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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2597567 1 Registered provider: Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated and managed by a local authority. It was registered in July 2020 and provides care for up to four children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

This inspection took place on 8 and 9 April 2024, but we also returned on 24 April 2024 to gather additional evidence. At the time of the inspection, there were three children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspectors were aware during this inspection that a serious incident that occurred at the setting is under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the incident were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform the inspector’s judgements.

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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: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2597567 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/05/2023 Full Good 18/10/2022 Full Good 25/05/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2597567 3

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improvement to be good

The day-to-day experiences for children vary. Staff have not always managed the relationships between the children. Children sometimes experience conflict in their relationships with each other. Staff try to resolve this conflict, but it have not always been effective. Disagreements between the children have led to children threatening to harm each other and on two occasions, incidents have escalated to a physical altercation between them.

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improvement to be good

Staff supervise the children and talk to them about their relationships with each other. Despite this intervention, one child said that they continue to feel bullied and that they do not want to live with their peer. Children have spoken to staff about feeling unsafe.

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improvement to be good

The outcomes for children’s health needs are mixed. One child continues to vape and misuse solvents. They are accessing external support services, but unfortunately their physical health has not been assessed because the child has refused this. Children now attend their routine health appointments. This is due to the support provided by staff to help children to overcome their anxieties. Additionally, staff support children who have an identified need for therapy to access the right support.

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improvement to be good

Children make progress in their education from their individual starting points. Children who have not gone to school in the past are now attending and have improved attendance. Staff celebrate children’s achievements, which helps the children to be committed to their own education. Children said that they enjoy going to school.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy positive relationships with staff who know the children well. Children said that they like the staff who care for them. Staff regularly consult with children about their home and the care that they receive. Their wishes and feelings are captured in the records of the conversations that they have with staff.

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improvement to be good

Children are provided with a range of activities that reflect their individual hobbies and interests. Children enjoy going to football matches to support their local team, they go fishing, go out for walks, enjoy music, arts, and crafts. These experiences are captured in memory books that the children can take with them when they move out of the home.

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improvement to be good

Detailed risk assessments identify the risks to children, including the additional restrictions as identified in the legal order for one child. These documents provide staff with guidance to mitigate some of those risks. However, staffing is not always sufficient to equip staff to follow the guidance about the level of supervision of children as detailed in their individual risk assessments. Inspection report for children’s home: 2597567 4 There has been one incident when a member of staff did not follow the building risk assessment. They did not ensure that unsafe items were stored securely, and this led to one child causing harm to themselves.

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improvement to be good

When children make allegations about each other, they are taken seriously and are investigated by the manager. The manager puts in safeguards to manage these risks. This includes staff providing children with a high level of supervision to ensure that children’s whereabouts are known. This risk of a child’s harmful behaviours has been addressed well during the day through high levels of supervision. However, supervision and monitoring of children during the night while staff are sleeping is limited and is not responsive to the allegations that one child has made. This does not ensure appropriate safeguards are applied.

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improvement to be good

Some incidents have resulted in staff needing to hold one of the children. When this happens, records show that the measures used are proportionate. Staff and the child are provided with the opportunity to discuss the incident and any learning. There has been one incident of a physical restraint that led to the child making a complaint. Steps were taken by the manager to address the complaint appropriately.

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improvement to be good

Children at this home do not go missing. There are detailed plans in place should this happen, and staff are clear about the steps that they need to take.

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improvement to be good

The manager has responded appropriately to a serious allegation concerning a staff member. The manager followed procedures to ensure that safeguarding professionals were informed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has not always ensured that staffing is sufficient to meet the needs of the children. Staff acknowledged that insufficient staffing sometimes hinders how they respond to children’s needs. Staff have completed the home’s core training program although there are some gaps in the additional training specific to the needs of one of the children living at the home. Staff receive regular supervision that is reflective and provides the opportunity to discuss the children’s plans. Staff said that they feel supported by the management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Allegations are taken seriously; they are investigated, and information is shared with safeguarding professionals. This includes two serious allegations about staff practice and conduct. The manager has acted following their internal investigation and lessons have been learnt to enhance safeguarding arrangements. This includes staff receiving additional safeguarding training to refresh knowledge. Team meetings happen regularly, and they provide the opportunity for staff development and learning through group discussion about safeguarding topics. Inspection report for children’s home: 2597567 5 There is evidence of multi-agency working at this home. Other professionals spoke positively about the manager and staff and they said that communication and information sharing is good. Inspection report for children’s home: 2597567 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

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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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; and

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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)(iv)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must assess the needs of the children to ensure that there are safeguards to reduce the risks during the night. They should ensure that staff follow the guidance in children’s risk assessments, specifically to prevent children from accessing unsafe items. Staffing must be sufficient to ensure that children are supervised in line with their individual risk assessments. 24 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—

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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. 24 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2597567 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; and

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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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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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: 2597567 8

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Rachel Webster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2597567 9 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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