Children's Home run by ROC Northwest Limited in Lancashire

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC483688 1 SC483688 Registered provider: Roc Northwest Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to accommodate up to seven young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities. The home provides accommodation for up to five young people in the main building and two young people in a separate annex. The home is owned and operated by a private organisation.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged outstanding at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The three young people who have lived at this home on a long-term basis continue to make excellent progress. They enjoy very positive relationships with staff and each other, and have all grown in confidence. One young person said, ‘Things have really changed for me because of being here. I have a lot of good plans now.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Each of these young people has made outstanding progress in their education. This is commendable, particularly in view of the fact that two of them had not engaged in education for a significant amount of time, at the point of their admission to the home. Two young people are in further education and the other young person is in the process of making college applications for the next academic year. He is on target to achieve a Interim inspection report children’s home: SC483688 2 number of GCSE qualifications this year.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, one young person has moved on from the home to a planned placement, as it was felt that the new placement would meet his individual needs more effectively. Staff worked closely with this young person, in partnership with external professionals, to ensure that he was provided with appropriate support to prepare for his transition.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Four young people have joined the home since the last inspection. Records demonstrate that there was careful consideration of the young people’s needs, prior to offering them a place. The young people were carefully matched to help ensure that their admission did not have a negative impact on any of the young people already living at the home. This careful matching process has led to a stable home, within which young people get along well together. One long-term resident said, ‘It’s been good having new people come. They are all a bit younger than me and I like it. I’m the big brother.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young people who have been admitted since the last inspection have all settled well. They are engaging positively with staff and each other, and all particularly enjoy taking part in the wide range of activities regularly made available to them. There have been positive developments in some of the young people’s educational engagement. For example, one young person is now attending school on a full-time basis, for the first time in several years.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of young people’s needs and recognise when they may need additional support. For example, one young person recently made some disclosures about historical events. Staff ensured that this young person had access to additional therapeutic support, and carefully considered his emotional well-being at this challenging time. Staff have encouraged another young person to engage in speech and language therapy, to assist him with some long-standing difficulties. The young person’s speech is already showing significant improvement, as a result of this additional support.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A number of older residents are in the process of preparing for independence. There are individualised care plans in place for each of them, identifying their strengths and the areas they need to develop. The staff team is also carrying out some very positive work with the family of one young person, to help prepare them for their role in supporting him when he leaves the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers and staff continue to safeguard young people effectively. Concerns are promptly identified and appropriate action, including the involvement of relevant agencies, is consistently taken. Clear records are maintained of any safeguarding concerns and subsequent action taken.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have a good understanding of the risks associated with young people’s care. Following a recommendation at the last inspection, some improvements have been made to the use of formal risk assessments. However, further improvements are still required. While risks are clearly identified, the action required by staff to maintain young people’s safety is not always clear. In addition, risk assessments could be updated in a more Interim inspection report children’s home: SC483688 3 effective manner, when new information is obtained. A further recommendation is raised in relation to this matter.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some young people have joined the home with a history of going missing, and with high levels of concern behaviours. However, since their admission they have achieved a remarkable reduction in these and other high-risk behaviours. There have been no incidents of young people gong missing from this home since the last inspection, and no incidents of young people engaging in concerning behaviours outside the home. This means that young people are benefiting from a safer lifestyle, and that their general well-being is enhanced.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff communicate positively with young people and are skilled in providing positive behaviour support. This is demonstrated in the reduction of high-level incidents experienced by young people from the point of their admission. There is a strong emphasis on rewarding positive behaviour, although at times staff may use consequences to assist young people in understanding the impact of a negative behaviour. Records demonstrate that the use of consequences is not excessive. However, there were a small number of examples where daily records showed the use of consequences which had not been properly recorded. This means that the use of consequences cannot be monitored effectively. A recommendation is raised regarding the recording of consequences, to help ensure that practice is consistent and carefully monitored.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been a change of manager at the service since the last inspection. The previous registered manager recently tendered his resignation. A new manager has been appointed and has submitted his application for registration to Ofsted. Although the home has experienced some changes, there has been consistent support from the deputy manager throughout. Staff remain positive and report that they have continued to benefit from a good level of support.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager makes effective use of systems to monitor quality and safety across the service. A recommendation made at the last inspection in relation to the development of personal emergency evacuation plans has been addressed, although further work is required to fully address the recommendation made in relation to risk assessments. As such, this recommendation is repeated.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Appropriate systems are in place to notify Ofsted and other relevant persons of significant events that occur. This means that relevant people are kept informed and young people’s welfare is promoted. Serious incidents are suitably reviewed, and any potential learning from such incidents is identified and cascaded to the staff team. However, during this inspection, it was noted that although the manager ensures that complaints are suitably addressed, they are not recorded in a manner that supports effective monitoring or trend analysis. A recommendation is raised in relation to this matter, to support further improvement. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC483688 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/04/2017 Full Outstanding 24/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 20/09/2016 Full Requires improvement 05/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recommendations

 Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Specifically by means of ensuring that risk assessment information is up-to-date and contains all relevant information. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should actively make best use of information to ensure continuous improvement. They should be skilled in anticipating difficulties and reviewing complaints, in a manner that identifies themes or trends. They are responsible for proactively implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair and the above principles as set out in 9.35 are respected. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)

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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 differences 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. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC483688 5 This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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

Registered provider address: Roc House, Ward Green Lane, Ribchester, Preston, Lancashire PR3 3YB

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: James Whincup Gary Holt

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Inspector

Marie Cordingley, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: SC483688 6 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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