Children's Home run by ROC Northwest Limited in North Yorkshire

Inspection report children’s home: 1277380 1 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

This is one of several children’s homes operated by a private provider. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since July 2019.

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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

Suitable action has been taken to address the two requirements made at the previous inspection. The statement of purpose has been updated and a copy sent to Ofsted. Further amendments were made during this inspection to reflect the fact that in the absence of the registered manager, an interim manager is in day-to-day charge of the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The procedures for notifying Ofsted when serious incidents occur have improved. Several notifications have been submitted to Ofsted, including two allegations against staff. The provider has acted in the best interests of children in both instances. This includes referral to and involvement of the right agencies, and removing staff from their duties pending the outcome of any investigation. These issues remain ongoing at the time of this inspection. Inspection report children’s home: 1277380 2 Two recommendations were also made at the previous inspection and have been suitably addressed. Care plans have been reformatted and their content reviewed and rewritten. This has resulted in good-quality plans that are now individual to each child. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of these plans and implement them in a way that promotes an individually tailored approach to care planning.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been 36 physical restraints since the last inspection. Staff have been supported to improve their report-writing skills. Consequently, restraint reports are much more purposeful in capturing why and how restraint has been used. When concerns have emerged, the provider has been transparent in sharing information with the right people, and has taken the necessary steps to protect the children from further risk.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two children have left the home since the last inspection, with one moving to semi- independent living and the other to a home within the placing authority. Three children are currently living at the home and are making good progress against their plans. For example, attendance and progress at school are good for two children and the third child is successfully engaging in an apprenticeship at a local college.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The relationships between children and staff are positive. Staff are extremely committed to helping children achieve their personal goals. They provide children with good opportunities to create positive memories of their time in care, such as going on holiday, going to music concerts or generally pursuing their individual hobbies and interests.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are benefiting from the good care and support they receive from a largely experienced and qualified team of staff. They are provided with a good range of training opportunities, which are a combination of online and face-to-face courses. Most staff have completed training that better enables them to work with this group of children, who have been diagnosed as having autism spectrum disorder. However, three staff members have not yet completed this training. Furthermore, none of the staff team have been trained in working with children who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a diagnosis that one child has.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11) Specifically, ensure that all staff are trained in working with children diagnosed as Inspection report children’s home: 1277380 3 having ADHD and working with children who have autism spectrum disorder.

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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’.

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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

Paul Scott, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1277380 4 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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