Children's home run by Rosedale Children’s Services Limited in Hertsmere

Inspection report children’s home: SC062939 1 SC062939 Registered provider: Rosedale Children’s Services 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

This is a privately run and owned children’s home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account Good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected Good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers Good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of last inspection: 17 January 2017

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: Good

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children’s home: SC062939 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 The young person enjoys good relationships with staff, who offer a very nurturing approach to her care.  The young person experiences a range of activities. This helps her to spend her leisure time positively.  The young person feels safe.  Staff work hard to educate the young person about how to keep herself safe.  Staff have a good understanding of the risks that the young person may face. They take action to protect her.  The registered manager is dedicated to providing high standards of care. She takes effective action, when necessary, to ensure that the young person receives the services that she needs.  The registered manager’s reflective practice ensures that she learns from any shortfalls. As a result, practice improves.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/01/2017 Full Good 29/09/2016 Interim Not judged 01/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 16/11/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC062939 3

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4). This is with particular reference to missing from home recording. Records should consistently demonstrate the times and precise actions staff take to locate a child in line with local protocol.  For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9). This is with particular reference to the garden being maintained and developed so that it is accessible for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: Good

The young person benefits from staff spending a lot of time with her. Consequently, she knows staff well and enjoys good relationships with them. Staff have a good understanding of the young person’s complex needs. This helps them to provide very individualised care, which provides clear structure to her day.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: Good

The young person is learning the importance of looking after her physical and emotional health. She is starting to attend health appointments for the first time. This will benefit her physical and emotional health now and in the future. The young person is responding well to healthy lifestyle advice. As a result, she is developing an understanding of the importance of healthy eating. She is now making healthy food choices and is starting to take exercise.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: Good

Tutors come to the home to provide education for the young person when she cannot attend school. This ensures that she has access to continual learning. The young person gains additional skills from work experience opportunities, which could help her increase her employment options in later life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: Good

The young person is confident to voice her opinions in relation to her care and the running of the home. Staff respect her wishes and support her to put plans into action. This helps her to feel a sense of value and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: Good

The young person chooses to undertake a range of activities, such as trips to safari parks, meals out, dog walking and shopping. This is helping her to learn how to Inspection report children’s home: SC062939 4 engage in positive activities and is expanding her life experience.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the risks that young people face. Consequently, they are quick to act and are flexible in their approach to divert the young person from any risk-taking activity. Work on healthy relationships and staying safe online helps the young person to identify the signs of danger, to keep herself safe.

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

The actions that staff take to locate the young person when she is missing from home are not always clear. This does not evidence that staff are consistently following missing from home protocols and taking necessary steps to find the young person.

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

Staff regularly undertake a range of safeguarding training. As a result, they have knowledge of the risks that young people may face, such as child sexual exploitation and radicalisation. This training enables them to identify the signs of risk and act quickly to keep the young person safe.

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

The young person responds well to the security of the structure and boundaries in place. As a result, her incidents of physical aggression and episodes of going missing from home have recently reduced. Staff are able to identify the signs that indicate that she is becoming upset and they successfully help her to manage her behaviour without the use of any physical intervention.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: Good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced to undertake her role. She was registered to manage the home in 2011. The manager prioritises the young person’s opinions. She ensures that the young person’s requests inform the running of the home. The manager has high aspirations for the young person. Consequently, she is not afraid to make difficult decisions to ensure that the young person receives an individualised service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: Good

The manager’s monitoring systems enable her to have a good understanding of the young person’s progress. The external monitoring systems effectively support her oversight. As a result, she is able to identify any issues quickly and takes effective action to make sure that the young person receives the right support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: Good

The staff team members feel well supported by the managers. They receive regular supervision and report feeling that managers listen to their views. This helps them to feel respected and confident to undertake their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: Good

The manager has a good understanding of the strengths and areas for development of this service. She has a strong focus on providing high-quality care. Consequently, Inspection report children’s home: SC062939 5 she frequently reviews the effectiveness of the service and takes robust action when necessary to ensure that the young person is getting what she needs. The manager’s reflective approach ensures that she learns from any shortfalls. This improves practice and prevents any repeat mistakes in the future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: Good

The manager ensures that she has good relationships with other professionals, such as the police and social workers. She is quick to link in with any specialist services, such as child sexual exploitation specialists, to ensure that the young person receives the right support. When necessary, the manager appropriately challenges other professionals to make sure that they are meeting the young person’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: Good

The home is well furnished and maintained. The outside of the property is under- developed and some areas require maintenance, such as the grass cutting. This will ensure that young people can enjoy the outside of their home and that they experience high standards inside and out.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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’.

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Children’s home details

Inspection report children’s home: SC062939 6 Unique reference number: SC062939

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Rosedale Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5th Floor, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Jamie Richardson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC062939 7 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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