Children's home run by Homes2Inspire Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1255747 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 national charity. It is registered to provide care for up to five children with emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2024.

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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: 7 November 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: 1255747 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/11/2023 Full Good 13/09/2022 Full Good 08/06/2021 Full Good 16/10/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 1255747 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive relationships with staff. They are comfortable spending time with the staff and know who they can go to for help. Children say they like the staff and the support they have been given.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to engage with their education. Staff are ambitious for the children and work closely with teachers, local authority education specialists and social workers. Staff advocate for children who are not in education. As a result, children have appropriate learning opportunities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s individual health needs are met. They are helped to attend regular health appointments. When required, more specialist help is accessed. This includes support for children’s mental health. Staff know why children take specific medications. These are stored safely and administered and recorded appropriately.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children do not currently have one specific care plan. Details of a child’s care are spread across various documents. This makes it difficult for staff to quickly access the plans for children. This is acknowledged by the manager and responsible individual. A child placement, care and pathway plan is being introduced to address this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have been appropriately supported to move to other homes. There has been good communication with other agencies to make the moves successful. Children have been supported with learning independence skills. This includes older children shopping and cooking for themselves. However, there are no clear written plans for children’s transitions. The manager has sourced a template for this purpose.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children are listened to. Children can share their wishes and feelings. One-to-one discussions are used effectively. These key-work sessions are specific to each child’s individual needs. There is an additional group meeting where children are involved in decision-making.

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

Staff understand risks to children. This is informed by clear, positive behaviour support plans for each child. They identify the known risks to the child and triggers for unwanted behaviour. The way staff should support children to minimise risks is clearly recorded. There is also a detailed assessment of any risks in the area the home is located which takes into account any potential effects on children.

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

The manager ensures that any allegations made by children are taken seriously. Children feel confident to raise allegations. Staff support children to speak about any concerns. External safeguarding agencies are used appropriately. Thorough investigations take place and children are kept safe while these are completed. Inspection report for children’s home: 1255747 4 Staff manage children’s unwanted behaviour well. They know the children well and how to react to incidents. Staff are trained in de-escalation and safe handling. As a result, incidents that mean children need to be held are rare. Holding a child is only used as a last resort and with minimal intervention to keep a child or others safe.

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

Children do not go missing from the home. Positively, there are clear policies and procedures in place should this happen.

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

The manager uses safe recruitment practices for all new staff. This ensures that support workers are safe to care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staff receive a comprehensive induction. This is supported by a thorough training programme. As a result, staff say they feel well prepared for caring for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision of staff is not consistent. The manager is aware that these meetings need further development. This is with regard to their quality and frequency. The purpose of supervision has not been understood by staff. Therefore, staff have not experienced supervision as a reflective and learning process. New systems have been introduced to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An experienced responsible individual supports the manager. She visits the home often and knows the staff and children well. The manager receives regular recorded supervision from the responsible individual. It is reflective and supportive and helps the manager in her new role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and responsible individual have good oversight of the home. There are daily and weekly checks completed by staff which are audited by the manager. The manager reviews and signs off all children’s records. The responsible individual supports a detailed quarterly peer audit of the home. This ensures that the manager is aware of the quality of the care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A workforce development plan has been devised and reviewed by the manager. It gives details of the staff induction period and mandatory training. It also explains the process for improving poor performance. The manager is aware of the strengths of the team and things that need developing further.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective team meetings are held by the manager. There are good discussions about each child’s progress which include their education, hobbies and interests. Information is shared with regard to safeguarding, health and safety, and other important issues. The manager is keen to develop team meetings to provide further learning opportunities to staff. This would include more regular meetings. Inspection report for children’s home: 1255747 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, 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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all children have a plan that staff can work towards which ensures that children are helped and protected and that their welfare is promoted at all times, including transition planning. 30 November 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that supervision sessions are regular and of good quality. 30 November 2024

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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: 1255747 6

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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, Warwickshire CV21 1TQ

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Vanessa Jones Carter

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Inspectors

Shaun Caplis, Social Care Inspector Becky Thompson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1255747 7 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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Inspectors

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