Children's Home run by ROC Northwest Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC483688 1 SC483688

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ROC Northwest

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private company. The home provides care and accommodation for up to seven children who can no longer live at home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in January 2020, but has been in post since May 2019.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted carried out this visit to monitor the four compliance notices issued on 5 March 2021. These related to restraints, safeguarding, leadership and management of the home and insufficient numbers of staff to care for the children in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Following the previous visit, three children have moved out of the home. Two children are currently living here. Changes have been made to the management team and an experienced staff team has been appointed to care for the children.

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This monitoring visit

The current manager is not in work but there is an interim manager in post, who is working in collaboration with the operations manager to bring about change and make the necessary improvements in the home. They have revised the children’s documentation, and the environment. The games room has been turned into the staff office, and visitors are expected to come to the front door rather than the kitchen door. These are positive steps and provide a more homely environment for the children.

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This monitoring visit

Children are now receiving care and support from a consistent and experienced staff team. The children said that they are pleased with the changes, and that they feel happy and ‘no longer feel depressed’. Staff recruitment is ongoing and sufficient staff will be in place prior to any new admission to the home. The Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC483688 2 interim manager and deputy will continue to provide management oversight until this is no longer required.

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This monitoring visit

All staff have undertaken refresher training around safeguarding, restraint practice and behaviour management. As a result, staff have a much better understanding of their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. A thorough review has taken place of the children’s records and documentation. Consequently, plans now reflect the children’s current needs and the action needed to help keep them safe.

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This monitoring visit

Staff spoke confidently about each child and have spoken to the children about how they can support them. One child said that, when they put their hood up, it signals that they need some space. Staff recognise and act on this, and this helps to prevent any escalation in the child’s anxiety.

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This monitoring visit

No restraints have taken place since the last visit. Staff are adamant that a restraint would only occur when all other avenues of de-escalation have been unsuccessful. Staff have reflected on past practice and the role they have played in this, and have identified that this was unacceptable. Moving forward, all records relating to incidents of restraint will be emailed to the operations manager and responsible individual for review.

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This monitoring visit

Monitoring of the home has been strengthened. A comprehensive development plan has enabled managers and leaders to address the shortfalls and begin to plan for the future. Senior managers have reflected on how previous issues had been missed and are taking positive steps to prevent a reoccurrence. They are mindful that, in order to admit new children, they need to ensure that the matching process is correct. This includes the staff having the necessary skills and expertise to meet the child’s needs.

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This monitoring visit

It was not possible to consider the other requirements made at the last inspection during this visit, and these are being reissued. During this visit, inspectors identified that a concern had been raised about the responsible individual. Although managers had taken action to ensure that this was investigated, they failed to notify Ofsted of the concern. This was rectified after this visit concluded.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 03/10/2019 Full Good 11/07/2018 Full Good 11/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/04/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC483688 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

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home.

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular regard to ensuring that pre-placement information is translated accurately onto the internal care plans in order for staff to care for children in line with their local authority care plan. 28 May 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— 28 May 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC483688 4 a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure.

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate.

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(b) (3)(a)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This refers specifically to records of incidents being completed in full and ensuring that the manager’s evaluation of the effectiveness of each intervention is recorded.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that the records include a copy of the staff duty roster of persons working at the home, a record of the actual rotas worked and a record of any person who works at any time at the home, including the registered manager. 28 May 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— 28 May 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC483688 5 a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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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.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: ROC Northwest, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Chris Scully, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC483688 6 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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