Children's Home run by Roundhouse Care in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC425859 1 SC425859 Registered provider: Roundhouse Care Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home, which is operated by a private provider, is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children with social and/or emotional difficulties and learning disabilities.

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Inspection date: 1 March 2022

Date of last inspection: 12 October 2021

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Inspection date: 1 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 1 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC425859 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has moved on in a planned way. Currently, two children are living in the home. One child spoke with the inspector and shared that they have positive relationships with staff, can talk to staff about their feelings and feel well supported.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff support children to attend routine health appointments; this includes regular checks with the dentist and optician. Staff also ensure that when children require any specialist checks, children are taken to these appointments. Changes have also been made to medication procedures to ensure that children are receiving their prescribed medication on time.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff support children to work on their independence skills, such as budgeting, shopping and cooking. One child shared with the inspector that the skills they have learned has helped them to feel confident about moving on from the home when they turn 18.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers have made improvements to risk assessments and children’s written plans. These provide better information for staff about children’s risks relating to exploitation and what staff need to do to help keep children safe. Changes have been made to children’s plans about when they are out in the community so that staff know where children are. Expectations for children to keep in touch with staff are now clearer. Staff and children follow these plans. When there are any concerns, staff address these promptly with children and share relevant information with police and social workers.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A core team of qualified and experienced staff have worked in the home for several years. This offers stability and consistency of care to children. A new manager has been appointed and is currently going through their induction. The manager is settling into their role and has plans to drive good practice in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Direct work with children about behaviours that cause concern is not undertaken consistently. Some records clearly show what work the staff have done with children to address issues like cannabis use, smoking and internet safety. At other times, such work is less clear. For example, when a child self-harmed, although staff offered immediate support and medical care following the incident, it was not clear how staff worked with the child to understand why they self-harmed. This is a missed opportunity to help children to manage their feelings when they are anxious. Inspection report for children’s home: SC425859 3 Staff and managers generally work well with other agencies to ensure that relevant support is in place for children. However, for one child, communication with their teachers has not been effective. Managers have not taken adequate steps to address this, including raising a concern about a teacher’s response to a child’s

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

behaviour. At the time of the inspection, a child had been excluded from school and it was not clear what the education plan for the child was.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The provider has taken some steps to make improvements to the home environment. For example, new cushions and throws have been purchased for the lounge, and fire doors on the ground floor have been replaced. However, generally, the home environment still feels bare and not homely.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Changes have been made to improve the monitoring and review systems. However, these do not go far enough, which limits the ongoing development for the home. Managers advised the inspector that they plan to enhance monitoring and reviewing systems further to ensure that they can capture the quality of care provided to children and staff practice.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Five requirements raised at the last inspection have been met, two have not been met fully and are repeated. An additional two requirements have been made. Inspection report for children’s home: SC425859 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/10/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/12/2019 Full Outstanding 20/11/2018 Full Good 01/03/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC425859 5

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, take prompt and effective action to improve the home environment to make it welcoming and reflective of the children living in the home.

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Requirement Due date

This was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 1 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement; 1 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC425859 6 help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(vi)(viii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, when a child is excluded from school, the provider ensures that they work with teachers to understand why the exclusion took place, children are provided with work to complete during the exclusion period and that there is a clear plan for the child to return to school.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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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. (Regulation 11(1)(b)(2)(a)(iii)(iv)(v)) 1 April 2022

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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— 29 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC425859 7 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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 for children’s home: SC425859 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Roundhouse Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Ventura House, Ventura Park Road, Tamworth, Staffordshire B78 3HL

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Inspector

Shazana Jamal, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC425859 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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