Lower Roach End Farm

Inspection report children's home: SC005048 1 SC005048 Registered provider: The Partnership Of Care Today Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to eight children who have suffered adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and presenting complex behaviours. There is a school on the same site as the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in May 2014. She is suitably qualified and experienced.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 20 February 2020

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC005048 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/02/2020 Full Good 15/08/2018 Full Outstanding 25/04/2017 Full Good 16/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC005048 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living in this home are settled and happy. Staff provide children with positive childhood experiences that enrich their lives. Children enjoy playing with staff, going on day trips and holidays, having meals out and generally having fun. One child told the inspector, ‘It’s the best place ever to live.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is set in a beautiful location surrounded by acres of land. This means that children have access to an abundance of outdoor space to use. This promotes children’s physical health and emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children develop positive relationships with the highly nurturing and skilled staff team. Staff know and understand the children’s needs well and want the best outcomes for them. Staff are child focused and help children to understand and manage their worries. As such, children’s behaviour improves as they learn to respond to their feelings in a more constructive way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A full-time psychotherapist works in the home with the children. She carries out direct work with the children and provides consultation to the staff team. This means that children receive therapeutic-informed care. The home’s therapist produces progress reports for professionals and provides children with a child- friendly version.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One social worker shared with the inspector that he was pleased with the therapeutic support his child was getting. Because of this support, the child was able to manage his emotions more effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff capture children’s experiences in memory books. In addition, the home’s therapist explores life-story work with some children. This helps children make sense of their family history and gives children an understanding of their identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good school attendance. They attend the school that is in the same grounds as the home. Staff understand children’s educational needs and promote children’s learning. For example, staff help children to count and they read stories together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s wishes and feelings are central to their care plans. Staff ensure that children’s views are listened to. This helps children feel valued and fully involved in decision-making.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is welcoming and homely, with lots of age-appropriate toys that children can play with. Children’s bedrooms are personalised, however, some are in need of repair and redecoration. A plan has been actioned to address this. Inspection report children's home: SC005048 4

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children are safe and feel safe living in the home. Staff provide children with structure and routine. Staff have clear boundaries in place that give children a sense of predictable and consistent care.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff promote children’s positive behaviour with praise and rewards. Children are invested in the reward systems in place and feel excited and happy when they achieve their weekly and daily targets. Children understand acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Overall, restraints are rare and are only used to keep children safe. Staff explore the reasons behind children’s behaviours and work with them to understand their feelings. This is effective and children and staff quickly move on from any incidents. The registered manager and therapist use reflective practice with staff and children when reviewing incidents.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Clear and concise risk assessments are in place. These provide staff with the guidance that they need to care for children safely. However, some records relating to risk have not been completed, including individual risk assessments for the use of bedroom door alarms and the documentation of childhood bumps and bruises. However, staff have a good understanding of safeguarding processes and procedures. They know why door alarms are in place and they know what they should do if they note an unexplained injury on a child.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The registered manager ensures that staff are recruited safely. All appropriate checks are carried out prior to new staff working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is motivated and committed to ensuring that children’s needs are met. She often works directly with the children, providing hands-on care in addition to completing the day-to-day responsibilities that come with being a registered manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is supported by an experienced deputy manager and the home’s therapist. The therapist reviews incidents, she supports the staff with direct work completed with the children and delivers training that relates to the children’s needs. This means that staff provide children with individualised care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular supervision sessions with the management team. They feel supported and are complimentary of the registered manager and the support she provides.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children have regular opportunities to share their views in children’s meetings, at mealtimes and during direct work with staff. Children are also part of the staff handover, allowing them to share their views and celebrate any achievements. Inspection report children's home: SC005048 5 The registered manager has good monitoring and review systems in place. She understands the home’s strengths and areas for development. She has good oversight of the children, their needs and the progress they make. Inspection report children's home: SC005048 6

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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 registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to better recording of some information, including medication charts, children’s bumps and bruises, and door alarm risk assessments. 16 October 2021

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home environment is decorated and maintained to a good standard, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)

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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: SC005048 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Partnership Of Care Today

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 6LR

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Inspector

Lisa O’Donovan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC005048 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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