home is collaborative between the knowledgeable registered manager and deputy manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Carers like working in the home and chose to stay working there. This means that children benefit from a stable team of carers with whom they have built trusting relationships. Carers spoke positively about the culture within the home, particularly their working relationships and joined up working within the team. Carers said that managers provide them with the support that they need to provide children with well-planned and effective care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a clear ethos of learning and development within the home. Managers and carers recognise that ongoing learning is essential in managing risk and providing children with the best care possible. Carers complete relevant research, which is presented to the team. This results in thorough reflection and discussion.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A concern in relation to the practice of a carer was managed appropriately. Where necessary, concerns are shared with external professionals, and additional guidance and advice on how to deal with concerns are gained and followed. The internal investigation was thorough and considered all of the information gained. Actions arising from the investigation that aimed to improve safeguarding in the home were identified and implemented.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers provide carers with regular supervision. This covers their well-being, development and the children who live in the home. Carers said that the discussion that takes place is open and reflective. However, written records of supervision do not reflect the discussion and support that take place. Actions are not revisited in order to ensure completion. This is similar in team meetings. Carers say that these are inclusive, cover the children’s needs and include a wealth of learning. However, this is not reflected within the records.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recruitment practice ensures that checks necessary to determine whether carers are safe to work with children are completed. Inspection report for children’s home: 1255744 6

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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 may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that any monitoring of children is proportionate and necessary in relation to the presenting risks. Regular reviews of such monitoring take place so that children are not subject to this for longer than necessary. 10 December 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff follow the home’s policies and procedures to benefit the children who live there. There should be clear lines of accountability. In particular, the registered person should ensure that documents detailing supervisions and team meetings show the discussion and reflection that takes place. Also, that any actions resulting from team meetings and supervisions are reviewed to ensure that they have been completed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20).

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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: 1255744 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 3h, Valiant Office Suites, Valley Drive, Swift Valley Industrial Estate, Rugby CV21 1TQ

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Inspector

Carla Simkiss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1255744 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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