Children's Home run by ROC Northwest Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC442402 1 SC442402 Registered provider: ROC Northwest Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is one of several homes operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to two young people who may have emotional and/or social difficulties and learning and/or physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced.

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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 carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 14 and 15 January 2020. This report is published on our website.

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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: 14 January 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 for children’s home: SC442402 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/01/2020 Full Good 07/11/2018 Full Outstanding 06/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/05/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC442402 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children flourish in a home environment that provides them with nurturing and consistent care. The stability children experience during their adolescence, and the sense of permanence and belonging they develop, provides them with strong foundations from which to move towards adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child with additional needs has lived at the home for most of his childhood. The adults caring for him know him well and provide him with individualised care that meets his needs. Staff are supporting him to make a well-planned transition to adult services. The registered manager has ensured that staff from his new home have opportunities to meet the child in his home environment, to learn about his care and social needs, and build relationships with him that will support a successful move.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are engaged with their education and are making progress. Both children’s schools say that the home is very supportive of each child’s education and provides them with a good quality of care. One teacher said: ‘Since moving to the home, [child’s name] is a different child. She has had opportunities to develop emotionally and socially’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children with complex physical and emotional needs have access to the specialist support they need. One child’s emotional health has been promoted through the completion of life story work. This has enabled the child to begin to understand her past trauma and develop a sense of her own identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children, including those who communicate non-verbally, are regularly consulted about their views and wishes. This helps children to actively participate in decisions about their lives and makes them feel listened to and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain and develop relationships with people who are important to them. A family member of one child with additional needs visits the home regularly and contributes to his care. This life-long relationship will provide the child with continuity and familiarity as he moves on from the home into adulthood.

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

Well-informed decisions about admissions to the home mean that children have a secure and stable home environment to live in, which meets the different needs of each child.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the risks and vulnerabilities for each child and use this knowledge to keep them safe. Detailed and up-to-date care plans and assessments inform staff’s care of children. Children’s care records are comprehensive and include all relevant information from children’s placing Inspection report for children’s home: SC442402 4 authorities and external professionals. As a result, staff have all the information they need to care for children and progress their care plans.

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

Boxes of historical records for children are stored in an annex building at the home and are visible to anyone accessing the back garden. This means they are not being stored securely and confidentially. Immediate action was taken by senior managers when this issue was raised during inspection and steps were taken to begin to rectify this.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the medical needs of children and have the skills to support these needs. Administration of medication to children is generally good. Robust systems are in place to ensure safe practices are followed. On the one occasion where there was an error in the administration of medication, this error was identified quickly and appropriate actions taken to reduce the risk of recurrence.

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

Children live in an environment where positive behaviour is promoted. Behaviours that risk harming children or others are responded to by following children’s individual positive behaviour plans. Staff understand how to de-escalate situations that may cause harm and work sensitively to help children regulate their emotions and feel safe.

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

Physical interventions with children are only used when necessary and the use of these interventions is proportionate. Records of these incidents are detailed and reflective. Children, including those who are non-verbal, are given opportunities to share their views of the intervention. There is good oversight of these incidents from the registered manager. This ensures that the quality of practice is scrutinised appropriately and children’s well-being is promoted.

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

Plans are in place to upgrade some parts of the home. A new bathroom is due to be fitted and children’s bedrooms decorated and decluttered. This will improve the environment for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager demonstrates effective leadership of the home and he has the full support of his staff team. This is the registered manager’s first experience of this role. Since his registration in May 2020, he has led the staff team to deliver a high quality of care and built up his own knowledge and skills as a leader and manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager’s oversight of the home is evident in children’s case records. A well-established quality assurance framework means that there is robust monitoring and evaluation of practice in the home by the responsible individual and other senior managers. Regular additional challenge is offered by monthly visits to the home by the independent person. There is evidence of the registered manager amending and improving areas of practice following feedback. This culture of positive challenge and support drives continuous improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: SC442402 5 Although the registered manager has updated the home’s statement of purpose, he has not shared this with Ofsted in a timely manner. This limits the regulator’s scrutiny of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team brings a diverse mix of skills and experience to the home. Staff are enthusiastic and committed to supporting the children to make progress and have positive experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular team meetings take place but the quality of recording of this meeting is poor. As a result, information and learning from meetings is not being effectively disseminated across the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New staff joining the team have a comprehensive induction to the home and to their role. Staff say they are supported quickly gain a good understanding of the needs of the children, and how they contribute to meeting these needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a good oversight of staff performance within and post probation periods. Staff are quickly enrolled in their expected qualifications to provide them with the skills and knowledge they need to make progress. This progress is supported by regular, good quality supervision and a strong programme of training. Inspection report for children’s home: SC442402 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

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 30 April 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all children’s records, including archived records, are stored securely. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s bathroom is updated and the small bedroom is decluttered, redecorated and broken furniture removed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that team meeting records provide staff with a clear understanding of the content of the meeting. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20)

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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: SC442402 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: ROC Northwest Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Dawn Parton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC442402 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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