Children's Home, Residential special school run by Rowden House School Limited in Herefordshire

Unique reference number SC035625 Inspector Andrew Hewston Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Residential special school (>295 days/year)

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Registered manager Margaret Kim Ames Date of last inspection 09/10/2014 2 of 6 Inspection date 11/03/2015

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Previous inspection good Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

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This inspection

The home has developed since the last inspection. Work has been completed to allow a young person to be involved with communal life, while at the same point having a new bathroom built to promote their privacy. A complete refurbishment of one area has also been completed to respond to the specific needs of two new admissions. This area is well designed and personalised.

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This inspection

All young people are now attending school on a regular basis, with the home offering support to both the school on the home's site and an external school placement. This ensures that young people are able to access the educational placement that best meets their needs.

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This inspection

Social workers and parents are positive about the level of communication that they receive from the home and the development of their young people. One parent stated that staff were 'absolutely fantastic, just like your extended family...they work with you and don't take over.' A social worker stated that 'there is a high level of communication and it's good that (the young person) is involved with less incidents and becoming more settled.'

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This inspection

A new health promotions manager is in position following the last inspection. This has helped to decrease issues regarding medication administration as well as developing stronger links with local health services including having an input into improvements with local health provisions. This moving forward ensures that young people's health needs are responded to well and also allows expertise within the home to be shared with the local community.

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This inspection

The last inspection in October 2014 raised one requirement and two recommendations. All of these have been responded to. All behaviour management records are completed within 24 hours of the incident and are appropriate. The 3 of 6 Registered Manager now monitors all incidents requiring restraint and these are then signed off to ensure that they are appropriate. If recordings of incidents require challenge this is done swiftly to clarify the event and responses. The computer based system allows for trends in behaviour management use to be examined, including when and with whom instances occur. This allows the Registered Manager to look at where additional support may be necessary for young people.

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This inspection

The necessity and ability of young people to access an advocate has been examined for each resident, including discussions with social workers. Some young people now have advocates that come into the home and arrangements are in place for a new local organisation to deliver advocacy services to the home on a more general basis. Due to the diverse and complex needs of the young people it has taken time to find the most appropriate service. It is positive that the home has taken this time to best meet the needs of the young people.

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This inspection

There has been an increase in the level of recording of consultation with the young people. Scrap books for individuals are used on a regular basis to show what activities young people have been involved with. Additional records of consultation are within their files. Young people have been involved with looking at areas such as bullying and internet safety and shift leaders are now involved with visiting other home areas to develop an increased awareness of differing communication methods used.

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This inspection

Young people live in a safe environment where they are protected from harm. Staff use good safeguarding practices to identify risk, and implement protective measures to keep vulnerable young people safe. Staff have a high awareness of the reporting procedures relating to safeguarding concerns. Where these have been raised recordings of both the incident and the response are detailed and clear, showing that young people's well-being is central to any investigations completed.

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This inspection

Where staff or young people have raised concerns regarding the quality of care, this is responded to appropriately and fully recorded. This includes areas such as the early closing of the canteen and how this can be avoided. This ensures that young people's welfare is listened to and respected at all time.

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This inspection

The Registered Manager notifies the relevant parties when incidents occur. These are swiftly completed and show how staff have responded to situations. Where additional updates have been required relating to incidents these are completed well.

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This inspection

Quality of care and professional practice is regularly monitored by the Registered Manager. Areas for improvement and development are identified and the Registered Manager, together with the staff team ensures that improvements are made. External monitoring is detailed and thorough, with action points that are responded to swiftly. 4 of 6 No requirements or recommendations arise from this inspection. 5 of 6

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Information about this children’s home

This service is a privately registered children's home that also provides education on site for up to 30 young people with special educational needs. The service comprises of seven separate residential homes.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/10/2014 Full good 14/01/2014 Interim good progress 20/06/2013 Full outstanding 21/02/2013 Interim good progress Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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