Children's home run by Inspire Children’s Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2594033 1 Registered provider: Inspire Children’s Services 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 owned by a private provider. It provides care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children living in the home at the time of the inspection. They all spoke with the inspector about their experiences living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

A manager has been appointed and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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: 2594033 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/03/2024 Full Good 15/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/12/2021 Interim Improved effectiveness 27/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2594033 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living in the home are happy. The inspector observed positive relationships between children and staff in the home. The members of the team are confident in building strong and trusting relationships with the children they care for. All children spoke positively about the team of staff who care for them. Professionals reported that the children enjoy living in the home and are happy there.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are a priority. Staff register all children with relevant health professionals and encourage children to attend all appointments. Arrangements for managing medication are safe and effective, and staff have effective relationships with health professionals. Children living in the home are healthy and well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote family time for all children. Children reported that they get to spend time with those who are important to them. Family time is promoted by staff in line with children’s local authority plans. A strength of the team is their ability to build and maintain positive relationships with the children’s family members.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff communicate effectively with all children, using the children’s preferred methods of communication. Staff ensure that communication with children is individualised to their needs. For example, one child finds it easier to communicate via text messages when he is struggling with his emotions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children know who to talk to if they wish to make a complaint. Complaints that have been made have been responded to and followed up appropriately.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Not all children are regularly attending their educational provisions. However, active steps are taken to identify educational placements, and children are supported well by the home to attend them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop their independence skills. For example, children are supported to develop their cookery skills, budgeting and money management. This has increased the children’s confidence and supported their positive moves on to semi- independent living.

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

There are individualised risk management plans in place for children. Staff are knowledgeable about the children’s risks and the strategies to keep children safe. All identified risks have been assessed. When incidents happen within the home, staff respond appropriately, and work has been completed with children to reduce the risk reoccurring. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594033 4 Incidents of children going missing from home are infrequent. However, when children do go missing the staff team responds effectively. Staff follow relevant plans for the children and document their actions clearly. Return home interviews take place swiftly and are completed by an independent service.

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

Concerns regarding radicalisation and exploitation are well managed. Staff have completed specialised training and are knowledgeable of behaviours that indicate radicalisation and exploitation and act on them quickly. The manager has built an effective working relationship with other safeguarding professionals. Consequently, children are well protected.

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

Staff implement strategies of de-escalation to promote positive behaviour. However, there have been occasions when staff have used physical intervention to manage behaviour. These incidents are well documented and evaluated by management. There is evidence that direct work sessions take place with children following these incidents.

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

Safer recruitment requirements are adhered to. The home is well maintained and a safe environment for the children to live. The team maintains good relationships with all relevant safeguarding professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is no registered manager in post. However, the provider took action to address this, and there is an acting manager, who has applied to register with Ofsted. The management team ensures that they know children well. They recognise and celebrate the children’s progress and achievements. Children spoke positively about how they felt listened to by the manager. This supports positive outcomes and a sense of security for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff said that they feel supported by the management in place. Feedback from other professionals is good, and the leadership team’s communication and commitment were highlighted as a particular strength.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

It was evident that staff working in the home were experienced and had the skills and knowledge to manage risk and meet the needs of the children. However, the members of the leadership team do not ensure that all staff have gained suitable qualifications within the required timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are clear care plans in place for children. The plans accurately reflect the children’s needs and the plans of the local authority. The manager regularly reviews the care plans, and they include input from involved professionals. The manager can identify and record evidence of progress effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular supervision and yearly appraisals. Supervisions are of good quality and allow staff time to reflect on their practice. An electronic system includes the documentation which staff and management can access, allowing for both to obtain copies. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594033 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)) 21 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2594033 6 This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that all staff have relevant qualifications within the specified time frame.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: 2594033 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Inspire Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Inspire Children’s Services, Unit 3, Craig Court, Standish Street, St. Helens WA10 1GJ

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Inspector

Rose Maddocks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2594033 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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