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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1255139 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

This 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 six children with emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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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: 1255139 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/03/2024 Full Good 01/03/2023 Full Good 01/02/2022 Full Good 13/01/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1255139 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are settled and making good progress. The manager has developed a good assessment and admission process that helps identify children’s needs and how the staff can meet these needs before and during the process of moving into the home. This ensures good planning for children during moves to the home and ensures that they have the services in place to help them start making progress. Where appropriate, parents are included in the planning for their child’s move into the home. This helps to build positive relationships and communication with those important to the children. This provides reassurance to children that they can maintain their connection with their families and friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have been successful in creating a family home. It is comfortably furnished and well presented. The children are encouraged to invite their friends to visit. For example, two of the older children can invite their girlfriends to visit them at the home. One child said, ‘This is the best place I have lived; I feel respected, and I like the staff.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The relationships between children living in the home are good. This is achieved through managers and staff having a good understanding of the individual needs of children. The children are encouraged to participate in joint activities, as well as pursuing their own interests. Managers and staff are proactive in ensuring that any disagreements between children are swiftly addressed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children attend and participate in education. The manager and staff place a high importance on education. They work in partnership with external professionals to ensure that children can access education appropriate to their needs. Particular attention is paid to ensuring that not only their educational needs, but also their emotional and social needs, are met. For example, one child’s refusal to attend education is actively addressed to help them re-engage with education in a meaningful way. These efforts include discussions with the child and regular meetings with professionals and a careers adviser. Alternative learning opportunities are in place in the interim for the child. Overall, children make progress with their education, and some have received awards for their educational achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in good health. They are supported to attend their routine health appointments. They are encouraged to engage in fun activities, which benefits their physical and emotional well-being. Managers and staff have been very proactive in relation to a child’s emerging health needs. All the children have been provided with information about the child’s condition and what to expect. This was completed with the permission of the child affected. The manager also ensured that all staff have completed training to support their care of the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 1255139 4 The children are confident and articulate their views well. One child provided an excellent PowerPoint presentation to their peers, managers and staff about a pet they would like. This was well received by their peers, who listened respectfully and appeared interested in the topic.

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

The manager and staff understand children’s vulnerabilities and risks. They work closely with key safeguarding and specialist services to ensure that children have the help and protection they need. Additionally, the manager and staff implement, and update, risk assessments and safety plans for the children.

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

The manager has ensured that staff have been provided with specific training and workshops to help them understand risks associated with child exploitation. This has focused on important topics to ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills they need to keep the children safe. One external professional said, ‘The manager has been determined in the approach to one child’s risk of involvement with child criminal exploitation.’

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

Children are helped by staff to understand their risks and vulnerabilities through focused conversations with staff, education and workshops. There is good use of age-appropriate resources, guides and information for children. Consequently, children can talk to staff about what is happening in their lives and any worries they might have.

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

Good arrangements are in place to follow, locate and encourage children to return home if they go missing from care. Children who have increased risk have additional safety plans and more frequent safe and well checks undertaken by staff. They experience a positive welcome to the home on their return, which focuses on their physical and emotional well-being.

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

Managers and staff support children to explore their identity and care experiences. One child’s request to find out more about their heritage was supported and taken forward by staff. However, this could be expanded further through working with placing authorities to undertake and support life-story work for all the children. Children’s requests to increase or see other family members have been successfully arranged. This connection enables children to maintain links with their families, and it also helps them understand who they are and where they come from.

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

The managers and staff use their positive relationships with children to help manage children’s behaviours. As a result, the use of physical intervention to manage behaviour is kept to a minimum. One child said they understand the reasons for boundaries and agree with consequences they have had.

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

External safeguarding professionals say that children are safe. External professional report that communication is good and the manager’s attendance and contribution in multi-agency meetings designed to keep children safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 1255139 5 Children are provided with age-appropriate information about their rights and how to make complaints if they feel aggrieved about any aspect of their care. There is a comprehensive children’s guide; however, this requires an update to include information about the Children’s Commissioner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is committed and has high expectations for the children and staff. She plays a key role in multi-agency meetings to ensure that the children and staff play a key role in the wider team around the child. She also has high expectations of the staff and their care and support for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive the help, support and guidance they need through regular training, individual supervision and team meetings. Staff receive bespoke training to ensure they can meet the specific needs of the children. The staff are well trained and motivated to care for the children, and the manager provides them with the oversight, guidance and support they need. The staff speak positively about the manager and value her support. One staff member said, ‘I feel valued and accepted by the team; they have a positive attitude to diversity and work hard to provide a family home for children.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager employs good monitoring and oversight systems to provide her with information about the progress children are making and the day-to-day running of the home. This helps her to ensure that any problems or difficulties are identified early and remedied. It also means she knows and understands the stability and progress being made for children and that they are happy, safe and well cared for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good support systems to help her deliver good care to children. She is very well supported by her deputy manager and staff. She receives good support and oversight from the responsible individual and other senior managers in the organisation. This means the manager has support but also challenge and oversight from her senior leaders. Inspection report for children’s home: 1255139 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s guide helps children to understand how they can access advocacy support or independent advocacy if eligible and how to contact the Office of the Children’s Commissioner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22)  The importance of understanding who we are and where we come from is recognised in good social work practice, for example thorough undertaking of life story work or other direct work. Staff in children’s homes should play a full role in work of this kind. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.14)

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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: 1255139 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, Warwickshire CV21 1TQ

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Inspector

Angela Duffus-Palmer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1255139 8 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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