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

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2812978 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

The home is registered to provide care for up to 2 children with social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children's home

One child was living in the home at the time of this inspection.

p.1

Information about this children's home

There has been no registered manager in post since 28 February 2026. A new manager has been recruited and has applied to register with Ofsted. However, their suitability for the role has not yet been determined by Ofsted.

p.1

Information about this children's home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Information about this children's home

Enforcement action since last inspection: On 9 and 10 June 2026, Ofsted completed an assurance visit and identified serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care and safety of the children. Due to the severity of the concerns that were identified, a notice restricting the accommodation at the home was issued on 11 June 2026.

p.1

Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector evaluated:

p.1

Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2812978 2 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'. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2812978 3

p.1

Findings from the inspection

This inspection took place to consider what changes had been made to improve the lived experiences and care of the child living in the home since the completion of the assurance inspection that took place on 9 and 10 June 2026.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

At this insurance inspection, we identified serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care and protection of the child. The requirements made at the previous visits have been reissued.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home. At the time of the inspection, one child remained living in the home. The inspector was unable to see or speak to the child.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

The manager said that staff are scared of the child. Staff avoid conflict by not providing any challenge to the child. They provide very limited boundaries and routine, which has led to the child receiving poor-quality parenting and having poor experiences. Staff do not provide the child with the support, encouragement and motivation that they need to attend education and engage in positive activities. As a consequence of this, the progress made by the child in all areas of their development and their lived experience is significantly limited.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Staff do not show curiosity when speaking to the child. They do not encourage them to share information and engage with them. No action has been taken to address ongoing concerns or to educate the child about risk, behaviours or about positive and effective relationships. This does not provide the child with the learning, care and support that they need to stay safe, make positive decisions and take responsibility for their actions.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have devised a plan to address the concerns raised at the previous inspection. However, very limited action has been taken to implement change or to provide the child with the quality of care that they need and deserve.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Concerns about the quality of management oversight and the quality of guidance and support provided to staff are ongoing. Team meetings have not taken place due to the number of staff off sick or suspended. Managers are not providing staff with reflective, practice-based supervision sessions. Their oversight and evaluation are not always recorded on important documents about the child's experiences and actions. This does not support a culture of learning and development that focuses on meeting children's needs.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Systems that would allow leaders and managers to consistently monitor and review staff practice, the impact of care planning and the care provided are not in place. Prescribed medication for the child has not been effectively monitored. This prevented the child from having medication when they requested it. There are no assurances that there is effective oversight of the quality of staff practice, Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2812978 4 addressing of concerns and determining the need for revised or ongoing care planning.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not provide staff with clear expectations, guidance and strategies on how to meet the child's overall needs. Since the last inspection, care planning has been formulated. However, this lacks depth and detail. This does not provide assurances that the quality of care that the child experiences will improve.

p.4

Findings from the inspection

Staff were unable to meet the needs of a child who was living in the home. This resulted in them experiencing a short notice move from the home. Staff supported them to move to their new home and listened to their concerns and anxieties around the move. A review of the child's overall experiences in the home and the quality of care that they received has not been completed. This has hindered the identification of concerns and the implementation of measures to address them.

p.4

Findings from the inspection

Action to improve the home conditions are ongoing. Communal areas of the home have been decluttered and external areas have been maintained. Ongoing work is required to ensure that the home provides a positive home environment for children.

p.4

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/04/2026 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/04/2025 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2812978 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 within the given timescales.

p.5

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.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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;

p.5

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)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

p.5

Requirement Due date

 they evaluate the impact of the quality of care provided and the progress that children make. 27 July 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2812978 6  managers and staff have the required experience and skill to care for children.

p.5

Requirement Due date

 staffing in the home provides children with the care, consistency and stability that they require.

p.6

Requirement Due date

 staff listen to children, act on their views wishes and feelings and treat them with honesty, openness and transparency.

p.6

Requirement Due date

 children are engaged with meaningful and reflective discussions following incidents, behaviours of concern and in relation to areas of known risk to inform practice development.

p.6

Requirement Due date

 thorough reviews of children's experiences, decision- making and staff practice are completed following children moving out of the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

 all staff receive regular, reflective, practice based and child-focused supervision sessions.

p.6

Requirement Due date

 children and staff experience a positive culture in the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

 children are provided with a comfortable, tidy and clean home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; 27 July 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2812978 7 understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home's child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that

p.7

Requirement Due date

 children are supported to have positive relationships in the home and to not intentionally harm or upset each other.

p.7

Requirement Due date

 investigations into staff practice are well planned and thorough.

p.7

Requirement Due date

 appropriate action is taken to address children's behaviours that cause harm to others.

p.7

Requirement Due date

 there is clear planning in place to address risk, and action is taken to protect children from the risk of harm.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.7

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(a)(b)(ii))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that 27 July 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2812978 8  the aims of children's placement are clear and directive.

p.7

Requirement Due date

 they provide staff with clear guidance on how to meet children's needs.

p.8

Requirement Due date

 robust evaluation and analysis of all available or required information about all children is completed before a decision is made for a child to move into the home.

p.8

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child's education and training targets, as recorded in the child's relevant plans;

p.8

Requirement Due date

support each child's learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

p.8

Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

p.8

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

p.8

Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

p.8

Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii))

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children are supported to attend education or to complete educational activities. 27 July 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2812978 9 In addition, the registered person must ensure that work is completed to highlight the importance of education and to identify and overcome barriers to accessing education.

p.8

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

p.9

Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

p.9

Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child's relevant plans;

p.9

Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child's wellbeing. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

p.9

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children's health needs are well planned for and met. 27 July 2026

p.9

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.9

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

meet each child's behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child's relevant plans;

p.9

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. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(v)) 27 July 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2812978 10 In particular, the registered manager should ensure that staff provide children with routine and boundaries to support their overall development. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2812978 11

p.9

Children's home details

Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Limited

p.11

Children's home details

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

p.11

Inspector

Carla Simkiss, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2812978 12 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.11

Inspector

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 .

p.12

Inspector

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.12

Inspector

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

p.12

Inspector

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

p.12