Children's home run by ROC Family Time Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 2517184 1 Registered provider: ROC Family Support Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This private children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children and/or young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The qualified and experienced manager has been in post since the home opened in March 2019 and is registered with Ofsted. This is the home’s first inspection.

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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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2517184 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make clear progress from their starting points. They are happy and settled and enjoy living in the home. Young people develop trusting relationships with members of staff and respond well to the care provided to them. One professional said they had never known the young person they work with to be as happy as they are now.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people move into the home following a well-planned induction that is individualised according to their needs. The registered manager assesses the impact on other young people of someone new coming into the home. This process ensures that members of staff can meet the needs of all the young people they look after.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people attend school regularly and take a range of qualifications. Members of staff use the positive relationships that they have with young people to talk to them about their aspirations. Because of this support, young people make choices about their education that fits with their interests and potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people give their views to members of staff about topics such as menus, the design of the home and activities. Young people contribute to their own placement plans and risk assessments and begin to take responsibility for their actions. Young people learn that their views are important and that they have a right to influence their world.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people take part in a range of activities, including going on holidays with members of staff. These activities provide young people with enjoyable experiences and help them to develop their social skills. Young people are building positive memories of living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people live in a home that is very well maintained, nicely decorated and which has a homely feel. Young people help to choose new furnishings for communal areas as well as for their own bedrooms. The home has enough space for young people to spend time by themselves if they want to do so. The physical conditions of the home help young people to feel valued, which is good for their self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Members of staff encourage young people to develop their independence skills, for example by cooking a meal for staff and other young people. Members of staff contribute to pathway plans using their knowledge of the young people’s skills and vulnerabilities. This means that leaving care workers make plans with young people based on the most pertinent information.

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

Young people are safe in this home. They do not engage in behaviours such as substance misuse, self-harm and frequent running away. They are not involved in criminal or sexual exploitation. For some young people, this is evidence of significant progress. Inspection report children’s home: 2517184 3 If a young person is missing, staff follow the home’s procedures closely, including going out to search for them. Members of staff ensure that a young person speaks to someone independent after they return to the home. This response to being missing gives young people a powerful message that staff worry about them and will do all they can to make sure that they are safe.

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

Members of staff provide young people with clear boundaries and expectations for their behaviour. Staff use their strong relationships with young people to help encourage positive behaviour. Sanctions are rarely used. Because of the approach to managing behaviour, young people are increasingly responsive to the care that they receive.

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

Members of staff talk to young people to help them understand the risks that they might face. Key-work sessions take place if there has been a concern, for example arising from social media. Because of the work of the staff team, young people are learning more about their own strengths and vulnerabilities. They are becoming increasingly safe.

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

On one occasion, the response from staff to a safeguarding concern was not swift enough. Professionals were not contacted within appropriate timescales. The impact on the young person of this lapse was negligible. However, members of staff must respond to future concerns in accordance with the home’s child protection procedures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are passionate about young people and are effective in their roles. Feedback provided during the inspection was very positive about the skills and knowledge of the registered manager. Members of staff are learning valuable skills from their managers. As a result, young people are looked after by carers who share a commitment to providing them with the best quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a clear understanding of what the home does well and is committed to improving the quality of care for young people. The registered manager has tools to track outcomes and the senior team meets to discuss young people’s progress. The registered manager should ensure that the oversight that is present on paper records is also evident on electronic records.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager responds well to those who provide external monitoring of the home. Any recommendations are met quickly. The registered manager values this input and knows that this oversight helps to drive forward improvements in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All members of staff are supervised by appropriately skilled and experienced senior staff. There is an emphasis on reflective practice. Any issues of capability are addressed effectively. The induction period was extended for all staff, so that the registered manager could observe their practice with young people once the home had opened. Because of the approach to staff supervision, young people are looked after by carers who are competent to meet their needs well. Inspection report children’s home: 2517184 4 All staff, including leaders and managers, receive training to support their practice. Staff are either qualified or enrolled to become qualified within the required period. The registered manager arranges additional training when there is a specific need, for example around safeguarding or health issues. This means that young people are looked after by carers who have the knowledge to do so effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is developing effective relationships with professionals involved in the care of the young people. This means that when additional support for young people is required, it is arranged quickly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

On one occasion, leaders and managers did not challenge a professional when they had responded poorly to the needs of a young person. Leaders and managers accept their deficit on this occasion. They are committed to taking effective, decisive action in future. Inspection report children’s home: 2517184 5

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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, the 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c)) In particular, staff must challenge members of the professional network if they fail to act in accordance with the best interests of young people. 30/09/2019

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(vi)(vii)) In particular, staff must respond in a timely way to any safeguarding concerns, in line with the child protection policies for the home. 30/09/2019

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Recommendations

 Regulations 35–39 detail the records that must be kept in children’s homes. All children’s case records (Regulation 36) must be kept up to date and stored securely whilst they remain in the home. Case records must be kept up-to-date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. Children’s case records must be kept for 75 years from the date of birth of the child, or if the child dies before the age of 18, for 15 years from the date of his or her death. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3) In particular, staff must ensure that all documents are signed and dated and that electronic and paper files contain the same information. Inspection report children’s home: 2517184 6

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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: 2517184 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: ROC Family Support Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hope House, Burnhope, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham DL5 7ER

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Inspector

Jane Titley: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2517184 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 children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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