Children's Home run by Rock Housing and Support Services Limited in Coventry

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2734721 1 Registered provider: Rock Housing and Support Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered with Ofsted to provide care for up to four children who have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered on 24 November 2023. There is a registered manager in post.

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Inspection date: 7 May 2024

Judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Inspection date: 7 May 2024

Enforcement action since last inspection: Ofsted carried out an assurance inspection on 14 March 2024. Serious and widespread concerns were identified at the inspection and a restriction of accommodation notice was issued.

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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. The inspector has 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: 2734721 2

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Findings from the inspection

Ofsted identified 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

There were no children living at the home at the time of the inspection. The two children, who are sisters, who were living at the home moved out. This decision was made at short notice by the children’s placing authority a few weeks after the previous assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Most staff are unqualified and have limited experience of working in a children’s home. Four new members of staff have not yet completed training that supports them in their roles, including training in safeguarding, first aid and fire safety. On some occasions, children were left in the care of staff who did not know them well and did not understand their needs and vulnerabilities. As a result, one child led staff to an address they were not permitted to visit.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and staff did not take prompt action following the last inspection to ensure that staff were able to meet all the children’s emotional and physical health needs. For example, they did not carry out any work with children to help them to understand the importance of attending routine health appointments. Consequently, children continued to refuse to attend such appointments. There was a delay in a child receiving treatment that was needed and children’s social workers were not kept informed. In addition, managers did not ensure that sensitive information relating to children’s emotional health needs was written in their plans. This left staff, some of whom were new, without important information.

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Findings from the inspection

Shortly after the children moved on from the home, concerns were raised by the children’s placing authority about the condition of their clothing and shoes. These concerns reflected a lack of care for children.

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Findings from the inspection

Children established positive relationships with the registered manager. However, children’s behaviours escalated when the registered manager was not working in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Children did not receive support to understand the impact of making discriminatory comments on them and others, nor were they helped to establish good routines. In addition, on one occasion, a child left the home without staff being aware. This was not reported to the registered manager, who was not aware of the incident. These examples reflect staff’s lack of experience and skills to manage children’s behaviours and needs well.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff used physical intervention to try and prevent the children from hurting themselves or other people or causing serious damage to property. However, oversight of such incidents remains poor. For example, on one occasion, the registered manager and staff involved in a restraint did not make a record of the Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2734721 3 incident. On another occasion, there were delays in speaking to the child and staff about what happened. These shortfalls limit the evaluation of restraint practice to ensure that interventions are safe and proportionate.

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Findings from the inspection

Despite the shortfalls, the children did have some positive experiences. They enjoyed a range of leisure activities and both children continued to attend school regularly and made some progress with their learning.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the children have moved on, there have been some improvements. Repairs are being made to the home environment. Staff have received supervision and team meetings have been held. These opportunities provide staff with time to reflect on what has happened and develop their knowledge and understanding to mitigate the risk of shortfalls in the quality of care being repeated. Managers are working through a development plan with staff to bring about improvement. The restriction of accommodation notice remains in place to allow more time for this improvement work.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14 March 2024 Assurance inspection Serious and widespread concerns Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2734721 4

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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

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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm.

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Requirement Due date

Understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person.

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Requirement Due date

Take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is repeated. 16 June 2024

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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— 16 June 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2734721 5 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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)(a)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This includes ensuring that there are enough skilled and experienced staff to provide care to children and that the staff receive appropriate training. In addition, the registered person must ensure that monitoring systems and activity are effective.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is repeated.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is repeated. 16 June 2024

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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. 16 June 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2734721 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment, and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is repeated.

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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

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure.

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure.

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration.

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used, or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure.

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure.

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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

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Requirement Due date

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)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv)) 16 June 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2734721 7 This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is repeated. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2734721 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Rock Housing and Support Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 20-22 Wenlock Road, London N1 7GU

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Inspector

Helen Dunn, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2734721 9 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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