Children's home run by Rock Lennox Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2745080 1 Registered provider: Rock Lennox Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is privately owned and provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. Two children were being cared for at the time of the inspection and one child had recently moved from the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

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.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2745080 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/05/2024 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2745080 3

p.2

improvement to be good

One child meets regularly with the manager and their social worker. Together, they discuss their progress at the home and agree how the child will be allowed to spend time in the community. This is a flexible response to known vulnerabilities for the child when away from the home and concerns around them going missing. This is encouraging the child to make age-appropriate decisions to keep themselves safe, especially as they work towards their independence.

p.3

improvement to be good

One child engages well with external professionals who offer the child specialist support. This child has received sustained direct work to help them to understand the risks of grooming and exploitation. The specifics of the work completed with the child do not directly inform the child’s care planning in the home. This is a missed opportunity to provide the child with holistic care and support.

p.3

improvement to be good

Care-planning documents do not always provide staff with clear guidance on how to support children. One child has an appropriate care plan and risk assessment in place that inform staff of their required actions to keep the child safe. However, information is not always consistently recorded across these documents. For another child, who has recently moved to the home, there is not yet an established care plan, and arrangements for family time have not been confirmed. The manager has not ensured that children’s plans are regularly reviewed, updated or actioned by staff.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children have positive relationships with staff. During regular one-to-one discussions with staff, children share their thoughts and feelings. The quality of these conversations, however, varies, as staff do not always educate children on how to manage identified risks. Staff do not record all one-to-one discussions they have had with children, which prevents a joined-up approach to planning children’s future support.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff did not support one child when they raised concerns about a member of staff. Although the child did not wish to make a complaint, the manager did not ensure there was a response to the concern or support the child to understand why a complaint may be necessary. The child was not, therefore, assured that their concerns were taken seriously.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children are comfortable in the home, and the condition of the home is improving. The manager has plans in place to continue to make the home feel more inviting and cosier. Inspection report for children’s home: 2745080 4

p.3

improvement to be good

The manager has not ensured that there are clear safety plans in place to inform staff about how to respond to potential risks. There has been an underuse of room searches, despite there being concerns one child was bringing alcohol and substances into the home. Consequently, this behaviour has occurred on several occasions.

p.4

improvement to be good

One child is known to be at risk online. While staff try to complete regular phone checks, these are not always successful. There has not been a proactive approach to adapt the internet safety systems within the home or a revisiting of the use of a smartphone with the child’s social worker. As a result, the child has continued to be at risk when using the internet.

p.4

improvement to be good

The use of physical intervention is proportionate and clearly recorded. Staff make efforts to help children and to avoid children being held. Children are spoken with following incidents when a physical intervention is used and are offered first aid. Debriefs with staff have not always been completed following these incidents. This prevents reflection and learning from taking place.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff understand the risks posed to children when they go missing from the home. Staff act proactively to look for children and stay in touch with them. Staff escalate concerns to the police and children’s social care. The manager ensures all key professionals are well informed. Effective multi-agency working has helped to return children safely back to the home.

p.4

improvement to be good

Fire safety checks are regular, and effective action is taken. When a child did not want to engage in a fire evacuation, a local fire officer visited the home and gave information to children about the dangers of fire.

p.4

good

The manager has a system in place to assess the suitability of children moving to the home. This explores the potential dynamics of the children living together. This does not, however, consider the skills and training of staff to be able to meet the needs of the children. The manager has not ensured that all staff are equipped to deal with incidents where a child may engage in serious self-injurious behaviours. This has the potential to leave children at risk of harm.

p.4

good

The manager is starting to establish monitoring and review systems to improve their oversight of the home. Auditing processes are yet to account for an evaluation of patterns of children’s progress or behaviour. This prevents the manager from fully evaluating the impact of the care children receive. Inspection report for children’s home: 2745080 5 Safer recruitment practices are in place. The manager does not have clear oversight of these processes. This is because the recording of checks is spread across several systems and therefore the location of records and documents are difficult to establish.

p.4

good

The manager understands the areas in need of improvement and is ambitious for children and staff. Other professionals say that the manager communicates effectively and advocates well for children.

p.5

good

Children benefit from having a culturally diverse team. Staff enjoy coming to work and morale is high. The team is committed and motivated. Good staff retention has ensured that children experience a high level of consistency in their care and are able to develop trusting relationships with staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2745080 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)(e)) 4 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2745080 7 In particular, ensure that staff have the required training and skills to meet the identified needs of children.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s plans are clear around how known risks will be responded to by staff.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff debriefs occur following incidents to reflect on their practice and areas of learning.

p.7

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.7

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.7

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;

p.7

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)(b)(e)(f)(g)(h))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that an effective monitoring and review system is in place that includes a review of incidents, staff recruitment, children’s care plans and the progress children make. 4 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2745080 8 The care planning standard is that children—

p.7

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.8

Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

p.8

Requirement Due date

that, subject to regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), contact between each child and the child’s parents, relatives and friends, is promoted in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii)(c)(d)

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s care plans are informed by external agencies working with the children.

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that family time arrangements for children are clear and promoted where possible. 4 November 2024

p.8

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping, and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children’s home: 2745080 9  The registered person should ensure that staff encourage children to share any concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. Children must be able to take up issues or make a complaint with support and without fear that this will result in any adverse consequences. Children must be aware of this procedure and be reminded of it as necessary. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations,

p.8

Recommendations

including the quality standards, page 22, paragraph 4.13)

p.9

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: 2745080 10

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Rock Lennox Limited

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 58 St. Peters Road, Leicester LE2 1DD

p.10

Inspectors

Corline Parker, Social Care Inspector Louise Copping, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2745080 11 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.10

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.11

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.11

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.11