Children's Home, Residential special school run by ROC Northwest Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1258769 1

p.1

ROC Northwest Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children's home

This home is one of a number of homes operated by a private organisation. The home provides care and accommodation for up to 10 children who may have a disability or behavioural needs. Accommodation is provided across five units. However, at the time of this inspection, only one unit was in operation.

p.1

Information about this children's home

The home has been without a registered manager since August 2020. Ofsted has not yet received a suitable manager’s application.

p.1

Information about this children's home

We last visited this home on 18 March 2021, when we carried out a monitoring visit.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to assess action taken to meet the requirements of a compliance notice issued to the home on 25 March 2021, in relation to leadership and management.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Three children were living at the home at the time of the visit. They continue to make good progress in a number of areas. Children are growing in confidence, developing positive relationships with staff and attending education regularly.

p.1

This monitoring visit

There has been a reduction of significant incidents, although these do continue to occur. The recording of incidents, such as physical restraints, has improved. In addition, managers are monitoring incidents more effectively and carrying out meaningful reflection with both children and staff.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The provider has reviewed processes for assessing safety and quality, and arranged for additional monitoring to be carried out. This has included unannounced, out-of- hours visits and some detailed audits. This helps to ensure that areas requiring improvement are identified and can therefore be addressed. Additional monitoring also assists managers to identify poor or unsafe practice. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1258769 2 Staff have been provided with training in a number of areas since the last inspection. These include areas such as trauma informed care and therapeutic intervention. It is intended that the additional training will assist staff to develop their understanding of children’s behaviours and how to respond to these in a helpful way. A staff member spoke positively about the training, commenting that it had helped to enhance her practice.

p.1

This monitoring visit

There has been no registered manager in this home since September 2020. This does not support consistent leadership or the safe, effective management of the service. Furthermore, the failure to propose a registered manager means that Ofsted is unable to ascertain the fitness and suitability of the person in charge of the day- to-day running of the home. This does not promote young people’s safety, well- being or good progress. Ofsted is taking further compliance action in relation to this matter.

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 27/02/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 09/04/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/01/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/10/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1258769 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The children's views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.3

Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

p.3

Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children's care and welfare and their lives.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.3

Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

p.3

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child's privacy will be respected and the circumstances when it may have to be limited. (Regulation 7(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(ii)(v)) 07 May 2021

p.3

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.3

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.3

Requirement Due date

meet each child's behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child's relevant plans; 07 May 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1258769 4 help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

p.3

Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child's behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child's age and understanding;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand how children's previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children. (Regulation 11(1) (a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(ix))

p.4

Requirement Due date

This relates to the need to take into account children's level of understanding when sharing expectations about their behaviours. This also relates to the need to ensure that staff have appropriate skills and knowledge about children's behaviours and why they may occur.

p.4

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—

p.4

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

that the home's day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(vi)(b)) 07 May 2021

p.4

Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The following measures may not be used to discipline any child—

p.4

Requirement Due date

any restriction, other than one imposed by a court or in accordance with regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), on—

p.4

Requirement Due date

a child's contact with parents, relatives or friends. (Regulation 19 (1)(2)(c)(i)) 07 May 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1258769 5 Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

p.4

Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

p.5

Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child); or

p.5

Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(2)) 07 May 2021

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children's home. (Regulation 23(1))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This relates to the need to ensure that there is guidance in place in relation to children's 'as and when required' medications which includes, clear information about when these should be administered. 07 May 2021

p.5

Requirement Due date

*The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children's home if—

p.5

Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and the registered provider—

p.5

Requirement Due date

is an organisation or a partnership. (Regulation 27(1)(a)(b)(i)) *04 July 2021

p.5

Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children's home since its last Ofsted inspection.

p.5

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

p.5

Children's home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1258769 6 Registered provider: ROC Northwest Limited

p.5

Children's home details

Registered provider address: 5th Floor, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, EN6 1AG

p.6

Inspectors

Marie Cordingley, social care inspector Rachel Springford, social care inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1258769 7 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.

p.6

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7