Children's Home run by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council in Rotherham

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2662265 1 Registered provider: Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in November 2021 is run by a local authority.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to two children with social and/or emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities. Two children were living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since March 2023 and registered with Ofsted in July 2023. He was not present during this inspection.

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Inspection date: 25 October 2023

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2662265 2

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Outcome from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are relaxed at the home and express themselves comfortably. They have positive relationships with staff, and the inspector saw that children seek care from staff. The home feels warm and welcoming and has children’s belongings and photos of the children throughout.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff listen to children’s views about the running of the home and incorporate their views, wishes and feelings well into their care. This has supported children to make positive progress from moving into the home and enabled them to participate in a range of activities and experiences that they enjoy.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff know the children and their individual needs well. They understand what areas are working well for children and what they are worried about, including key risks to children’s safety. They work with managers to put suitable plans in place to work actively on these areas. However, staff are not always holding regular discussions with children to help them to manage their own safety inside and outside of the home. This was also identified at the last full inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

A low number of children go missing from care. When children are missing or leave the home, staff take appropriate action to follow them, find them and to try to help them return home safely. There are no complaints about children’s care. Staff generally share their concerns with the relevant organisations for a shared response. However, following a serious incident where a child was missing, managers did not notify Ofsted in line with the regulations. This does not support the regulator to maintain effective oversight of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The home has enough staff to care for children. When casual or agency staff are needed, efforts are made to ensure that there is consistency wherever possible. These staff are suitably inducted into the home and learn about children and their individual needs. All staff have received suitable training to equip them to provide children’s care effectively, and the staff receive regular and effective supervision.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding children. They understand the indicators of the different types of abuse and neglect and how to report these appropriately. They are confident in raising concerns and whistle- blowing if necessary.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers of the home are visible and supportive. They maintain oversight of the running of the home through mostly effective systems and processes. Although children’s care plans accurately reflect their needs and plans for Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2662265 3 their futures, the manager has not made sure that sufficient action is taken to escalate the discrepancies in the children’s statutory plans. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2662265 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/05/2023 Full Good 25/05/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2662265 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, The 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

consider a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (1)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that appropriate action is taken to make sure that relevant statutory plans reflect children’s needs and care arrangements. 17 November

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e)) 19 October 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff support children to be aware of and manage their own safety inside and outside the home to the extent that any good parent would. Staff should help children to understand how to protect themselves, feel protected and be protected from significant harm. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.9) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2662265 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Riverside House, Main Street, Rotherham S60 1AE

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Inspector

Honor Hamshaw, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2662265 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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