Children's home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2537252 1 Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately run and provides care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties. At the time of inspection there were two children residing at the home. Both children were given the opportunity to contribute throughout this 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: 8 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: 2537252 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/11/2023 Full Good 13/09/2022 Full Outstanding 14/09/2021 Full Good 20/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2537252 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home feels like a family environment. There are many photos of children and staff throughout the home. These show the adventures taken together and shared experiences, including day trips and holidays. There is an unfinished jigsaw on the dining table for one child to return to, slime-making sets, which were in use, and books for the children to enjoy. The children’s bedrooms are personalised to reflect their interests. There is a homely feel throughout, and children invite important people into their home. This includes ‘takeaway teas’ with family members.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff value children’s views. Stakeholders consistently said that staff listen to children. This is reflected in the children’s records, care planning and risk management documentation. Children attend weekly meetings to share their views with staff, and they contribute to the decision-making in the home. Children also have access to an advocate.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive a good standard of care that is individual to their needs. Children have made good progress in education. One child was home tutored for a significant period of time. Staff have supported this child to attend college, where they will be able to access a course related to their love of animals. Staff also supported this child with volunteer opportunities at a local dog kennel. This will also help them to access this course.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the physical and emotional health needs of the children they care for. Staff ensure that appropriate services are in place to manage important health issues. One child is taking prescribed medication in respect of their mental well-being. The child was not swallowing their medication. This was taken seriously, and staff accessed medication refresher training. The child is being supported to understand they have a choice around what medication they take, and this is reviewed regularly.

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

Staff know how to respond to the needs of the children they care for, and as a result, children trust staff to support them. Staff can identify risks for the children they care for and understand how to respond.

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

Staff know how to respond during missing-from-home incidents, and the missing protocol is followed. Appropriate agencies are informed. The manager is diligent in ensuring return interviews take place. Staff understand the difference between a child being missing and a child being absent from home.

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

Children’s behaviours are well understood by staff, and de-escalation techniques are used well. Physical intervention is rarely used in this home. Only one physical intervention was used since the last inspection. Management oversight identified the Inspection report for children’s home: 2537252 4 hold used was not proportionate. This was appropriately reported to the local authority designated officer; this member of staff no longer works at the home.

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

Although children have plans in place in respect of the use of physical interventions, important information is not included. One child has asthma, and this was not considered in this plan.

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

One child uses an e-cigarette/vape. The risks associated with this are explored through discussions. However, the use of the vape and the assessment of risk are not detailed in the planning documents for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a registered manager. She is child-focused and ambitious; she cares about the children and their progress. The manager is well respected by children, staff and stakeholders.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are clear roles and responsibilities set out for the deputy manager and senior support workers. This supports the manager in her role. The manager is reflective and keen to continue to improve outcomes for children. The manager put the children forward to take part in a programme where the children shared their experiences of being at the home. This is part of a wider programme focusing on the transition for children going from a children’s home to semi-independence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is also the registered manager of one other children’s home. Despite this, she has good oversight of this home. There are effective support systems in place for staff. This includes a thorough induction period for new starters. New staff also have opportunities to shadow more experienced workers. Staff receive regular supervision that is purposeful and reflective, and clear actions are set. Staff feel well supported by management. There is also a focus on emotional well-being alongside professional development. Staff also report they feel they have received the right training to meet the needs of the children they care for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a learning culture in this home, and they try new ways to learn and improve practice. This includes a ‘policy of the week’ and also a ‘topic of the month’; staff are encouraged to complete their own research and complete a questionnaire. This is then shared in team meetings or discussed in supervision. This contributes to learning for staff and improvements in practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2537252 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should consider and review whether restraint is warranted. (Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards, page 49, paragraph 9.55)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. This relates to ensuring that the strategies agreed to manage children who use e-cigarettes is clear within their written plans, including permissions from the local Authority and parents. (Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: 2537252 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

Responsible individual: Craig Whitchurch

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Inspector

Becky Thompson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2537252 7 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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