Children's Home run by Rochdale Borough Council in Rochdale

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034851 1 SC034851

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a local authority and is registered to provide care for up to five children. The home’s statement of purpose states that care is provided for children between the ages of 11 and 17 years and that most will present with varying degrees of emotional and/or behavioural difficulties .

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered in April 2021.

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This monitoring visit

Following the previous inspection, which took place on 7 and 8 June 2022, a notice was served to restrict the number of children that could live at the home. Since that inspection, no additional children have moved into the home. This means the provider has adhered to the terms of the notice. The notice remains in place until 2 September 2022.

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This monitoring visit

Also, following the previous inspection, three compliance notices were served. One notice, which relates to regulation 12, was due to end on 17 July 2022. The purpose of this visit was to gather evidence that demonstrates the provider’s actions in response to this notice. The response to the other two notices will be considered at a later date.

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This monitoring visit

There has been a shift in focus from key work with children to direct work with children. This promotes accountability and responsibility of all staff to work with children effectively to promote better outcomes. Calendars are now pre-populated with sessions that are specific to the children’s needs or goals. These are supplemented by additional or different sessions in response to changing needs or specific incidents. Training from the provider’s psychologist has equipped staff with a clearer process on how to evidence the direct work being undertake with children and the effect it has on children’s outcomes. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034851 2 Assessments that identify levels of risk and strategies to manage and reduce risk have been reviewed and updated for each child. These are understood by the staff team. Any changes to the level of risk, new concerns, new strategies or general

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This monitoring visit

updates are identified in red and staff are notified that there are changes. Staff are also made aware of changes in risk through handovers and team meetings.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has invited the police to deliver training to the staff team that focuses on a standardised approach to deal with incidents of missing and absence from home across Greater Manchester Police. This includes clarity on the role of the staff team and the role of the police when children go missing from home. The awareness of the action that staff must take when children go missing from home has increased. An incident that took place recently indicated that not all staff were confident in following the strategies. However, it demonstrated that the oversight of the incident was more robust. The response to the incident was identified as not reducing the risks to children and action taken to address the practice concerns was quickly addressed.

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This monitoring visit

A review of minutes from recent multi-agency meetings identified that actions allocated to the home were being responded to appropriately.

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This monitoring visit

The oversight of the quality in the home is more robust. A number of documents, which previously had no evaluation, now have clearly defined expectations of managers to review the actions of staff. Where previously action may have been reviewed, there is now greater oversight and analysis of the effectiveness of action taken, including any strategies to continue to improve practice or reduce risks.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager is being well supported to influence change in practice at the home, improve processes and develop more-robust systems to increase oversight of the quality of care. Additional training is planned to improve the staff team’s awareness of attachment and trauma, and the provider’s psychologist is working with the staff to improve quality of communication with children. A workshop has also been planned to improve the staff team’s understanding of exploitation. The effectiveness of this learning on children’s outcomes will be considered at a future visit.

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This monitoring visit

Following the inspection, a case review was held that decided that the provider had met the steps in the compliance notice. The decision-maker at the review acknowledged that some of the changes identified will take some time to embed into practice. As the grounds for restricting the accommodation at the home continue, the restriction notice will remain in place and be monitored at a later date. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034851 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 07/06/2022 Full Inadequate 21/02/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/07/2019 Full Good 03/09/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034851 4

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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)(f)(h)) 7 August 2022

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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;

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; 7 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034851 5 help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 7 August 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—

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Requirement Due date

that staff— 7 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034851 6 understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within five 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 (3)(c)) 7 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Number One Riverside, Smith Street, Rochdale OL16 1XU

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Inspector

Mark Broomhead, Social Care Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034851 7 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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