Children's Home run by The Rubix Care Group Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2767334 1 Registered provider: The Rubix Care Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in November 2023 and is operated by a private provider. It offers care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties and/or have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home.

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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 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: 23 January 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2767334 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/01/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2767334 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child enjoys positive, trusting relationships with staff who know them well and who they are comfortable with. Staff offer nurturing and supportive care to the child. The child enjoys activities with staff that are tailored to their individual needs. Staff promote positivity in the home and are aspirational for the child’s future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the child to develop the knowledge and skills they will need to support them when they leave the home. There are clear, realistic plans in place to support the child’s independence and development. This includes staff supporting the child with shopping, cooking and cleaning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a good understanding of the child’s complex health needs. When the child is in crisis, staff advocate on their behalf to secure the necessary treatment and support. When barriers to providing specialist support arise, the registered manager advocates effectively on behalf of the child and challenges key professionals where necessary. The registered manager implements creative strategies to facilitate specialist health assessments to be carried out to support the child. One social worker said, ‘[Name of registered manager] has gone above and beyond her role in getting professionals to all work together.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise and understand the importance of the child spending time with people who are important to them. Staff keep family members regularly updated on the child’s care and progress. Staff support family time and supervise this when appropriate. This is important to the child’s sense of self and their identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is not currently in education. Staff and external agencies are working together to find the right solution that meets the child’s educational needs. As an interim measure, staff support the child’s education through activities inside and outside of the home.

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

Staff have the skills, knowledge and understanding to help the child to keep safe. Detailed written information about the child from their placing local authority supports staff practice. There are clear, detailed risk assessments in place that show a good understanding of the child’s needs. Staff keep risk assessments up to date and include learning from any incidents. Additionally, staff are consistently following the child’s care plans.

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

Staff practice is supported by advice and guidance from the clinical psychologists and the use of psychological theory and research. Staff carry out direct work with the child that is tailored to their individual needs. As a result, the severity of the child’s symptoms is Inspection report for children’s home: 2767334 4 reducing. One independent reviewing officer said, ‘[Name of child] has a much better quality of life.’

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

Staff can identify changes in the child’s behaviour and use effective de-escalation techniques and distraction to prevent some behavioural incidents from escalating. As a result, no consequences have been used in response to the child’s behaviour.

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

Staff physically hold the child when it is necessary and proportionate to do so. Staff administer medication when the child is experiencing crisis. Records of chemical restraint do not always show the actions taken to prevent the intervention. Furthermore, they do not always evidence clear management oversight and demonstrate that staff are spoken to following all incidents of medication being administered to manage the child’s behaviour. This does not help the manager to identify if the measure is necessary and that all restrictions on the child are used as a last resort.

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

The registered manager ensures the careful selection and recruitment of staff through using effective recruitment procedures. Staff monitor visitors to the home to further protect the child from potential harm. The registered manager ensures that a creative approach is taken to professionals visiting the home. This reduces the negative impact on the child of people entering their personal space.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is an inspirational and ambitious leader. She knows the child extremely well and understands their needs. She has high expectations of the staff team to provide high-quality care to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they love coming to work and feel supported by the manager. Staff describe the manager as being ‘approachable’ and say that they feel valued. Staff communicate well with each other and are enthusiastic and passionate about offering good-quality care for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partner agencies and family members say that they are happy with the care provided to the child by staff. The registered manager communicates very well with partner agencies. One social worker said, ‘They literally couldn’t do any more for [name of child].’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager prioritises staff development. Staff are provided with a wide range of training to help them to meet the child’s individual needs. The registered manager carries out development sessions with staff individually and in team meetings to improve the quality of care provided to the child. As a result, staff have the necessary knowledge and skills to promote the child’s safety and welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision is of good quality. Staff have plenty of opportunities to discuss and reflect on their care of the child. Staff’s strengths and future aspirations are discussed. On one occasion, supervision has been delivered by an inexperienced member of staff. There are Inspection report for children’s home: 2767334 5 no recordings to evidence that this shortfall has been addressed by the registered manager. Inspection report for children’s home: 2767334 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, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person must comply within the given timescales.

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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 name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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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 9 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2767334 7 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)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the use of chemical restraint.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that there are systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. The registered person should ensure that a record of all supervision sessions is available. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: 2767334 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Rubix Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 1, Cottam Lane Business Centre, Preston PR2 1AF

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Inspector

Leanne Carr, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2767334 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 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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