Children's home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2845195 1 Registered provider: Homes2Inspire Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is part of a partnership that provides local residential care for children who have complex needs. The home’s statement of purpose states that it can provide care for up to two children who have experienced social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home and they were supported to speak with the inspector.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted on 21 August 2025. This report concerns the home’s first inspection since registration.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager submitted their voluntary cancellation form and was deregistered on 10 November 2025. The registered manager’s post is vacant.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

p.1

inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded, and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor, and they are not making progress.

p.1

inadequate

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

p.1

inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2845195 2

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Before this inspection, Ofsted received concerns regarding the care and safety of the child living at the home. As a result, the inspection was brought forward.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures in safeguarding practices and in the leadership and management of the home, resulting in poor care and experiences of the child.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child has received poorly planned and inconsistent care. Despite care planning meetings being held before the child moved into the home, the child’s views, wishes and feelings were not listened to and professionals did not consistently agree on how the child should be supported. Professionals and staff have raised concerns that the child’s move was rushed and chaotic.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Although leaders and managers assessed the child’s needs as requiring ‘tailored resources’, they did not fully consider the skills and experiences of the staff team. The child’s needs are not being met, and they are not protected from harm effectively.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child said that they feel unsafe at the home and that it is not a good place to live. The child has raised several serious concerns about staff’s conduct towards them. In addition, there are multiple concerns about staff’s practice, including failures to keep the child safe and follow safety plans, incidents of staff becoming confrontational towards the child and blurred professional boundaries.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Although the child is subject to a deprivation of liberty order, staff do not have the skills and experience to implement safeguards effectively. The child’s negative experiences at the home undermine the support that is provided by staff and leaves them at continued risk of harm.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The quality of the home environment is mixed. Communal areas are generally clean, tidy and homely. However, the child is not supported to maintain their bedroom to a good standard of cleanliness, and it is not a nice space for them to spend time in.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child has access to items that increase the risk of significant harm. Staff have failed to mitigate these risks and room searches are ineffective. Staff do not demonstrate a sufficient level of care or curiosity regarding the child’s environment, which compromises the child’s sense of safety, security and belonging.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child is supported to spend time with the people who are important to them. These arrangements are child-led but are not always positive and safely managed by staff. The child’s progress is limited by inconsistent care, weak management and poor care planning. Inspection report for children’s home: 2845195 3

p.2

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

The child is exposed to significant and ongoing risk of harm. The response from leaders and managers to the heightened risk of fire is not robust. Fire safety arrangements have not been sufficiently reviewed and verbal recommendations from external specialists to reduce the risk of fire have not been implemented effectively. When the risk of fire has been realised, staff have not always demonstrated that they have the confidence, skills and experience to respond appropriately.

p.3

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

Staff are not consistently able to support the child to express their thoughts and feelings safely. This has led to highly volatile and dangerous incidents, which have been escalated by staff’s combative and inflammatory responses. Staff’s approach to the child’s care is not consistently aligned with the home’s therapeutic principles or policies. Consequently, the child is not supported to develop socially aware behaviour or learn safe conflict resolution effectively.

p.3

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

Leaders and managers do not routinely support staff to reflect on the support that they provide and identify learning to improve practice. As a result, repeatedly poor responses to the child directly result in physical and emotional harm. On one occasion, a member of staff is reported to have threatened and hit the child. On another occasion, a member of staff used an unauthorised physical intervention technique without considering the impact on the child. Although the use of the intervention was necessary, staff did not have the skills and experience to use a more appropriate, approved technique.

p.3

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

There are serious concerns about staff practice and conduct. Several investigations are ongoing, and some members of staff have been suspended to protect both themselves and the child. When the child discloses harm, the response from leaders and managers is not always caring and supportive. Swift action is not always taken, and concerns are not consistently shared with the relevant external professionals. Additionally, concerns have been raised about the transparency and candour of senior leaders.

p.3

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

The actions of leaders, managers and staff do not protect the child effectively. Staff lack the skills and experience required to help the child stay safe. Staff are not confident or able to maintain safe boundaries. On one occasion, staff ran and locked themselves away from the child. These experiences result in the child feeling unsafe and put them at increased risk of harm.

p.3

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

Inconsistent oversight from leaders and managers results in repeated failings and minimal improvement in the quality of care and safety of the child. Responses to safety concerns are not robust and the child is not protected effectively. Although appropriate actions are sometimes identified to mitigate risk, leaders and managers are not always able to demonstrate that they have been completed, as monitoring systems are inadequate. Inspection report for children’s home: 2845195 4

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The management team is not stable or consistent. Two managers have left the home in short succession due to concerns about the child’s safety and ineffective care. Frequent changes to management arrangements have resulted in a lack of oversight, inconsistent care and ongoing harm to the child.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers are not a consistent presence in the home, and they do not have a good understanding of the child’s experiences or their day-to-day care. Leaders and managers are not fulfilling their roles, and although they accept that the care has not been good enough, there is a lack of responsibility and accountability.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Regular multi-agency meetings are held to review the child’s care and the challenges that are experienced by staff. However, the responses from professionals to the escalating risks have been inadequate. The child is not being helped to understand risk and how to keep themselves safe. Although some of the professionals involved in the child’s care recognise the shortfalls, their actions have not resulted in impactful change and improved outcomes for the child. Leaders and managers have not identified or escalated concerns effectively to ensure that the child gets the support that they need.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff report that some incidents have been distressing for both the child and themselves. Staff do not receive sufficient support from leaders and managers and they are ill- equipped to meet the child’s complex needs. As a result, the wellbeing of the child and staff is not promoted effectively.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The availability of staff to work in the home is impacted by ongoing concerns about staff practice, injuries, resignations and requests from staff to transfer to another of the provider’s homes. The remaining staff team is small and not sufficient to provide continuity of care.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Agency-employed staff and staff from the provider’s other homes are being used to supplement the reduced staff team. Although some of these members of staff have built positive relationships with the child, others have not. The child is receiving inconsistent care from people whom they do not always know well. This further contributes to the challenges that the child and staff are encountering at the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers cannot demonstrate that all staff are suitable to work with children. Safer recruitment procedures are not followed robustly, and when concerns arise about staff’s suitability, appropriate action is not always taken to safeguard children. The child who lives at this home is placed at significant risk of harm. Inspection report for children’s home: 2845195 5

p.4

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.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; and

p.5

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; and

p.5

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)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)) 25 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2845195 6 In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff have the skills and experience to help children to stay safe. Staff must follow children’s safety plans and child protection policies and take effective action to reduce the risk of harm to children.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that staff are helped to reflect on the support that they provide to children and that learning is identified and used to inform children’s care and to mitigate risk.

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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; and

p.6

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)(d)(e)(f)(h)) 25 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2845195 7 In particular, the registered person must ensure that they maintain sufficient oversight and effective monitoring of the care and safety of children. This includes regularly visiting the home and providing stable and consistent support to children and staff. The registered person must ensure that children receive good-quality care that meets their needs and helps them to stay safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that when concerns are raised about children’s care and safety, they are responded to robustly and that action is taken to promote children’s welfare. This includes sharing concerns with the relevant agencies to enable a robust multi-agency response when necessary.

p.7

Requirement Due date

Finally, the registered person must ensure that there are sufficient numbers of staff who have the necessary skills and experience to meet children’s needs and help them to stay safe. Children must receive support from staff who know them well, meet their needs and offer continuity of care.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that when there is an increased risk of fire, robust and swift action is taken to reduce the risk to children. Staff must be confident and able to apply the knowledge gained through training to their day-to-day role. This includes preventing children from having access to items that increase risk and ensuring that staff follow the recommendations from external specialists. 25 January 2026

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults. 25 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2845195 8 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.8

Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

p.8

Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(xi))

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff meet children’s needs and help them to express their thoughts and feelings in safe ways. Children must be supported to develop socially aware behaviours and practise safe conflict resolution.

p.8

Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that staff have the skills and experience to respond to children in line with the home’s chosen therapeutic approach. Staff must be confident and able to maintain safe boundaries, de-escalate challenging situations and help children to stay safe. Staff’s responses to children must help children to build positive and trusting relationships with staff and engender feelings of safety. Inspection report for children’s home: 2845195 9 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person must take reasonable steps to ensure that any individual who is working at the home and who does not fall within paragraph (2)(a) and (b) is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(a)(d) (8)) 25 January 2026

p.9

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.9

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if— 25 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2845195 10 the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii)(e)(i))

p.9

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s care and support is planned effectively, meets children’s needs and protects them from harm. The registered person must ensure that before children move into the home, staff have the skills and experience required to deliver effective care and support.

p.10

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.10

Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; and

p.10

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.10

Requirement Due date

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

p.10

Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

p.10

Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

p.10

Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably; and

p.10

Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii)(iv)(vii)(viii))

p.10

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff provide personalised care that meets children’s needs. Staff must protect children’s welfare and prevent access to items that put them, and others, at increased risk of harm.

p.10

Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that children’s bedrooms are maintained to a good standard of cleanliness. 25 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2845195 11 In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.10

Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a))

p.11

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that concerns about children’s care and safety are shared with relevant external professionals so that a robust multi-agency response can be coordinated to improve the care and protection of children. 25 January 2026

p.11

Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.11

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: 2845195 12

p.11

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Homes2Inspire Limited

p.12

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Black Country House, Rounds Green Road, Oldbury B69 2DG

p.12

Inspector

Martin Brown, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2845195 13 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.12

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 .

p.13

Inspector

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.13

Inspector

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

p.13

Inspector

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

p.13