Children's Home run by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council in Rotherham

Inspection report children’s home: SC037521 1 SC037521 Registered provider: Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This is a short-breaks service for children aged between eight and 18 years old who have complex health needs, including physical or sensory disabilities. The home provides respite for families and their children. Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the provider has made the decision to reduce the number of children able to access the home at any one time. The home also offers an emergency bed to be used to provide children with temporary care and accommodation while suitable longer-term arrangements are made.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

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.

p.1

outstanding

Date of last inspection: 23 October 2019

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC037521 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/10/2019 Full Outstanding 04/12/2018 Full Good 13/12/2017 Full Outstanding 16/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC037521 3

p.2

outstanding

Children who have complex needs enjoy well-planned short breaks that significantly improve the quality of their lives. Children enjoy staying in a sociable, safe and welcoming environment that significantly enhances their well-being, overall progress and development.

p.3

outstanding

Children engage well with staff and are making progress. Children are reported to be calmer and the number of incidents has reduced. For the children who stay at the home for longer periods, this has enabled assessments to take place and the right provision to be identified. Social workers state that the support from staff has enabled children to remain at home with their families and to make progress.

p.3

outstanding

Children have helped to design their own children’s guide. This captures the experience of the children and provides clear information for any child who stays at the home.

p.3

outstanding

Children’s views are captured through their interaction with the ‘young inspectors’ group. This is a group of young people who undertake regular visits to the home on behalf of the local authority. This has helped children to share their opinions and views about their care.

p.3

outstanding

Positive relationships with parents ensure that staff are knowledgeable about the changing needs of the children. Parents will seek support from staff when needed. This ensures that the children are provided with a high level of consistent care, and that their needs are well known and understood.

p.3

outstanding

The decision to reduce the number of children in the home due to COVID-19 has been communicated well to parents and social workers. The manager was proactive in working with social services to identify those children and families who were most at risk. This has helped to ensure that families in need continue to receive support.

p.3

outstanding

Decisions to use the emergency provision have been well considered and in the best interests of the children who need support at the time. These decisions have been made in consultation and agreement with other professionals. This has ensured that all children to receive the support they need.

p.3

outstanding

The staff are very aware of the children’s backgrounds and other people involved in their lives. They are actively involved in meetings relating to the children to enable them to share their viewpoints. This enables staff to support the children in a holistic way, working with other professionals to achieve positive outcomes.

p.3

outstanding

The home has recently been redecorated to a high standard. Children have had input into the design and have named the rooms. The walls in the home are Inspection report children’s home: SC037521 4 adorned with children’s achievements, artwork and photos. This makes a large home feel welcoming and inviting, and helps children to feel a part of the home.

p.3

outstanding

Although COVID-19 has restricted access to some activities, staff have been creative in engaging children, and have taken advantage of any opportunity to have access to external activities. The newly equipped garden provides numerous opportunities for the children to engage in activities and enjoy time outside. The sensory room provides additional stimulation for children, and is well used. This provides children with positive experiences to engage in within the home.

p.4

outstanding

Adaptations have been made to the home to enable children to access the service. This helps to ensure that children with complex needs have access to the home.

p.4

outstanding

Children’s records capture the events of the day and make specific reference to current targets identified in the care plans. This provides children with an account of their lives that they can look back on and remember positively. It also enables targets to be easily reviewed, and progress to be identified and celebrated.

p.4

outstanding

The ethos of the home is one of encouraging positive behaviour, kindness and respect. Staff work effectively as a team, and this means that children are supported in a consistent way. Staff are skilled and meticulous and have a detailed understanding of children’s needs. This helps them to lessen children’s anxieties and enables them to channel behaviour in a positive direction.

p.4

outstanding

Incidents are rare. However, when they occur, staff take action. Incident records are quickly evaluated by the manager. This helps the manager to identify patterns of behaviour and implement new strategies to support the children.

p.4

outstanding

COVID-19 risk assessments have been implemented and followed by staff in line with public health guidance. This has helped to reduce the risk of an outbreak and spread of infection within the home.

p.4

outstanding

Staff know the children’s health needs and are quick to respond to potential concerns. They are confident about seeking support from other professionals, including calling for an ambulance when needed, to ensure that children receive the care they need. This has helped to prevent children from becoming seriously ill.

p.4

outstanding

The manager takes quick and decisive action to safeguard children. When one child’s behaviour put other children at risk, the manager was confident in his decision- making. Although this ended the child’s time at the home, the manager recognised that this was needed in order to safeguard the children and staff.

p.4

outstanding

Staff observe, identify and address safeguarding concerns. This includes challenging other professionals when they have failed to follow safeguarding procedures. This has helped to better protect children. Inspection report children’s home: SC037521 5 Children’s risks are well known and understood. The risk management plans provide clear steps for staff to follow. Updates are shared during handover and emailed to the staff team, to ensure that all staff are aware of any changes. This helps to reduce risks and promotes consistency.

p.4

outstanding

Some medication errors have occurred, but have not had a direct impact on children’s well-being. The manager has responded well to all errors and has consulted with other professionals. This ensures that safeguards are in place. In addition, further steps have been taken to reduce the risk of more occurrences.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have excellent communication with other professionals and each other. They feel supported and informed of plans and decisions relating to the children. This enables them to provide continuity and consistency of care for the children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is not yet operating to full capacity. This is because of staff shortages caused by sickness and a delay in recruitment. The manager has an action plan to address this, and recognises the need for additional staff to be recruited before the home is fully operational.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team supports staff with their professional development. Supervisions are undertaken with all staff, and capture the children’s needs and the staff members’ own development plans. The recent implementation of a development plan to upskill a staff member has been successful in enabling them to progress. This provides staff with opportunities to progress, and provides children with staff who are knowledgeable and committed to their role.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff either have the training they need to meet the children’s needs or are about to undertake it. A detailed training risk assessment identifies any potential shortfalls that have occurred due to a lack of training, and includes the plans that are in place to mitigate the impact of this. This has enabled the staff team to continue to meet the children’s needs.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When maintenance issues arise, the manager escalates his concerns with senior managers. This ensures that children are not adversely affected and can continue to live in a pleasant environment.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been overseeing two homes, but has not received the support and external scrutiny needed to ensure that all administrative tasks are completed. Supervisions for the manager do not discuss both homes in enough detail and this has contributed to the regulation 45 report not being completed. This does not provide the manager with the opportunity to continue to improve the quality of care. Inspection report children’s home: SC037521 6

p.5

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.6

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d)(h))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must have full oversight of all documents, and receive appropriate external support and scrutiny to help him to identify shortfalls, including review and submission of documents such as the statement of purpose. In addition, appropriate staffing levels must be in place to support all children and enable the home to operate at full capacity. 5 November 2021

p.6

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that a review of the quality of care is completed and submitted to Ofsted every six months which is evaluative and identifies any actions required for the next six months. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4) Inspection report children’s home: SC037521 7

p.6

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: SC037521 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered Provider: Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Riverside House, Main Street, Rotherham S60 1AE

p.8

Inspector

Debra Boldy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC037521 9 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.8

Inspector

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 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.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9