Children's home run by Inspire Children’s Services Limited in St. Helens

Inspection report for children’s home: SC411825 1 SC411825 Registered provider: Inspire Childrens Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to 2 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager. A new manager has been appointed, but at the time of the inspection, had not applied to register with Ofsted.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC411825 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/03/2025 Full Good 05/02/2024 Full Good 23/08/2022 Full Good 09/12/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC411825 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living at the home. Children feel listened to, and they benefit from positive and trusting relationships with staff. This helps children feel safe and promotes their emotional wellbeing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s care plans are clear and give staff an effective understanding of each child’s individual needs and how best to support them. Staff ensure that the necessary health professionals are involved in children’s care to ensure children get the health support that they need. Children are supported to attend appointments, and the home is adapted to ensure one child’s needs are met. However, the child would benefit from further support to understand and manage their health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain relationships with people who are important to them. Time with family is prioritised, bespoke and child-focused. One parent said, ‘The home goes above and beyond.’ This practice helps children to maintain lifelong relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education is promoted, and both attend school or college. One child’s attendance has increased since they moved to the home, and another child has successfully moved to the college of their choice. When children experience challenges in education, the manager is proactive in consulting with professionals to agree arrangements to resolve issues.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress because staff understand their needs and support them to increase their independent living skills. This includes meal planning and budgeting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to understand cultural identity and beliefs. One example of this was a thoughtful discussion about Christmas, which prompted one child to consider other people’s religions and beliefs. As a result, children are accepting and respectful of diversity.

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

Staff are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities. Risk assessments are regularly updated. They are clear and accessible to all staff, which ensures appropriate steps and strategies are in place to support the children.

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

When accidents occur, staff take prompt action to ensure children’s health and wellbeing are supported and consider how future risks can be reduced. An example of this was when one child fell off their bike, and discussions took place with them about the use of safety equipment. Inspection report for children’s home: SC411825 4 Positive behaviour is promoted. Staff use natural consequences that are proportionate and related to incidents. Rewards are personal and encourage positive choices. This means children are helped to reflect and learn.

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

There have been few incidents since the last inspection. When incidents occur, safety is at the forefront of practice. Following an incident when one child left the home at night, the manager acted promptly to review and update the child’s risk assessment. Debriefs with the child and staff were completed and learning identified. However, shortfalls have been identified in procedures for locking external doors as they impact on children’s access and freedom. The lack of regular review of these measures has failed to ensure that they are appropriate, necessary, proportionate and the least restrictive.

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

Safer recruitment processes are followed. All appropriate checks of candidates take place before they start employment, which ensures that staff are suitable to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been changes to the management arrangements in the home, which have been carried out in a planned way to reduce the impact on children. The current manager knows the children and staff well as he has supported them in his previous roles within the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive training specific to the children’s needs, including training for autism spectrum disorder and grief and loss. One-to-one work is carried out in a respectful way to help children understand and process their emotions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported. One member of staff said, ‘I receive a tremendous amount of support from my colleagues, and especially the management team.’ Staff receive regular and supportive supervision, which provides a supportive space to reflect on their relationships with children and their own wellbeing and development. The manager uses team meetings to share information, including updates on children and ways to improve practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff have effective relationships with professionals. One professional described communication between staff and professionals as positive and noted that they ‘have taken a multi-agency approach’ to support one child during an emotional time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff morale in the home is high. The manager is approachable and responsive and has a clear understanding of the strengths of the home and the areas that can be improved. As a result, the manager focuses on working together as a team to improve outcomes for children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC411825 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21(c)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that procedures in the home in relation to locking doors do not impact on children’s access and freedom.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, the registered person must ensure that there is a regular review of safeguarding measures to ensure that they are appropriate, necessary, proportionate and the least restrictive. 28 January 2025

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Recommendation

 Children’s homes staff should encourage children to take a proactive role in looking after their day-to-day health and wellbeing. Where children have specific health needs or conditions, they should be supported to manage these subject to their age and understanding. (‘Guide to The Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.10) Inspection report for children’s home: SC411825 6

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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: SC411825 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Inspire Childrens Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 3, Craig Court, Standish Street, St. Helens WA10 1GJ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Michael Bradshaw

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Inspectors

Julia Edwards, Social Care Inspector Suzanne Birchall, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC411825 8 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 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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