Children's Home run by Roundhouse Care in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC425859 1 SC425859 Registered provider: Roundhouse Care Limited Full 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 for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties and learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last full inspection, two managers have left in a relatively short period of time. A new manager has been appointed and she started her role in August 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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requires improvement to be good

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

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 12/10/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/12/2019 Full Outstanding 20/11/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC425859 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved on from the home in an unplanned way. One of these children lived in the home for a short while.

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improvement to be good

Managers do not consider the compatibility of new children with those already living in the home. In addition, they do not consider whether staff have the experience and skills to meet the children’s needs. Managers have undertaken some reflection and learning on what has happened and they have made changes to matching assessments. These changes are positive but have yet to be implemented.

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improvement to be good

When children self-harm, staff undertake some direct work with them to help them to explore their feelings and think about different ways of regulating their emotions. However, this work is not undertaken consistently. In addition, staff do not keep clear records relating to self-harm incidents to explain what happened and how they have supported the child.

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improvement to be good

Staff undertake work with children on a range of issues, such as healthy relationships, keeping safe in the community and online safety. However, this support is not always linked to specific behaviours and risks for individual children. As a result, direct work with children is not as focused and targeted as it could be.

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improvement to be good

Children have positive and trusted relationships with staff and are cared for by staff who know them well. One child told the inspector that they feel they live in a ‘real home’ and can talk to staff about their worries.

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improvement to be good

Children make good progress with independent life skills, including budgeting, shopping, planning and cooking their meals. One child has been living in the home for more than two years and has developed valuable life skills. They told the inspector that they feel ready and equipped to move on from the home when they turn 18.

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improvement to be good

Improvements to the physical environment mean that it has a more homely feel. Children were involved in buying items for the home and this is helping them to invest and take pride in their home.

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improvement to be good

Children have opportunities to share their views. They tell staff about what activities they would like to do and what food they would like to eat. Children also provide feedback to the manager to use when she carries out staff’s annual appraisals. Children receive good support to enable them to have a say in their care planning. One child has an independent advocate, which she finds valuable. Managers are keen to continue this good practice and are working on new ways to make children’s feedback even more effective. Inspection report for children’s home: SC425859 4

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improvement to be good

Children’s risk assessments provide some information and guidance for staff. However, these documents are not kept up to date and this has the potential to reduce staff’s ability to keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

When children go missing from home, staff follow agreed strategies contained in missing-from-care plans. Staff ensure that they inform relevant professionals and family members, and try and maintain contact with children to encourage them to return home. On one occasion, managers and staff did not escalate concerns about partner agencies when they did not work well together and in a timely way to review a specific concern that arose from a missing-from-home incident.

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improvement to be good

When there are concerns about children being at risk of exploitation, staff meet with relevant professionals to discuss concerns and share information. However, records of these meetings are not kept in the home. This means that vital information is not readily available to staff and kept under review to ensure that recommendations raised are addressed to keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

The use of physical intervention is extremely rare. On occasions when physical intervention has been used to keep children safe, the records do not clearly describe the restraint technique used and the duration of the restraint. In addition, children and staff are not always spoken to following the intervention. As a result, management oversight of these incidents is not evaluative or reflective to help managers and staff consider any learning from what happened.

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improvement to be good

Medication procedures are robust. Trained staff follow correct procedures with regard to the storage and administration of medication. This promotes children’s health and well-being.

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improvement to be good

Staff working in the home are safely recruited, which helps to ensure that suitable adults are employed to care for children.

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good

The current manager is getting to know staff and children and is starting to bring some consistency and stability to the home. She is developing her understanding of the strengths and needs of the service provided to children. The manager recognises the current challenges, particularly in relation to raising staff morale. She has a clear vision for the home and is committed to improving the quality of care provided to children.

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good

Although there has been some oversight, this is not consistently good to enable managers to pick up on issues quickly and address them. In addition, not all relevant documentation is available on children’s files, for example, children’s care Inspection report for children’s home: SC425859 5 review meeting minutes and personal educational plans are missing. This means that staff do not have all the up-to-date information to enable them to be confident that children are getting the support that they need and are making progress against agreed plans.

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good

The report by the independent visitor is not always submitted to Ofsted in a timely way. The visitor does not consistently use feedback from children and other relevant people to inform their views. In addition, the reports do not give enough analysis or critical evaluation to help managers to improve the care and support offered to children.

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good

Not all staff receive regular reflective supervision and an annual appraisal. When annual appraisals have been completed, personal development plans are not clearly set out. This is disappointing for staff and does not promote their growth and development. Staff have completed mandatory training and have undertaken other training courses specific to children’s needs.

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good

A quality of care report has been submitted to Ofsted. Overall, the report lacks analysis and does not include a clear action plan. In addition, the report does not include feedback from children. Therefore, it is not clear how children’s views are incorporated into the development of the home.

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good

The home is run by a small, experienced team of staff, many of whom have worked in the home for several years. When there are staff shortages, staff from another home in the organisation provide support. These staff know the children and provide some consistency for them. Currently, staffing levels are appropriate to meet the needs of the child living in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC425859 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to ensuring close working with partner agencies, to ensure that information is shared and safety plans are agreed and actioned in a timely way. 30 November

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that risk assessments are reflective of current issues and that staff have up-to-date information and guidance. In addition, ensure that clear records of self-harm incidents are kept and that work with children to address self-harming behaviours is undertaken consistently. 30 November

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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— 30 November 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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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to ensuring that matching of children is carefully considered and managers and staff review children’s progress against the aims and objectives set out in their written plans. 30 November

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c)) 30 November

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 30 November Inspection report for children’s home: SC425859 8 within 5 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)(a)(iv)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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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;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)) 30 November

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

HMCI. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5) (7)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to ensuring that the independent visitor report provides critical analysis and evaluative information to help the provider improve the quality of care and support to children. In addition, ensure that these reports are submitted to Ofsted in a timely way. 30 November Inspection report for children’s home: SC425859 9 The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality-of-care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”). (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3)) 30 November

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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 10

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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 11 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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