Children's Home run by Homes 2 Inspire Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children's home: 1256135 1 Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

The home is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

One child moved out of the home in April 2026. At the time of this inspection, no children were living at the home.

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Information about this children's home

The home does not have a registered manager. There is an interim manager in place, who has applied to become the registered manager.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 1256135 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/07/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/08/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/04/2023 Full Good 17/08/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 1256135 3

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Summary of findings

Towards the end of their time living at this home, the child's progress in education decreased. This was impacted by poor routines and a lack of clear guidance to staff from managers. Safeguarding practice is not consistent and the child's time with their family was not effectively monitored in line with their care and support plans. Risks to the child relating to online safety, exploitation and substance misuse were not sufficiently mitigated or escalated by staff and managers.

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Summary of findings

Some staff developed positive relationships with the child and supported them well with their health needs and participation in activities. The child experienced a well-planned and positive move from the home. Leadership arrangements for the home have been through a period of transition. Staff feel well supported by managers. However, oversight and challenge are not consistently effective.

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improvement to be good

One child lived in the home for 2 years, which provided them with stability. However, towards the end of their time at the home, the child's experiences and progress were impacted by how well they were helped and protected. This child recently moved out of the home in line with their wishes. The move was well planned and at a pace that was suitable for the child. Staff promoted a positive ending. They presented the child with gifts and helped them to prepare for their move. The child remains in contact with some staff members, which provides them with a sense of belonging.

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improvement to be good

The child had previously been making good progress in their education. Until the end of last year, the child had 98% attendance at school. Since January, the child's attendance has declined. Managers and staff had some contact with education professionals to review the support in place for the child. However, this was not effective, and the child did not attend school for 2 months prior to leaving the home.

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improvement to be good

The child's education was further impacted by a lack of age-appropriate routines in place for them. Staff and managers did not take enough action to improve the child's routines. No clear guidance was in place for staff to set out expectations in terms of routine. The child was often awake during the night without staff intervening. This impacted on the child's ability to get up in the morning and to engage in their learning.

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improvement to be good

The child had some positive relationships with staff, which enabled them to talk about their worries. However, when the child shared information of concern during discussions, staff and managers did not always take appropriate action to follow up and address these. Inspection report for children's home: 1256135 4 Staff also had important conversations with the child to support with their health. This enabled the child to access health services in line with their individual needs.

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improvement to be good

The staff and managers worked creatively with the child to gain their wishes and feelings. They supported the child to engage in fun activities, such as going to theme parks and ice-skating. This helped the child to feel listened to and strengthen their relationships with staff.

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improvement to be good

The home has undergone renovation. It is well maintained and homely. The garden is a welcoming space for children to spend time in.

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improvement to be good

Staff and managers understand the risks that the internet may pose to children. However, suitable strategies have not been in place to keep the child safe online. The child's social media and mobile phone use was not appropriately monitored, and the child had unrestricted access to a mobile phone. This meant that the child was able to communicate with unsuitable people. When staff became aware of the child using their phone during the night, they did not intervene to reduce the risks to the child. This meant that the child continued to be at risk of harm online and the support and strategies in place were not effective at reducing this risk.

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improvement to be good

Since December 2025, the number of missing episodes for this child increased. When the child goes missing, staff take action to keep the child safe. They look for the child and usually follow their safety plans. On one occasion, the child went missing due to shortfalls in staff practice. This was not identified or addressed by the manager. The child has not been consistently offered timely independent return home interviews. Managers have not sufficiently escalated this. This is a missed opportunity to gain information and reduce the risk of future missing incidents.

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improvement to be good

Staff are alert to concerns of exploitation and share concerns with external agencies. However, when agencies have not acted upon these concerns, this has not been appropriately challenged. This means that the child remained at continued risk of exploitation.

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improvement to be good

The risks of vaping, alcohol use and substance misuse are not always well managed. Staff have taken some immediate action when they have become aware of concerns. However, they have not taken action to support the child with their alcohol use and ensure that appropriate, specialist support is in place. This meant that the child continued to use alcohol, which could impact on their health and wellbeing. Staff have clear guidance to support the child to reduce their use of vapes. On one occasion, staff did not remove vapes from the child, in line with their safety plan. This shortfall was not identified or addressed by the manager.

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improvement to be good

Consequences are rarely used but, when put in place, are not always appropriate or restorative. For example, on one occasion, home visits to the child from a friend were Inspection report for children's home: 1256135 5 stopped. On another occasion, the child was told that the police would come to speak to them about their language towards a member of staff. This means that the child has not been effectively helped to develop socially aware behaviour in a supportive manner.

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improvement to be good

There is a mixed response to concerns about staff practice. Concerns are fully investigated, and the manager provides the child with feedback. However, one member of staff continued to work with a child after concerns were raised about their conduct. No mitigations were in place to manage these risks.

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improvement to be good

There have been 2 medication errors, which were identified at the same time. The manager took robust action to address these errors and, at the time of the inspection, there had been no further incidents of concern.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The previous registered manager left in October 2025. During this time, there have been 2 interim managers. The current manager has managed the home since January 2026. They manage this home alongside another home in the organisation. They have applied to become the registered on an interim basis, until a permanent manager is recruited. The deputy manager has been in post since February 2026.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff share positive views about working in the home. They say that managers are supportive and that new management arrangements have had a positive impact on the home. As a result, staff feel motivated. The home is properly staffed and there is no use of agency staff. This provides consistency for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff and managers receive regular supervision, which is supportive and reflects on children's needs. Regular team meetings are used to upskill staff and hold discussions about children's needs and vulnerabilities. However, they do not always consider strategies that staff can use to support children. This reduces the effectiveness of team meetings to improve practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers have ensured that there are up-to-date plans and risk assessments in place for the child. However, some plans have not provided enough guidance to staff to meet the child's needs. This means that children do not always get the support that they need from staff to address their vulnerabilities. This has impacted negatively on the experiences and progress of one child towards the end of their time living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Professionals say that they have a good working relationship with managers and staff. However, managers do not sufficiently challenge when responses from other services do not meet the child's needs. This means that the child did not consistently receive the support they required to meet their needs and help keep them safe. Inspection report for children's home: 1256135 6

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home's child protection policies.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home's child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e)) 9 July 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 1256135 7 In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that there are suitable measures in place to reduce and mitigate risk to children and that staff follow these measures.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received;

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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)(e)(2)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h)) 9 July 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 1256135 8 In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff have suitable plans to provide children with continuity of care and keep them safe from harm. Leaders and managers must ensure that management oversight is robust and effective.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child's needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority's or a relevant person's performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child's needs are met in accordance with the child's relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that they challenge effectively when the statutory requirements for looked-after children are not met. Leaders and managers must seek collaborative planning with external professionals to reduce risks to children. 9 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child.

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Requirement Due date

The following measures may not be used to discipline any child—

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Requirement Due date

visits to the child by the child's parents, relatives or friends. (Regulation 19 (1) (2)(c)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that consequences are restorative. 9 July 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 1256135 9

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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: 1256135 10

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Limited

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Children's home details

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

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Cherelle Robinson

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Inspector

Jenny Smith, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1256135 11 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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