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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2796116 1 Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private company. The home provides care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home. Both children were spoken to by the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since March 2025.

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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: 21 January 2025

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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: 2796116 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/01/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2796116 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made good progress from their initial starting points when moving to this home. Children said that they feel safe and comfortable in their home. While children do not regularly engage with one another, purposeful conversations take place to promote positive interactions and support harmonious living arrangements. Despite the children’s recent arrival, they are well settled and are adapting positively to life in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children maintain strong relationships with those people who are important to them, which supports their sense of identity. Staff actively engage with children’s families to ensure they remain involved in their children’s lives. A family member praised the high standard of care provided to their child, which has supported them to settle quickly into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the importance of education for children. Children are making good progress academically and show ambition for their futures. When decisions are not in children’s best interests, the registered manager advocates effectively on their behalf. As a result, one child is now attending their preferred college course.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move into the home, there is regular communication with professionals involved in their care to ensure all relevant information is gathered. Children have the opportunity to visit the home before moving in, and staff visit children in their previous homes to build initial relationships. Similarly, when children move on from the home, staff provide consistent support to facilitate a positive and seamless transition.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s voices are central to all aspects of the care provided by staff. This is evident not only through direct conversations with children but also throughout children’s records. Records are written with children in mind, using language that speaks directly to them. This approach offers a meaningful and caring narrative of their journey while living in the home, reflecting a genuine commitment to their well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported and encouraged to develop independence skills appropriate to their age and level of development. They receive praise for their progress with daily tasks, which actively promotes their preparation for adulthood.

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

Staff support children to keep themselves safe. There are few safeguarding incidents, however, when concerns arise, staff take the time to engage sensitively with children to understand what is going on for them. Staff show empathy, which creates an environment where children feel comfortable to be open and express how they feel. Staff are confident in having difficult but necessary conversations. As a result, children’s risks have significantly reduced. Inspection report for children’s home: 2796116 4 Staff have a thorough understanding of children’s risks. Safety plans provide clear and detailed guidance on the actions staff must take to support children if concerns arise. These plans are regularly reviewed and updated, including following any incidents. This ensures they remain relevant and responsive to the children’s evolving needs. Additionally, careful consideration is given to creating child-friendly versions of these

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

plans, enabling children to understand their own support in a way that is accessible and meaningful to them.

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

When children go missing from home, staff respond promptly and in a well-coordinated manner. They conduct thorough searches of the local area and promptly report children as missing to the police. On their return, children are spoken to about their reasons for going missing, with staff offering support and exploring how they can assist in preventing future incidents. Additionally, return interviews are conducted by the local authority, providing children with an independent and safe space to discuss their experiences.

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

Incidents of self-harm are managed effectively, with appropriate actions taken promptly, including medical attention where necessary. Following such incidents, staff engage sensitively with children to assess their well-being and explore how best to support them. Robust management oversight ensures a thorough analysis of all incidents. Where learning opportunities are identified, such as in professional curiosity or record-keeping, these are shared with the team by managers to enhance practice.

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

When room searches are conducted, it is clearly documented whether children were present or informed at the time. These searches follow incidents of concern and are appropriate and proportionate. Records provide detailed information about any items of concern that are found. However, management oversight of room searches is inconsistent. This is an area for development.

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

When children raise concerns about staff, these are addressed promptly. Thorough investigations are conducted by an independent person, separate from the home. Appropriate actions are taken, based on the outcomes of investigations to safeguard children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a dedicated and committed manager. Staff consistently report feeling well supported by managers. Staff’s work is regularly acknowledged and celebrated. Staff morale is positive and they genuinely enjoy their work, which benefits the quality of care provided to children. The manager has high aspirations, not only for the children but also for the professional development of the staff team, with a clear focus on ongoing training and growth.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff have completed mandatory training, including safeguarding, ensuring they have a solid foundation of knowledge to protect children. In addition, staff receive targeted training tailored to the specific needs of the children in their care. This comprehensive Inspection report for children’s home: 2796116 5 training equips staff with the skills and knowledge required to meet the individual needs of the children effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular team meetings where children’s needs and progress are discussed in detail. These meetings provide a valuable forum for staff to reflect on and share their practice, ensuring the best possible support for the children in their care. Additionally, the use of learning circles in these sessions promotes ongoing staff development and collaborative learning. In addition to team meetings, staff receive regular supervision, which they say is highly beneficial to their ongoing learning and practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers maintain effective communication with external professionals involved in children’s care. Professionals consistently provide positive feedback regarding the quality of care delivered by staff and the clear, timely communication from the management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers demonstrate clear oversight of the home through the regular review and sign- off of documents, and comprehensive audits. This oversight includes a thorough evaluation of all reviewed areas. Identified development needs and any shortfalls are promptly highlighted and addressed with staff to ensure continuous improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: 2796116 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that a child’s bedroom should not generally be entered without their permission, though it may be necessary to establish routines to allow for rooms to be cleaned regularly. Usually, rooms should only be searched if the child has been informed or asked for their permission. Immediate searching may be necessary where there are reasonable grounds for believing that there is a risk to the child’s or another person’s safety or well-being. The registered person should ensure that they review each room search. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.20)

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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: 2796116 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: Black Country House, Rounds Green Road, Oldbury B69 2DG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Cherelle Robinson

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Inspector

Jess Baines, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2796116 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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