Children's Home run by ROC Northwest Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC464809 1 SC464809

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider operates this home. It is registered to provide care for up to five children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties or have physical disabilities. At the time of the inspection, five children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager at the home. The interim manager has submitted an application to register as the manager.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 6 December 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC464809 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/12/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/03/2022 Full Good 04/02/2020 Full Good 11/12/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC464809 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children in this home are happy. When children move into the home, they are welcomed sensitively. Staff spend time with children and know them well. As a result, children have trusting relationships with staff. Children’s bedrooms reflect their likes and interests. However, not all children have been allowed to personalise their bedrooms, and repairs are not always addressed promptly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children have access to education and are making steady progress. For some children, their attendance levels have significantly increased. One child’s social worker commented, ‘Their progress has been fantastic.’ Where children are not in education, staff promote learning in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise and celebrate children’s achievements. Children are supported to take part in a wide variety of experiences. Staff promote and encourage children’s hobbies and interests, including swimming and scouts. One teacher commented, ‘They are playing and getting a chance to be children.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are healthy. They are registered with local health services, and staff support them to attend health appointments. Since moving to the home, one child’s health has significantly improved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships between children and their families are promoted. Staff support children to see their families in line with their plans. This ensures that children’s identities are maintained.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have internal care plans which reflect their daily life. However, children do not contribute to the review of their plans. As a result, their voice is not included in all aspects of their care.

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

There have been occasions when children have been missing from home. The manager and staff team are proactive in their responses. Staff follow the missing- from-care protocol. The manager works closely with external professionals and regularly shares information. One child’s social worker said, ‘I now have an increased understanding of their risks.’ Staff practice ensures that children are helped to keep safe.

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

Risk management plans are in place for children. However, these plans are not routinely updated. This has failed to provide staff with clear guidance when children’s risks have increased. Inspection report for children’s home: SC464809 4 Staff have received safeguarding training, and this is embedded in their practice. However, staff have not had extra training to increase their understanding of specific risks.

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

Children receive help and support to manage their behaviours and feelings. Staff carry out direct work with children. When this takes place, it is educational and supportive. However, this does not take place regularly.

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

Staff use restraint to keep children safe. They use this method as a last resort. Records are detailed and contain relevant information. Staff carry out debriefs with children, taking into consideration their views, wishes and feelings.

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

Children can identify a trusted adult who they can talk to about any worries or concerns they may have. Children know how to make a complaint. Complaints are managed in line with provider’s policy.

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good

Since the last inspection, there has been a change of management. The newly appointed managers are passionate. They lead by example and are committed. They have high aspirations for the children and for the development of the staff team. One social worker said, ‘Communication has improved since the new managers joined the home.’

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good

The managers ensure that the home is appropriately staffed to meet the needs of the children. As a result, there is a stable and consistent team of staff who feel valued and supported. When new staff are recruited, they receive a thorough induction. However, staff recruitment is not always thorough in obtaining references for new staff.

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good

There is an up-to-date safe area report in place which considers the local risks. The manager consults with relevant agencies. This ensures that the report takes account of external information.

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good

The supervision of staff is variable. Some supervision sessions have been effective in challenging and developing staff practice. However, staff do not receive regular supervision. Supervision sessions do not allow staff to reflect on their care practice. Regular team meetings take place. However, these are not reflective and do not always focus on the care provided to children.

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good

Monitoring and oversight in the home are not always effective. Managers’ monitoring systems have not always identified issues. This means that managers may not understand areas for development. This inspection recognised signs of improvement since the appointment of the new managers. Inspection report for children’s home: SC464809 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 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—

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that risk assessments are updated to reflect all incidents when children are missing from home.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that all staff receive training that is specific to the children living in the home. This should include missing-from- home and child criminal exploitation training.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that direct work is carried out with the children in a planned way. This should include the use of local and national information, including research, to support key messages to help keep children safe. 31 July 2023

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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

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Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 31 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC464809 6 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there are systems in place to analyse and evaluate significant events, helping to identify learning outcomes that can be used to support the development of the staff team.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that monitoring and review processes are consistently applied across all areas of the home. This includes audits of case files and streamlining of paper records.

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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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; 31 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC464809 7 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)(b)(vii)(viii)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all bedrooms and communal living areas are maintained to an acceptable standard.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that all required essential maintenance work in children’s bedrooms is carried out promptly.

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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.

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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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all local authority documentation is received and included in children’s files in the home. 31 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff receive regular supervision and that this is recorded. Records must be stored in line with the home’s statement of purpose. Supervision should be reflective and identify areas for professional development. 31 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC464809 8

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when recruiting staff, all references received are subject to additional scrutiny and there is a clear evidence trail which details the rationale for employment and what support will be in place. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that children are consulted regularly on their views about the care that they receive and that their views are fully embedded into their daily living plans. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

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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: SC464809 9

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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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Inspectors

Sarah Jackson, Social Care Inspector Kimmy Feeley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC464809 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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