Children's home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 1 Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private company that is owned and run by a national charity. It provides care for up to five children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, four children were living in the home.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/07/2024 Full Good 15/01/2024 Full Good 13/02/2023 Full Good 08/11/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the previous inspection, one child has left the home, and one child has moved in. The inspector spoke with the children during the visit. There was a warm and lively atmosphere, with fun and laughter shared between the children and the staff who care for them. The children who come to live at the home experience a nurturing approach and are provided with positive and consistent care. This supportive environment enables the children to develop positive relationships with the staff.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have a variety of opportunities to share their views, wishes and feelings. Children have regular discussions with the manager and the team. They involve children in all aspects of the home and always act on what they say, wherever possible. The skill of listening to and respecting children is a core feature of this home. They understand the children well.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have lived at the home for many years, which has fostered a strong sense of stability and security. This level of stability creates a real sense of belonging for the children. For example, one child is learning how to drive and is in employment alongside going to college. This stability has been significant for children and has enabled them to build trusting relationships. They engage meaningfully with a team of staff whom they know, trust and rely on.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively support children to develop age-appropriate independence skills, including the ability to take well-managed risks. Staff are confident in supporting children to access community facilities and engage in new experiences. For example, children who had never previously travelled abroad are now enjoying holidays abroad for the second consecutive year. This support encourages confidence, resilience and personal growth.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff advocate strongly for the children to have access to good education. They ensure that education providers understand the impact of being in care and how children’s emotional well-being can be affected. Children have been sitting exams, and some are going to college. Despite the challenges of the past few months, staff have worked very creatively to make sure children have positive educational experiences that build on their talents and reflect their goals. This supports children to learn and to make good progress.

p.3

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

Children enjoy the trusting relationships built with the staff. Staff provide a strong and consistent routine which children benefit from. Children grow in confidence and self- esteem. This supports children to feel safe and secure.

p.3

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

Staff complete the mandatory training required. They also receive bespoke training which is tailored to the needs of the children. Staff discuss safeguarding issues in team Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 4 meetings. This provides opportunities for staff to discuss and reflect more about specific safeguarding issues for each child. As a result, training is focused on care, support and the safeguarding needs of children.

p.3

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

When incidents occur, staff respond in a child-centred way by listening, reflecting and providing empathy. Staff complete direct work with children following any incident so that children can share their feelings. Staff also complete debriefs, reflections and learning. This approach helps ensure continuous improvement of staff’s care and support for children in understanding and managing the child’s lived experiences.

p.4

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

There have been incidents of children going missing from the home. When this happens, staff have followed missing-from-home protocols and procedures exceptionally well. Staff are quick to respond and go above and beyond to ensure children return to the home safely and as soon as possible. Following incidents, the manager is proactive and reflective and works effectively with other agencies to ensure that strategies to reduce risks are carefully considered and highly effective.

p.4

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

The home is comfortable and welcoming. Staff ensure that children develop a sense of belonging and stability. They see themselves as a family around the children, in a family home. However, the outside gardens currently present potential health and safety risks for the children. Parts of the garden are damaged, overgrown and have pieces of equipment that are not suitable for the needs of the children. This limits the children’s participation and choice of activities.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager’s dedication to both the well-being and development of those in her care, along with fostering an environment of respect and attentiveness, creates a strong foundation for positive outcomes. The emphasis on learning and growth not only benefits the staff and children but also sets a tone for continuous improvement. The manager is focused on supporting children to make real and lasting progress. They have ensured that the children’s welfare and development are always at the forefront of the care that they provide.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective management systems in place to support the monitoring of the quality of care. She understands the strengths and areas for improvement in the home. There is positive engagement with external agencies. The manager has a clear vision for the home and remains focused on bringing continued progress because she knows this will benefit children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak with pride about the home and enjoy their work. They express pleasure in spending time with the children and enhancing their experiences. They see themselves as a ‘work family’. The staff have confidence in the manager and recognise how the home is developing under her leadership. Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 5 Staff experience a high level of support through regular one-to-one meetings and team meetings. These are reflective and mean that staff can learn lessons and adapt their own practice. Staff could benefit from further discussions in their one-to-one meetings on wider safeguarding issues and different forms of discrimination. They receive daily support and guidance from the management team and each other.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been changes in the staff team. Recruitment has been successful and is ongoing. The manager is mindful of the potential impact of these changes on team dynamics and is actively working to ensure a consistent, positive culture and ethos continue within the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This is in relation to ensuring that the external environment is safe and suitable to meet the needs of the children. 31 October 2025

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the content and/or outcomes of one-to-one sessions reflect discussion on safeguarding issues that allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs and external wider risks of children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4)  The registered person should seek to establish a diverse staff team with a range of interests, skills and experiences. They should lead these staff to share those interests, skills and experiences with children to enrich the children’s lives. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.6) Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 7

p.6

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: 1258134 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lumonics House, Valiant Office Suites, Valley Drive, Swift Valley Industrial Estate, Rugby CV21 1TQ

p.8

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Craig Whitchurch

p.8

Inspector

Thirza Smith, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1258134 9 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9