Children's Home run by Roundhouse Care in Staffordshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC425859 1 SC425859 Registered provider: Roundhouse Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home, which is operated by a private provider, is registered to provide care and accommodation for three young people who have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 20 to 21 November 2018

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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 children’s home: SC425859 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/03/2018 Full Good 23/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/11/2016 Full Outstanding 24/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC425859 3

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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, 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the registered manager maintains effective oversight of staff training. Furthermore, consider different ways that staff can communicate with children and young people after incidents of restraint and to engage children in key-work sessions more readily. 30/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. The standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff 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. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that relevant medical information informs young people’s individual risk assessments and behaviour management plans. 30/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(3)(d)) 30/12/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC425859 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children and young people to attend school. Staff help children and young people to complete their school homework by sitting with them and offering support and encouragement. Staff liaise with children and young people’s schools when there are concerns about a child or young person’s behaviour or academic progress. This support means that staff help children and young people to make good progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people experience positive transitions into and out of the home. Children and young people new to the home have the chance to visit before they move in. This gives them the opportunity to look around the home, meet the staff and the other young people and helps to allay some of their fears. Furthermore, staff work with parents and ask them about children and young people’s routines. This promotes continuity of care and helps children and young people who are new to the home to settle quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff keep in touch with children and young people who have moved out of the home. They continue to offer encouragement and support. One young person wrote to the staff when they were leaving the home and said, ‘Thank you for everything you have done for me.’ The young person enjoyed a leaving party and she received good support from staff with her move on from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff talk knowledgeably about the model of care delivered by the organisation. Staff value the advice they receive from the organisation’s therapy team. Staff use this advice to try different approaches to help children and young people to make progress. One social worker told the inspector, ‘If one thing isn’t working they will try another approach.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people enjoy warm and nurturing relationships with staff. Staff help children and young people to have fun. One member of staff described how she settled a young person into bed by pretending he was a chocolate eclair, tucking him in and then pretending the duvet was the cream. This playful approach promotes positive relationships and helps to build attachments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are not always supporting regular key-work sessions or finding out the best way to communicate with some of the children and young people. This is a missed opportunity to help children and young people have their opinions heard about their care.

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

Staff have good working relationships with partner agencies and this helps to ensure that children and young people receive well-coordinated care and support. For example, Inspection report children’s home: SC425859 5 the staff have good links with local police community support officers, who visit the home and talk to the children and young people. This promotes a sense of trust and safety for children and young people.

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

The assessment and management of risk is largely good. However, on one occasion the registered manager did not ensure that a young person’s risk assessment included all relevant information. For example, relevant medical information was not cross- referenced to a young person’s behaviour management plan. This means that staff do not have sufficient guidance about how to manage the young person’s behaviour safely, if physical intervention is required.

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

Staff treat any incidents of bullying towards children and young people in the home seriously. The manager involves relevant agencies, such as the police and the school, to ensure that bullying is dealt with quickly.

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

Staff ensure that any use of physical restraint is recorded. The registered manager then ensures that he reviews the record. Staff act to repair the relationship with the child or young person after a restraint and they offer reassurance and comfort. However, staff do not always consider a child or young person’s age and developmental stage when talking to them about their feelings after a restraint. Consequently, staff are not taking the opportunity to fully understand how the child or young person feels after a restraint has happened.

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

Recruitment practice is not thorough and in line with guidance. This places children and young people at potential risk of harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager recognises when the staff are under stress and arranges team supervision that is supported by the home’s therapist. This supportive environment promotes good practice, which has a positive impact on the care that children and young people receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers work proactively and positively with other agencies. They challenge other professionals when children and young people are not making the progress they should. The manager and staff are quick to identify when additional support is required. For example, the registered manager has worked with the social worker for one young person to agree additional support for him in school. Staff arranged an advocate for another young person to help with a very complex situation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New members of staff receive a detailed induction programme that includes regular supervision and training. Staff have a good understanding of the ethos, aims and objectives of the home as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. However, during the inspection the registered manager could not easily access or explain the home’s training matrix to the inspector. As a result, it is not clear how the registered manager maintains effective oversight of staff training and development. Inspection report children’s home: SC425859 6 The registered manager makes decisions about children and young people coming to live at the home that are child-centred, and considers the needs of children and young people already living at the home. This promotes long-term placements for children and young people.

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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.

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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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC425859 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Roundhouse Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Ventura House, Ventura Park Road, Tamworth, Staffordshire B78 3HL

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Inspector

Karen Gillingwater, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC425859 8 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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