Children's Home run by Roundhouse Care in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC478852 1 SC478852 Registered provider: Roundhouse Care Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider and is registered to provide care for three children with social and/or emotional difficulties and learning disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The previous manager left the home on 18 December 2024. A new manager has recently been appointed. The manager has not yet submitted their application to Ofsted.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Three children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. One child present spoke to the inspector. One child present during the inspection was happy to take part

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 24 October 2023

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC478852 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/10/2023 Full Good 07/02/2023 Full Good 15/09/2021 Full Good 11/12/2019 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC478852 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, one child was away from the home spending time with family. Two children have lived in the home for two years and another child has very recently moved in. The child spoken to said they like living in the home and that they get on well with staff.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children regularly attend school and are making progress from their starting points. One child has made significant progress. Their attendance has increased, and they are now meeting their targets in some subjects. Staff and managers work closely with teachers and education professionals to support children’s progress. For example, one child is receiving additional support in preparation for their SATs tests. Another child’s educational needs have been reassessed and a more appropriate education provision has been identified.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s physical health needs are well met. They are registered with local health services and attend routine appointments when necessary. When there are more specific health concerns, staff are proactive in working with health professionals to ensure children’s needs are met. Furthermore, children are supported emotionally through support from therapists and the day-to-day care they receive from staff.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure children have positive time with their families. They understand the importance of children maintaining their identity and having positive experiences with loved ones. One child is currently in the process of moving back home to live with their family. Staff have supported the process and worked closely with the child, family and social worker to ensure this is a positive experience.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children’s hobbies, interests and talents. One child regularly attends clubs where they enjoy activities such as day trips and doing arts and crafts and sports . Children also enjoy different activities with staff. There are photos of children enjoying activities placed around the home, capturing their experiences and positive memories.

p.3

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

Incidents in the home are rare. Staff provide children with consistent routines and boundaries. This helps children feel safe because they receive certainty in their care. Staff are empathetic to children’s feelings and explore their emotions. As a result of this, children feel valued, and behaviours do not escalate to a level of risk that is unsafe. This means that staff do not physically restrain children.

p.3

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

There have been several incidents of one child going missing from home since the last inspection. Staff’s responses to these incidents are positive. They understand the protocols and actively search for the child, as well as using their relationships with the child’s family and social media to try and locate them. They work alongside safeguarding Inspection report for children’s home: SC478852 4 agencies such as the police to report the child missing when they cannot be located. Staff ensure the child has a positive experience when they return and they are given the opportunity to speak about the time they were missing with someone independent.

p.3

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

Staff and managers have also worked closely with the child, professionals and family to support them around missing-from-home incidents and other behaviours that place the child at risk. This joint working approach has been effective in reducing the frequency of the child going missing and reduced the concerns around potential exploitation and drug misuse.

p.4

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

Risk assessments are not always well written or followed. For example, fire prevention arrangements have not been adhered to. Combustible items kept in the same location as the boiler were not stored in line with the home’s fire risk assessment. Furthermore, when concerns were highlighted for one child in relation to potential fire risks, this was not well assessed and strategies which were put in place were not individual to the child. This has the potential to impact on the safety of the child and others.

p.4

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

Gaps remain in the employment checks undertaken for new staff since the last inspection. Appropriate checks on two staff members’ reasons for leaving previous roles with children or vulnerable adults have not been carried out.

p.4

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

The home is in a poor condition and has not been well maintained. Leaders and managers have not been effective in identifying and rectifying these shortfalls. Delays to maintenance tasks being carried out have compromised children having a warm and homely environment. However, the new manager has started to identify these shortfalls and is in the process of making improvements.

p.4

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

Children’s bedrooms are not well maintained, clean or tidy. One child who recently moved into the home had not been helped to unpack all their belongings and their bags had not been appropriately stored. Another child’s bedroom had been significantly damaged during an incident.

p.4

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

There are inconsistencies in the use of consequences. For one child, staff use a restorative approach that encourages them to be involved in repairing items or relationships. However, for another child, staff have developed a pattern of removing their right to time on their electrical devices. This is not in line with the home’s therapeutic approach and leaders and managers have not identified or addressed this shortfall. This has the potential to impact on the child’s experience.

p.4

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

Monitoring of staff training has not been effective. Leaders and managers were not able to evidence if all staff had completed training needed for their roles. There was no clear process of sharing information or documents in the handover from the previous manager to the new manager. Despite this shortfall, this has not had a significant impact on children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC478852 5 Leaders and managers’ evaluation of incidents requires some improvement. They do not use evaluation effectively as reflection and learning opportunities, to improve the quality of care provided to children. This is not consistent with the home’s therapeutic approach and means there are missed learning opportunities for all.

p.4

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

.There is a stable staff team in place. Staff rarely leave and enjoy working in the home. They are positive about the support they receive from the new manager, have confidence in her approach and are positive about the changes she is making. Staff also benefit from regular supervision and have received annual appraisals.

p.5

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

There is a strong multi-agency approach. The new manager understands the importance of effective joint working. External professionals were complimentary about staff’s understanding of children’s needs and how this translates into positive experiences and progress for children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC478852 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— that staff—

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; (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that there are clear risk management plans in place that are updated when new information emerges. 5 March 2025

p.6

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.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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)(h))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring systems are in place to promote learning and reflection following incidents with children and having effective monitoring systems to review the quality of care provided to children. 5 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC478852 7 The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

p.7

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

p.7

Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring any maintenance tasks are carried out without delay and children’s bedrooms are well maintained and comfortable. 05 March 2025

p.7

Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

p.7

Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This specially relates to the manager ensuring compliance with the home’s annual fire risk assessment and, in particular, that combustible items are not stored near the boiler. 05 March 2025

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all necessary recruitment checks are completed for staff in advance of them working in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that staff have access to and complete training relevant to their role. Additionally, the manager should ensure systems for monitoring Inspection report for children’s home: SC478852 8 staff training are in place and effective. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)  The registered person should ensure any consequences used to address poor behaviour are in line with the homes therapeutic approach but also support children to reflect and learn from their actions. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

p.7

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: SC478852 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Roundhouse Care Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: C/o Phil Bessant Limited, Agincourt House, 14 Clytha Park Road, Newport NP20 4PB

p.9

Inspector

Carl Wilton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC478852 10 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.9

Inspector

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.10

Inspector

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

p.10

Inspector

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

p.10