Children's home run by Inspire Scotland Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2680492 1 Registered provider: Inspire Scotland Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in November 2022 and is operated by a private organisation. It provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home. Two children were seen and spoken to by the inspectors.

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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: 2680492 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/04/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2680492 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home to supported accommodation. The move was well planned and was supported by the staff and the manager, who advocated on the child’s behalf to ensure that appropriate accommodation was sourced. The manager and staff remain in regular contact with the child and continue to offer support, advice and guidance. This has supported the child to remain in employment and settle into their new home environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has moved into the home and has settled well. The social worker said, ‘[Name of child] is delightful, a normal teenager with excellent behaviour at home and school.’ One child has remained living in the home since the last inspection and has continued to make sustained progress in all aspects of their life. Another child moved in during the first day of the inspection. This was handled with care and sensitivity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the children’s individual needs. Individualised care plans reflect children’s social and emotional needs. Due to staff following these plans, children are thriving, they feel heard, and they are safe and secure in their home environment. Professionals spoken to feel that staff are caring, available and are good advocates for the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health and emotional health needs are prioritised. Staff support children to attend routine health appointments and specialist appointments. Therefore, children remain in good health and their well-being is promoted. All children are in education and are achieving well. This supports the children to have aspirations for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff seek the views of the children when planning activities. The chosen activities are written in photo frames and replaced with photos of the children taking part in the activity once it has taken place. Staff support children to make memory books to collate and capture their time at the home. Therefore, children feel valued and will be able to look back at their time living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance and the dynamics of family and friendships for the children. They support the children to spend time with their family members and friends. They offer them opportunities to spend time at the home, away from the home together and for them to attend special events, such as school plays and parties. One child regularly enjoys sleepovers at their friend’s house. A family member said that communication is regular, and they are often kept up to date about the child’s life. Therefore, children are supported to maintain their identity and their relationships with people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm, welcoming, decorated and furnished to a good standard. Photos of the staff and children sharing positive times together are displayed. At the time of the inspection, the home was decorated for Halloween and a forthcoming Halloween party. Inspection report for children’s home: 2680492 4 The home has a large, well-maintained and secure garden. This offers good external space for activities such as football and trampolining. Children live in a safe, secure home that is free of hazards.

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

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding children. They demonstrate their knowledge of the children’s risks and vulnerabilities and how best to respond to these to ensure that the children remain safe. Due to staff following robust risk management and support plans and the care they provide, risks to the children have reduced.

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

Due to the positive relationships that staff and the manager have built with the children, they successfully de-escalate any incidents effectively before it is necessary to physically hold a child to keep them safe. Children are spoken to by the staff and the manager after every incident to help them reflect and share any worries, concerns, or ideas of how the situation could be better managed in the future. Therefore, children are learning to manage their feelings and emotions in an acceptable way.

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

On a few occasions, two children have gone missing from the home. They receive a well- coordinated response from the staff, who follow missing-from-home protocols and work with the police to ensure that the child returns home safely. The missing-from-home incidents have massively reduced over the last few months. However, when the children have returned home, they have not always had the opportunity to have an independent return home interview. This is a missed opportunity to consider any triggers to help minimise the risk of it happening again in the future.

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

Staff receive training in child protection and safeguarding practices. They also receive tailored training on topics such as internet safety, self-harming behaviours and pathological demand avoidance, to meet the needs of the children. This helps the staff to gain a more in-depth knowledge of the children so they can support them further.

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

One whistle-blowing complaint has been managed in line with safeguarding and complaints procedures, and the manager has ensured that the complaint was fully investigated, and appropriate actions were taken. This helps to ensure that the children remain safe in the care of the staff team.

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

The manager acts when serious incidents occur. However, the manager has failed to notify Ofsted of all serious incidents. This does not support the regulator to have sufficient oversight and scrutiny in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A new registered manager manages the home. He is suitably experienced and working towards a relevant management qualification. He was previously the deputy manager of the home and knows the home well. Staff and children’s family members talk highly of Inspection report for children’s home: 2680492 5 the manager and the support that they receive from him. Staff spoken to enjoy working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A stable staff team provides consistency and stability to the children. They receive regular supervision, and team meetings provide a time to reflect on practice. Staff receive an annual appraisal of their practice from the manager. However, the appraisals do not fully consider feedback from professionals working alongside the member of staff or the children living in the home. This is a missed opportunity for the manager and member of staff to further reflect on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leadership and management team identifies shortfalls in staff practice and takes decisive action to address them. Two members of staff have not achieved the required childcare qualification within the necessary time frame. The manager has addressed this, and a plan is in place for them to achieve this in the coming months. This helps staff to understand what is expected of them and ensures that children receive consistent care by qualified and experienced staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff nurture positive working relationships with external professionals. The manager contributes to multi-agency planning meetings. This informs decisions about children’s care. As a result, children’s needs are met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager welcomes independent scrutiny of the home. An independent person visits monthly. The manager actions any recommendations made. This supports the development of the service. Inspection report for children’s home: 2680492 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, 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 individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b)) 8 December 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; 8 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2680492 7 a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview after they have been missing from the home. The provider should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. The interview should take place within 72 hours of the child returning home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should consider, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children living in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61,

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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: 2680492 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Inspire Scotland Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Inspire Scotland Limited, Red Tree Magenta, 270 Glasgow Road, Rutherglen, Glasgow G73 1UZ

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Inspectors

Julie Elder, Social Care Inspector Deborah Turner, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2680492 9 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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