Children's home run by ROC Northwest Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection report children’s home: SC483692 1 SC483692 Registered provider: Roc Northwest Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is one of a number, operated by a private provider. It is registered to care for four young people who may have social, emotional or learning needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager has managed the home since October 2019. Ofsted is currently progressing her application for registration.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 28 November 2018

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC483692 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/11/2018 Full Outstanding 04/10/2017 Full Outstanding 09/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 13/10/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC483692 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

33: Employment of staff The registered person must ensure that all employees have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c)) 20/03/2020

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outstanding

Young people are happy and safe and are making outstanding progress. Young people said how much they value living in this home. One young person commented, ‘We have the best home.’ Another young person said, ‘This is the perfect house, and there is nothing I would change.’

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outstanding

Each young person receives high-quality, individualised care. Staff actively encourage young people’s interests. One young person has an interest in media and film production. This is being utilised to help devise a young person’s video guide, which will support new young people moving into the home. Young people also engage in a wide range of sports and physical activities outside the home, such as rugby, football and ice-skating. Furthermore, young people are frequently involved in a wide range of community and charitable events, such as raising funds for the local animal centre, hospice or food bank and helping pick litter for a beach clean.

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outstanding

Young people’s input is evident in all aspects of the home, and they are encouraged to participate in daily decision-making. Young people are offered choices and they are listened to, which promotes a sense of belonging. Young people’s views clearly contribute to the home’s development. Last summer, young people asked for a hot tub for their garden and a holiday abroad. Staff acted to make both things possible. Young people now have a hot tub and they enjoyed a holiday to Spain.

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outstanding

Young people are engaging well in education. When one young person experienced a gap in education due to his recent move into the home, additional home tutoring was swiftly put into place. In addition, staff provided additional education opportunities, such as a visit to a museum. Staff consistently praise and reward young people for all their efforts and achievements, particularly in relation to education. This helps motivate them to succeed. Inspection report children’s home: SC483692 4 Young people have excellent relationships with staff and managers. Staff ensure consistent rules and boundaries and encourage young people to make the right choices. This helps young people feel safe and demonstrate positive, appropriate behaviours. One social worker commented, ‘I have seen staff support the young people when they have had a bad day. They talk through any negative behaviour and how to change their behaviour when necessary.’

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outstanding

Staff engage well with other professionals to meet the holistic needs of young people. A social worker commented, ‘This placement has given [Name of the young person] a sense of stability and security that he has lacked previously. Staff communicate well with the local authority and share relevant information as required.’ Parents also appreciate the difference the home has made to young people’s lives. One parent commented, ‘Thank you for the hard work you have put in to turn [Name of the young person] around. We will be eternally grateful.’

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outstanding

Young people receive support to access appropriate healthcare services when they need them. Staff are also keen to educate young people about how to keep themselves healthy. Additional rewards for eating their ‘five a day’ of fruit and vegetables help motivate young people to achieve this. Young people’s mental health is actively promoted. Staff commission a therapist who completes group sessions and individualised support as required.

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outstanding

Young people are effectively safeguarded from harm, and risk management is effective. There is a clear reduction in young people’s risk-taking behaviours following their admission to the home. Young people rarely go missing from the home. One young person has had no missing episodes since moving into the home, when it had been a regular feature in his previous placements. Young people are learning to make better decisions.

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outstanding

Individual key worker sessions are effective for discussing key risks such as self- harm, knife crime and aggression. The home has a positive relationship with a local police community support officer, who regularly visits to meet with the young people.

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outstanding

Staff are proactive in providing young people with information about a range of key topics. This includes healthy eating, the importance of a regular sleep pattern and the dangers of smoking and taking drugs. They also mark events such as ‘anti- bullying week’ with information and discussion. The promotion of equality and diversity ensures that young people have ample opportunity to learn about and celebrate difference. Staff recently completed a session to educate the young people about LGBT issues, which included group discussions, quizzes and talks with staff members. Such opportunities allow young people to explore these issues, while in a safe and supportive environment. Inspection report children’s home: SC483692 5 Staff members demonstrate a good level of insight into each young person’s support needs. They tailor their responses to suit each young person’s specific emotional and behavioural needs. Managers complete in-depth individual and group reflective

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outstanding

sessions to consider any learning points and to help implement changes to future responses. This has led to a reduction in incidents of challenging behaviour and the need for physical intervention. Staff spend individual time with young people following any incident, supporting them to reflect, take ownership of their behaviour and consider alternative responses.

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outstanding

Staff will appropriately challenge and champion for resources to meet young people’s needs. The manager has recently pursued the local authority to continue to fund further therapeutic sessions for one young person, due to the progress he is making as a result of sessions already provided. However, in the interim, the home is utilising its own funds to provide this, to ensure that there is no disruption to the progress made, as the young person is clearly benefiting from this.

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outstanding

An independent advocate also visits the home regularly, so that young people are familiar with them. This ensures that young people have easy access to support if they need it, to resolve any issues. Young people access advocacy when required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The previous registered manager resigned her registration in October 2019. The current manager was the former deputy, so was able to step up into the role quickly with minimal disruption. She is well respected by young people and staff. She is in the process of registering with Ofsted. She is currently studying for a leadership and management qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and deputy manager are passionate about achieving good outcomes for young people. Similarly, the staff team shares their commitment and enthusiasm. The manager knows each individual young person extremely well. She has high aspirations for each young person in her care to reach their full potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff team work well with other external agencies to support young people. The manager is a strong advocate for young people and demonstrates that she will challenge external services to ensure that they receive the best standard of care. This ensures that young people’s needs are fully met. An independent reviewing officer for a young person commented, ‘Staff are very well prepared and share clear insights into the relevant issues for this young person. Staff are excellent advocates on his behalf.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are enthusiastic and motivated. They genuinely care about the young people they support. One staff member said, ‘I love working here and I can see how I can make a difference. I can see each young person’s progression.’ A social worker commented, ‘Brilliant staff team. I appreciate the support given to my young person. Always great communication and joint working.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC483692 6 The home benefits from having a strong and consistent team of staff who communicate effectively. They meet weekly to discuss the young people’s needs. One staff member commented, ‘Everyone clicks, and we work well together. We attend weekly team meetings and have a good few hours to discuss each young person, catch up with everyone and plan for the week ahead.’ The weekly team meetings are used effectively to reflect, discuss any important changes and to continually learn and refresh the knowledge and skills of staff. Inspectors observed a

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

team meeting during the inspection. On this occasion, the team members refreshed their understanding of a therapeutic model (PACE), to help to ensure a consistent way of working for a young person, following a period of crisis. This helps to ensure consistency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The management team ensures that staff receive regular, reflective supervision. A wide range of training opportunities also ensures that they have the skills and knowledge to care for young people effectively. In the main, staff benefit from an annual performance appraisal. However, there has been a delay in completing these for the manager and deputy manager. These appear to have been overlooked, as both have been recently promoted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager demonstrates a strong level of oversight in all areas of the home. She is an effective leader. She regularly reviews and monitors key areas to ensure continuous improvement and development. There are several effective internal monitoring systems in place. This helps to ensure that any shortfalls are quickly addressed, and staff receive support to improve their practice.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC483692 7

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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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Inspectors

Mandy Williams, Social Care Inspector Suzanne Birchall, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC483692 8 to 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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