Children's home run by Inspirations Leicestershire Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2557603 1 Registered provider: Inspirations Leicestershire Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private provider.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified and registered in May 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 4 children were living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 21 January 2025

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2557603 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/01/2025 Full Outstanding 12/03/2024 Full Good 29/03/2023 Full Good 20/04/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2557603 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are settled and feel secure in this happy, loving home. Three of the 4 children who live here have done so for a number of years, often experiencing stability for the first time in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s progress from their starting points is exceptional, especially in the context of their complex needs. Children make significant progress in all areas of their lives as a result of consistent, kind and nurturing care. The staff know children’s individual needs exceptionally well and are committed to ensuring the best outcomes for them. Children are helped to understand their previous experiences and the complex feelings these may evoke. For example, staff have helped one child to understand what the theory of attachment is and what emotions the child may feel with a secure or insecure attachment to an adult.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

There is a strong focus on children accessing education. All children are attending school or college; some have achieved qualifications and have aspirations for their future careers. Prior to moving to the home, some children were not attending education or previously had negative experiences of education. One social worker said, ‘Education is going from strength to strength.’ Children have opportunities to take part in a variety of activities and experience the excitement of going on holiday to explore new destinations, including abroad. Staff listen to the wishes of children and adapt activities to meet their personal interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s health needs are well known by staff, who support them to understand how to manage their own health. Staff play a key part in helping to reduce children’s anxieties before any medical procedures, to ensure that children receive the health support that they need. Since recently moving into the home, one child’s dental hygiene has improved significantly, meaning that they can now be considered for the orthodontic work that they require. Children’s mental health improves while living at the home. For example, incidents of self-injurious behaviour decrease and access to mental health support services increases.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The registered manager recognises the importance of children having meaningful and positive time with their families. The manager builds trusting relationships with parents and helps families progress to unsupervised time, including children being able to stay overnight. She recognises that good quality time spent with family helps to improve children’s self-esteem, and their sense of identity and belonging.

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

Children are kept safe by a skilled and knowledgeable staff team that understands the impact of past trauma and how this may present in children’s behaviour and Inspection report for children’s home: 2557603 4 communication. Staff develop trusting relationships with children, which means children feel safe and protected.

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

Incidents linked to behaviour are relatively low, and members of staff rarely need to physically hold children. When incidents do occur, staff respond promptly and effectively to protect children from harm and to bring the event to an end quickly. Over the summer, episodes of going missing from the home increased for a child who was new to the home. The manager and staff were proactive and determined in their approach while the child was missing. For example, the manager was persistent in her discussions with staff at railway stations, conducted searches of the local and extended area, made enquiries at addresses which might have information about the child and did everything she could to ensure the child’s safe return. This demonstrates exemplary safeguarding practice.

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

Well-written, regularly reviewed and detailed risk management plans address children’s known vulnerabilities. This helps staff to have up-to-date information that informs their practice effectively. Staff take a positive, balanced approach to supporting children to take age-appropriate risks and develop their independence. For example, some children have been able to move from the constant monitoring of their mobile phone activity to occasional safety checks.

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

Staff continually support children to express any concerns or worries they may have. They help children to learn how they can manage their own feelings and help them to keep themselves safe. Staff skilfully explore risks and safeguarding concerns with children. They have important conversations with children about often very sensitive topics. These discussions help children to reflect on and understand the impact of their behaviour on others, to develop appropriate attitudes and to make positive changes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager leads a culture of aspiration and encouragement at this home. She has high expectations of staff and children and supports staff to develop high-quality practice. The manager advocates strongly for the children in her care and is highly ambitious for them and for their futures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Multi-agency professionals and family members say that the standard of care provided to children and the progress they have made are exceptional. There is strong partnership working with external professionals, and the registered manager uses challenge effectively if there are gaps or shortfalls in planning or actions. This helps to ensure that children can access all the external services they need. One social worker said, ‘The registered manager has been instrumental in getting the right support for [name of child].’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager leads by example. She models excellent care practice while supporting the staff team to achieve the high standards she aspires to. The staff speak positively about the support they receive from their manager. They have access to regular reflective Inspection report for children’s home: 2557603 5 supervision, team meetings and training. A new member of staff confirmed that they can talk openly to the management team members if they have any queries and find them to be very approachable. Leaders and managers learn lessons from experiences of past placements and use these to make informed decisions about new children moving into the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children live in a bright, well-furnished and well-maintained home. There are photos placed throughout the home of children and staff members enjoying activities. However, access to a communal lounge is reduced at nighttime which, as well as limiting children’s access to an area of their own home, detracts from the homely and family feel staff try so hard to create.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has a good understanding of the strengths and areas of development of the home. The manager’s monitoring system now has more analysis. For example, incidents are thoroughly evaluated and reflected on. This has ensured that the recommendation made at the previous inspection is met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Since the last inspection, staff across the organisation have had the opportunity to take part in research-based therapeutic life-story work training, which is now starting to be used with children who live at this home. Although the impact of this has yet to be seen, it has the potential to benefit children immeasurably. This represents investment not only in the continuous professional development of staff but in positive outcomes for children, too. Innovative staff training techniques, such as using virtual reality headsets, also help staff to develop a greater understanding of the child’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2557603 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any decisions to limit a child’s access to any area of the home, and any modifications to the environment of the home, must only be made where this is intended to safeguard the child’s welfare. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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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: 2557603 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Inspirations Leicestershire Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 131a London Road, Oadby, Leicester LE2 5DP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Toni Bartholomew-Smith

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Inspector

Catherine Honey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2557603 8 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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