Children's home run by Inspire Childcare Ltd

Inspection report for children's home: 2716801 1 Registered provider: Inspire Childcare Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to 4 children who experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, 4 children were living in the home.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2023.

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Information about this children's home

The inspection started on 6 January 2026. It was paused in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy. The inspector returned on 12 January 2026 to complete the inspection.

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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: 2716801 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/10/2024 Full Good 03/08/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2716801 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress while living in this home. They identify trusted adults they can approach with any worries or concerns, which helps them feel safe and supported. When concerns arise, staff respond promptly and provide appropriate support. Children enjoy positive and trusting relationships with staff, who make a consistent effort to understand their individual needs and experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from a wide range of activities and experiences that promote their interests and development. They have enjoyed trips such as visiting a science museum and regularly attend activities of their choice, including farm visits and trampoline parks. One child recently experienced their first holiday, which was a positive and enjoyable milestone.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's views are central to staff practice. Regular individual sessions and group meetings provide meaningful opportunities for children to share feedback about the home and their care. Children are confident in knowing how to raise concerns or complaints. They are kept informed throughout the process and have expressed satisfaction with how these are managed. Children consistently feel heard and listened to by staff, which promotes a sense of trust and inclusion.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively promote education, and, as a result, children understand its importance. All children attend education suited to their needs. For example, one child is completing their A levels remotely, ensuring continuity when they transition to independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's health needs are well met. Staff work closely with medical professionals and ensure attendance at appointments. All children are registered with a GP, dentist and optician and have attended routine check-ups. Medication is managed safely, with clear processes followed by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm, welcoming and well maintained. Children can personalise their bedrooms, creating a sense of belonging. Repairs are addressed promptly by the maintenance team, ensuring that the environment remains safe and comfortable.

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

Staff have a clear understanding of children's risks and vulnerabilities. Individual care plans are detailed and regularly reviewed and updated, ensuring that staff always work with the most current information. Any changes to children's care are communicated effectively to all relevant agencies, promoting consistency and safety.

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

Episodes of children going missing have reduced. When incidents do occur, staff respond promptly and follow procedures to ensure children's safety, including reporting and actively searching for them. After these events, children are supported to reflect on their Inspection report for children's home: 2716801 4 reasons for going missing and explore strategies to prevent reoccurrence, with input from staff and independent professionals.

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

Physical interventions have significantly decreased, reflecting improvements in children's ability to communicate and express themselves with staff support. When incidents do occur, reflective discussions take place with children and staff to learn from the situation and improve practice. Children report feeling listened to during these processes, which strengthens trust and relationships.

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

There is a strong safeguarding culture in the home. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of safeguarding responsibilities and take appropriate steps to keep children safe. Safeguarding concerns are managed effectively, and children are kept informed throughout the process, ensuring transparency and trust. While notifications to Ofsted have occasionally been outside the required timeframe, the manager has acknowledged this and is taking steps to address the issue.

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

Recruitment checks are completed to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. However, not all safer recruitment practices have been consistently followed. For example, the last 2 candidates were interviewed by only one person, which does not align with safer recruitment guidelines and reduces transparency in the recruitment process.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager demonstrates strong oversight of the home and has a clear understanding of its strengths and areas for development. She takes timely and appropriate action when improvements are needed and maintains positive relationships with children, acting as a strong advocate for their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External professionals are complimentary about the manager and staff team. They acknowledge the challenges that staff manage daily and commend their ability to respond effectively. Professionals highlight good communication from staff, ensuring that they remain informed about significant events involving children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well trained to meet children's needs. When emerging risks are identified, the manager ensures that staff receive additional training to strengthen their practice and maintain children's safety and wellbeing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about the home, their roles and the support they receive. They describe the team, including the manager, as supportive and collaborative. New staff report feeling well inducted and supported, contributing to high morale across the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular, reflective supervision that supports their development and provides constructive feedback. Team meetings are held regularly. However, actions agreed during these meetings are not always clearly recorded in the minutes. This creates a risk that some actions may not be followed up. Inspection report for children's home: 2716801 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety. (Regulation 32 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that safer recruitment processes are followed and that candidates are interviewed by a minimum of 2 people. 1 March 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home's policies and procedures are followed to ensure that children who live there benefit from them. In particular, the registered person should ensure that any actions resulting from team meetings are identified and reviewed to ensure that they have been completed. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 54, paragraph 10.20)  The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 63, paragraph 14.13)

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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: 2716801 6

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Inspire Childcare Ltd

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9JQ

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Inspectors

Louise Webling, Social Care Inspector Jacob Robson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2716801 7 regulates and 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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