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

Inspection report children’s home: SC035625 1 SC035625 Registered provider: Rowden House School Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is part of a residential special school that can accommodate up to 30 children who have learning disabilities. The registered manager has managed the home since February 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good 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 registered manager continues to make improvements in the provision of care and leads a dedicated staff team that is child focused, attentive and caring in its approach. Children continue to make good progress because of the quality of care that they receive.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children continue to enjoy a wide range of activities, and particularly enjoy the new sensory room.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

When children move into the home or are ready to leave the home, managers ensure that transitions are child centred. Detail planning includes carrying out life-story work for new children and for children who are already resident at the home. This creative approach ensures that all children are consulted when changes happen. Staff are not Inspection report children’s home: SC035625 2 afraid to challenge other professionals if they feel decisions about potential moves are not in a child’s best interests.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Safeguarding concerns and complaints are taken seriously and carefully investigated. The designated officer was consulted as part of this visit. He reported that the management team has a good grasp on safeguarding and is referring appropriately.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite the improvements, there are a couple of minor shortfalls. The latest version of the home’s statement of purpose has not been sent in to Ofsted. The home’s location risk assessment does not show that all potential risks associated with the location have been fully assessed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A practice of displaying personal information about children on notice boards in communal areas, to help staff who are less familiar with the children, has not been sufficiently challenged. This practice deflects away from a homely environment where children’s privacy is otherwise respected.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/06/2018 Full Good 12/10/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/06/2017 Full Inadequate 21/03/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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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 registered person must: keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) 10/05/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC035625 3

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Recommendations

 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. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  When establishing the home, the registered person must ensure that it is suitably located so that children are effectively safeguarded and can access services to meet needs identified in their relevant plans (see regulation 12(2)(c)). Under regulation 46, the registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented

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Recommendations

by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. Providers should refer to the non-statutory advice about the location assessment process: ‘Children’s homes regulation amendments 2014: Advice for children’s homes providers on new duties under regulations that came in to effect in January and April 2014’. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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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

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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC035625 4

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Rowden House School Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 St George’s, Vernon Gate, Derby, Derbyshire DE1 1UQ

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Inspectors

Louise Battersby, social care inspector Rumbi Mangoma, social care inspector Michelle Moss, social care regulatory inspection manager Inspection report children’s home: SC035625 5 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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