Children's home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2845195 1 Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Limited

p.1

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 residential care for children with complex needs. The home’s statement of purpose states that it can provide care for up to 2 children who have experienced social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted on 21 August 2025. The manager submitted their voluntary cancellation form and was deregistered on 10 November 2025. The current manager has been in post since January 2026 and has submitted their application to register with Ofsted.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Following a full inspection on 3 and 4 December 2025, Ofsted suspended the home’s registration due to concerns about serious risk of harm to others. As a result, the child living at the home moved out. No children were living at the home at the time of this inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

On 26 January 2026 and 25 February 2026, Ofsted completed monitoring visits at the home. At this time, the breaches of regulation were found not to have been addressed and the home remained suspended.

p.1

This monitoring visit

During the full inspection, serious and widespread concerns were identified in relation to the care and protection of the child living at the home. As a result, two compliance notices were issued under regulation 12 and regulation 13 of The Children’s Homes (England) Regulation 2015. In addition, a notice to suspend the home’s registration was served and the child who was living at the home was supported to move out.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Since the full inspection, two monitoring visits have taken place to review the effectiveness of the actions taken by leaders and managers to address the shortfalls Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2845195 2 outlined in the compliance notices. The second monitoring visit found that leaders and managers had taken the required action to address the breaches in respect of regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. However, the suspension remained in place and the compliance notice under regulation 12 was reissued.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the effectiveness of the actions taken by leaders and managers to address the shortfalls outlined in the compliance notice re-issued under regulation 12, the protection of children standard. Additionally, the suspension of the home’s registration was reviewed. At the time of this visit, no children were living at the home and the home’s registration remained suspended.

p.2

This monitoring visit

When a child was living at the home, a number of concerns about staff practice were raised. Leaders and managers have shared, explored and resolved some of these concerns. However, others remain open. In addition, investigations into two serious concerns about staff conduct have not been robust. Leaders and managers have failed to thoroughly explore what happened and outcomes are not always supported by records and rely on limited sources of information. Sufficient action has not been taken to protect children.

p.2

This monitoring visit

A letter has been drafted to be sent to the child who lived at the home to outline the actions and outcomes agreed in response to the concerns that they raised about staff practice. However, the letter has not yet been shared with the child. In addition, the letter is unclear and does not address all the concerns that they raised. As a result, the child has not been assured that their concerns have been taken seriously, nor have they been supported to provide their input or agree with the actions that have been taken.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The majority of the staff team is new and has not yet had the opportunity to work together as a team. However, staff are currently working at the provider’s other homes and initial feedback about their practice is positive. Staff have been provided with opportunities to get together as a team during ‘team meetings’, ‘team days’ and reflective practice sessions. Staff are also receiving regular supervision sessions, and additional training has been provided to help them to develop the skills and experience that they need to meet children’s needs and help them to stay safe.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have supported staff to reflect on their experiences and identify learning opportunities to improve their practice. However, not all staff have been supported to reflect on the concerns that have been raised about their conduct. As a result, it has not yet been demonstrated that all staff have the skills and insight to ensure that their approach is consistent with the home’s therapeutic approach.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The manager of the home has been in post since January 2026. However, their suitability for the role has not yet been assessed by Ofsted. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2845195 3 Leaders and managers have reflected on the shortfalls that contributed to the poor quality of care and resulted in the child who lived at the home being exposed to increased risk and harm. Consequently, leaders and managers are taking a more proactive approach to assessing the home’s suitability to meet children’s needs before they move in. Leaders and managers are clear that if they do not feel as though staff are able to meet children’s needs, then children will not move to the home.

p.2

This monitoring visit

While the home’s registration was suspended, independent visits under regulation 44 have not taken place. Although leaders and managers increased their oversight of the home during this time, regulation 44 visits remain a statutory requirement. The absence of these visits means that opportunities for independent scrutiny were missed, limiting the ability to further strengthen leaders’ and managers’ response to the concerns identified.

p.3

This monitoring visit

One of the requirements that was issued at the last monitoring visit has been met. However, another requirement has been issued under regulation 44. In addition, a recommendation has been added to ensure that accurate and clear feedback is provided to the child who was living in the home about the concerns that they raised. Leaders and managers have not taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notice issued under regulation 12. As a result, the compliance notice has been reissued with redefined actions to address regulatory breaches.

p.3

This monitoring visit

It has been determined that leaders and managers have taken sufficient action to enable the suspension of the home’s registration to be lifted. However, concerns remain that children may be admitted to the home before the manager and staff are adequately prepared. In addition, the manager’s capacity to manage the home safely and consistently has not been proven, nor has the staff team’s ability to meet children’s needs and keep them safe. As a result, Ofsted has varied a condition in respect of the home’s registration limiting the number of children that can be accommodated and cared for to one. The home will continue to be monitored and the decision to vary the condition will be reassessed. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2845195 4

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/12/2025 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 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 with 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

p.5

Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must review and, where necessary, undertake again the investigations into two serious concerns 20 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2845195 6 about staff conduct, to ensure that they are thorough and effective in protecting children from harm.

p.5

Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that actions and outcomes are secure, grounded in evidence and effective in ensuring that children are protected from harm.

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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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)(c)(f)(g)) 19 June 2026

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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.6

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. 19 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2845195 7 The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.6

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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.7

Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

p.7

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.7

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 effectively. Children must be supported to develop socially aware behaviours and practice safe conflict resolution.

p.7

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 19 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2845195 8 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.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

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.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

p.8

Requirement Due date

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.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s care and support is effectively planned, meets children’s needs and protects them from harm. The registered person must ensure that before children move to the home, staff have the skills and experience required to deliver effective care and support. 19 June 2026

p.8

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— 19 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2845195 9 understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

p.9

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.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that children’s bedrooms are maintained to a good standard of cleanliness.

p.9

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.9

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.9

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 co-ordinated to improve the care and protection of children. 19 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2845195 10 The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

p.9

Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

p.10

Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

p.10

Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

p.10

Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

p.10

Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

p.10

Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

p.10

Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

p.10

Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions.

p.10

Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

p.10

Requirement Due date

upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located;

p.10

Requirement Due date

(the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and

p.10

Requirement Due date

(the responsible individual (if one is nominated). 31 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2845195 11 (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (6)(a)(b) (7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

p.10

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

p.11

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any allegation of harm or abuse is addressed in line with the home’s child protection policy. In particular, the registered manager should ensure that when children raise concerns about the practice of staff, they are provided with a suitable overview of the actions that have been taken and the outcomes. The registered manager should ensure that children are satisfied with the actions that have been taken and feel protected as a result. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph, 9.17)

p.11

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

p.11

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2845195 12

p.11

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Limited

p.12

Children’s home details

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

p.12

Inspectors

Martin Brown, Social Care Inspector Stacey Pellow, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2845195 13 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.

p.12

Inspectors

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 . 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

Inspectors

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

p.13

Inspectors

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

p.13