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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1254745 1 Registered provider: Homes 2 Inspire Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a private organisation. It provides care for up to 5 children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 2 children were living at the home and were spoken with.

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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: 1254745 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/06/2025 Full Good 28/01/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/03/2024 Full Outstanding 28/03/2023 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 1254745 3

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Summary of findings

Children build close relationships with staff and feel comfortable in sharing their views. Staff work hard to ensure that children are getting the correct educational support, and they safeguard children effectively by following clear risk management plans. The management team has improved processes around preparing for new children moving in, although care plans do not always contain consistently caring language. Leaders have not clearly shared the outcome of an allegation with a child, which has impacted their existing relationship.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a well-maintained, child-friendly environment that is designed to meet their individual needs and promote positive experiences. Repairs and improvements to the home are completed promptly, helping to ensure that children benefit from a safe, welcoming and comfortable living space.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children well and use their understanding of each child’s individual interests, strengths and needs to provide personalised care and support. This enables staff to create meaningful opportunities that promote children’s emotional wellbeing, confidence and development. For example, one child has been supported to care for a pet in recognition of their love of animals. This has provided the child with a sense of responsibility, companionship and emotional enrichment, while also helping to develop nurturing skills and positive routines.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are praised by professionals for their hard work and persistence in supporting children to feel settled and part of a family unit. Professionals say that staff are strong advocates for children during professional meetings, ensuring that children’s voices are heard and that children are receiving the right support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

An on-site education room has been refurbished to support children who are receiving home tutoring, providing an appropriate environment for learning. Staff have worked alongside other agencies to ensure that one child is attending the right educational provision. The child has been able to increase their school attendance, complete exams and secure a college place for the following year.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have supported one child with their independent living skills, which has led to them moving on to a semi-independent living placement in line with their wishes. Staff have maintained contact with the child and offered support since the move, demonstrating progress in areas where the child was previously unsure about accepting support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend time safely with family and friends. When children share concerns around this time, they provide practical and emotional support in order to help maintain and improve family relationships. One child has also been supported to move Inspection report for children’s home: 1254745 4 back to live with their family, who have praised the consistency and patience shown by the staff.

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

Staff understand triggers for children. Risk assessments and behaviour support plans provide clear, proportionate and relevant guidance for staff on how to respond to children across a range of identified risks. Staff reflect on incidents and use learning from these experiences to inform and update children’s plans, helping to ensure that support remains responsive and effective. Staff also apply knowledge gained through specialist training relating to children’s diagnoses and individual circumstances, enabling them to provide informed, consistent and therapeutic care that promotes children’s safety, wellbeing and progress.

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

Staff take time to talk with children about any worries or concerns they may have, helping them to better understand the risks they face and how these can be managed together.

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

Staff follow and search for children straightaway when they go missing. They follow missing-from-home procedures closely and notify all relevant agencies in good time. Staff are persistent in attempting to contact and reassure children when they are missing.

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

Staff use physical intervention only when necessary to keep children and others safe, and they make every effort to use the least restrictive response possible. Records of incidents are detailed and clearly set out the actions taken, ensuring transparency and accountability. Staff and children are offered timely opportunities to debrief following incidents, and where children are not ready to speak with staff immediately, they revisit discussions at a later time to ensure their views and feelings are heard. Staff place a strong emphasis on promoting children’s emotional wellbeing and encourage access to mental health support when needed. They demonstrate a reflective and therapeutic approach, looking beyond children’s presenting behaviours to understand the underlying causes of distress.

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

Staff recording is generally concise and written directly to children. It contains relevant goals and targets that help guide their progress and support. However, the language used in some plans is not consistently child centred or nurturing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The members of the management team promote a natural family atmosphere, with a focus on regular reflection and improvement. The manager has a good knowledge of the children’s stories and their needs, and feels confident in delegating responsibilities to a capable deputy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager regularly reviews processes within the home and proactively collaborates with other managers across the organisation to share learning, draw on experience and Inspection report for children’s home: 1254745 5 strengthen practice. They also contribute to the development of others through mentoring managers and staff, helping to build expertise and promote progression within the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from a wide range of training that is tailored to the specific needs of children and are able to apply this learning effectively in their day-to-day practice. The manager is committed to research-informed practice and regularly facilitates in-house training and reflective discussions to support learning and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager welcomes feedback and new ideas, and staff report feeling listened to and valued. Staff feel well supported by the management team and speak positively about working in the home. They receive regular, meaningful supervision that recognises good practice, promotes reflection and supports their professional development. Where practice issues arise, managers address these constructively and provide appropriate support and guidance to help staff improve, contributing to a positive and child-focused service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has provided evidence of learning and reflection around children’s moves into the home. The members of the management team have identified previous shortfalls within assessments and have now overhauled this following a detailed review.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When children make allegations, staff and managers take these concerns seriously and ensure that they are fully investigated. However, despite an allegation being unsubstantiated, the child has not been provided with a clear explanation of the outcome. In addition, leaders and managers have not developed a sufficiently robust plan to support the repair of the relationship between the child and the staff member concerned. As a result, the child has been left feeling anxious and confused, which may undermine their sense of trust and emotional security within the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1254745 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust.

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that children are given full and clear explanations of the result of any investigations relating to allegations, and that sufficient and timely work is planned to retain and repair relationships between children and adults. 1 November 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children’s home: 1254745 7

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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: 1254745 8

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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: Carla-Marie Dore

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Inspectors

Patrick Rowell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1254745 9 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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