Children's home run by Closer 2 Home Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2675297 1 Registered provider: Closer 2 Home 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

A private company owns this home. It provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is an interim manager in post, who is suitably experienced. The interim manager will be in post until a permanent registered manager is recruited.

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Information about this children’s home

There are two children currently living in this home, and both were present during the 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 requires improvement to be 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: inadequate

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: a restriction of accommodation notice was served at the home’s last full inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2675297 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/05/2025 Monitoring Visit No serious and widespread shortfalls identified. 22/04/2025 Full Inadequate 08/01/2025 Full Inadequate

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2675297 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the last inspection, a restriction on admissions remained in effect. Improvements have been made, and the provider has addressed the previously identified shortfalls, and the restriction has been lifted. This means that the manager can now admit more children to the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children live at the home, who both spoke with the inspector. Children say they are happy living in the home and have positive relationships with staff and the interim manager. They say they feel comfortable in their presence and can talk to them about their worries.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is welcoming, and leaders have recently made changes to the home so that children have more space to use, such as a games room and study room. The home has photographs on display of children spending time with staff and on days out.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children’s hobbies and interests. Children enjoy activities, such as going to inflatable parks, the cinema, baking and going to the fayre. As a result, children develop individual interests and have fun living at the home. Memory books have also been introduced so that children’s time at the home can be documented in preparation for when they leave.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have not been any consequences issued since the last inspection. Staff encourage children’s positive behaviour through verbal praise and recognition. The home has recently introduced incentives to encourage school attendance when children can earn gift vouchers. Staff say that children are responding well to this and enjoy receiving rewards and encouragement from staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend school on a full-time basis. Staff have close working relationships with teachers, and children receive tailored support when difficulties arise. As a result, children feel well supported and have positive experiences at school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

External professionals provided positive feedback during the inspection. They said that communication with leaders and staff has improved. This unified approach has resulted in children receiving personalised care and child-focused decisions being made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s religious views, and they are regularly taken to places of worship by staff. Children also spend regular time with their families and friends. This supports children to maintain important relationships and to develop skills to have positive relationships with others. Inspection report for children’s home: 2675297 4

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

Staff keep children safe and respond appropriately when incidents occur. They show empathy to children and encourage them to share their thoughts and worries. This means that children feel listened to and develop trusting relationships with staff.

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

The manager has effective oversight of incidents. Specialist help is arranged so that children receive support based on their individual needs. The manager and staff have successfully implemented resources that children can use to support them in times of crisis. This creative response has supported children’s well-being, and, as a result, children feel safer.

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

Since the last inspection, children have not made any allegations. There have been no restraints and children have not been missing from care. One child made a complaint and was well supported by staff. If staff are worried about children, they explore their concerns with the child and external professionals. Professional curiosity helps to keep children safe.

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

The home has commissioned an external service to embed a therapeutic model into staff practice. Staff are motivated to learn new ideas about how to better meet children’s needs and have engaged with sessions to broaden their knowledge.

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

Staff have up-to-date guidance about how to care for children. Risk assessments are in place and include known risks for children. Protocols are clear and offer staff strategies to keep children safe. Risk assessments are updated following significant events. This means that staff practice is informed and more consistent.

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

Children’s bedrooms are only searched when this is necessary and proportionate. Leaders and staff always inform the child prior to the search taking place. This approach promotes children’s dignity and ensures that they feel respected. Appropriate external agencies are also informed so they are aware of action taken.

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

Children have access to the internet and have been provided with mobile phones. This has supported the children to grow in confidence and independence. Staff have a good understanding of online risks and regularly talk to children to increase their understanding of risks. This helps them to be safer when using their devices online.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

There is an experienced interim manager working at the home, who has a clear understanding of the home. They are committed to ensuring that children who live at the home are happy and receive good-quality care. Despite only being in post for a short amount of time, they have contributed to positive changes at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

The interim manager is supported by a knowledgeable responsible individual. who shares the same vision for the home. They are working hard to recruit a permanent manager for the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2675297 5 Leaders are working hard to change the culture of the home. They are holding regular meetings with senior members of staff to share good practice ideas and are delivering workshops where tasks are discussed. Some staff have not completed mandatory training, and this is discussed within supervisions. When this is not achieved, leaders have a clear process to ensure this is formally addressed. As a result, staff are clearer on leaders’ expectations, and they are encouraged to take more accountability when working at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

Staff are safely recruited with all necessary checks completed. There are well-thought- out plans to recruit further staff to the home so there are sufficient staff to meet the needs of any further children who move into the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

Leaders have implemented new monitoring tools that have identified areas for development. Areas for development have been addressed, and improvements have been made. For example, leaders identified gaps in the staff’s knowledge and delivered seven-minute briefings to staff. Staff’s understanding of children’s risks improved, and they feel more confident when caring for the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2675297 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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14(1)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that plans are in place to adequately prepare children for moving on from the home. This requirement is restated. 29 September 2025

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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: 2675297 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Closer 2 Home Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Newington Close, Coventry CV6 1PQ

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Inspector

Charlotte Love, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2675297 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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