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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1256135 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 by a private company. It provides care for up to three children who have experienced childhood trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home. Both children were present and spoke with the inspectors.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since July 2021. He is suitably qualified and experienced.

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Inspection date: 7 October 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 7 October 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1256135 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care and protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not ensure effective oversight of children’s care and safety. They do not consistently identify safeguarding concerns or take appropriate action to protect children. This has put children at risk of harm. For example, following an incident in which one child physically harmed another, leaders and managers did not speak with the children involved, did not seek medical attention for the injured child, and did not provide a full account of the incident to the placing authority or Ofsted. These shortfalls leave children vulnerable to further harm.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff and leaders do not always assess risks effectively when working with children. For example, the manager and staff did not recognise signs that two children’s risks had increased in the home. Furthermore, the children’s written plans did not identify these concerns or put in place strategies for staff to follow to mitigate the risks. This lack of oversight compromises children’s safety and well-being.

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Findings from the inspection

Some safeguarding practices and leaders’ responses to managing safeguarding concerns are poor. On one occasion, children experienced unnecessary police involvement due to staff responses. This led to children being arrested and potentially criminalised. Leaders and managers have reflected on this and made changes to prevent this from happening again.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff respond quickly when children go missing from the home. They search for children and usually work with the local police until children are found. However, staff are provided with conflicting information in children’s plans which can be confusing for staff and leads to inconsistent practice. In addition, management oversight of incident records varies in quality. The manager does not always identify shortfalls in staff practice, which could have prevented children from going missing. This does not help staff to learn from incidents or improve their safeguarding practice.

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Findings from the inspection

The home environment is not well maintained or cleaned in some areas. Hazards are in the home and the garden. One child’s wardrobe had no wardrobe doors, leaving splintered wood. Managers have not taken timely action in response to concerns identified in the home’s fire risk assessment. This does not create a safe environment where children feel cared for. Managers have acknowledged this, and work has commenced to replace the fire doors.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have supported children with their education and leisure activities. One child has started to attend college. Another child regularly attends school and plays for two football teams. This change is due to improvements in the children’s daily routines, as staff implemented more consistent boundaries. One child said that they feel happy in the home and that they have good relationships with staff. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1256135 3 Managers have not taken effective action to secure the necessary improvements to the quality of care that children receive. Two requirements raised at the last inspection have been restated, and three additional requirements have been raised. As a result of this inspection, one compliance notice has been issued in relation to regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard). Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1256135 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/07/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/08/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/04/2023 Full Good 17/08/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1256135 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires, and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and 30 November Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1256135 6 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that there is effective oversight and timely monitoring of the quality of care children receive and take action when needed to bring about improvement.

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Requirement Due date

The manager and staff must have the knowledge and skills to deliver the model of care as outlined in the statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that incidents are properly reported and investigated and that professional curiosity is used to identify shortfalls in care. Any learning identified from incidents must be shared with staff to facilitate improvement and reduce the likelihood of repeating mistakes.

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Requirement Due date

Part of this requirement was raised at the last inspection and has been restated.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and 30 November Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1256135 7 are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that 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)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that leaders and staff have the required skills and knowledge to provide safe and effective care to children. Managers must ensure that staff have the information they need to safely care for children. Children’s plans must reflect known and emerging needs.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the home environment is maintained to a suitable standard.

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Requirement Due date

Part of this requirement was raised at the last inspection and has been restated.

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all actions raised in fire risk assessments are addressed in a timely manner and that fire doors are compliant with fire regulations. 30 November

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults. 30 November Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1256135 8 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)(vii)(xi)(xii)(xiii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff manage children’s relationships effectively in the home. Staff must have the skills to recognise unhealthy relationships between children and take effective action to keep them safe. In addition, the manager must ensure that attempts are made to repair children’s relationships after incidents have occurred. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1256135 9 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter.

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they notify Ofsted and the local authority of all serious incidents involving children. 30 November

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1256135 10

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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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Inspectors

Sonia Sullivan, Social Care Inspector Jenny Smith, Social Care inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1256135 11 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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