Children's Home run by RBR CARE LTD in Sheffield

Inspection report for children's home: 2770431 1 Registered provider: RBR CARE LTD

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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 by a private provider. It is registered to provide full-time care for up to six children with a range of social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered in May 2024. Two children are currently living at 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 requires improvement to be 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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2770431 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy and settled living at the home. They have developed good relationships with some of the adults that care for them. Planned visits to the home before they moved in have strengthened one child’s investment in the home. When this has not been possible, the manager has visited one child in their previous placement to explore their wishes and feelings. Children are given time to settle in the home before plans for further children moving in are made. Careful consideration of both children’s needs and a gradual introduction have led to stability for both children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One-to-one time with adults allows children to feel safe and strengthens the trust they have with the adults that care for them. Progress from their starting points is seen through one child unpacking their suitcase after a few months of living in the home. A social worker commented, ‘This is a big thing for [name of child] and shows he has settled.’ He is sticking to the rules and not staying out late. Staff drop him off, and he lets them know where he is and who he is with.’ The parent of the other child said, ‘I know my daughter is happy and more settled than ever. She speaks highly of staff. She is glowing.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend time with staff in the home and out on activities and day trips. This includes go-karting, visits to escape rooms and trips to the cinema. A spontaneous visit to Scarborough during the inspection was filled with fun activities for one child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

While the manager and staff advocate the importance of education, children’s outcomes are variable. When children are not in school, staff try to complete some work with one child. However, no additional efforts are made to employ a tutor. Weekly meetings help the manager, social worker and the virtual school to stay connected while exploring alternative options. However, progress has been slow in identifying suitable provision for the child. Another child who has not previously engaged in education for a period has made some progress. However, complicating factors relating to the child’s health and emotional well-being have impacted on overall progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are registered with primary healthcare professionals in the local area. When specialist support is needed, referrals are made to help children deal with the barriers that prevent them from making progress. When one child refused to engage with psychological support, the staff used the consultations to better understand the child’s needs and to find new strategies to improve their care. The lack of trust in professionals means one child has consistently refused to seek health or medical advice. The committed manager and staff continue to try to engage the child and meet their needs in other ways. One staff member said, ‘We are chipping away slowly at [name of child] and trying to make a difference.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The large, welcoming home provides children with a comfortable space. Children benefit from en-suite bedrooms that are personalised to their individual taste. Their wishes and Inspection report for children's home: 2770431 3 feelings are explored through weekly and monthly meetings. Recently, children have requested a new television and beanbags for the lounge to make the room more homely. However, the old windows are not cleaned very often, and the windowsills in some rooms are dirty with cobwebs. One child does not open their curtains due to being afraid of spiders.

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

Children feel safe and protected. They live in a home free from bullying. They get on with each other and have people caring for them, who they trust and can share concerns with.

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

There are very few behavioural incidents. When these occur, staff make comprehensive records, follow children’s plans and use de-escalation strategies to allow children time to settle. This has meant that staff do not hold children. Follow-up discussions with children help them to understand that their safety and well-being are important, and staff care for them.

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

Children’s plans and assessments give staff the level of information needed to keep children safe. Children comply with phone checks, and staff check in on children who spend time gaming in their bedroom. There are no known concerns about children being involved in offending behaviour, exploitation or being missing from home. Staff know the process to follow through children’s Philomena records if they are missing and do not return home. On the very few occasions when one child has been late returning home, staff have stayed in contact with them over the phone.

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

When an allegation has been made, the manager has taken this seriously and shared the information with safeguarding professionals and the local authority designated officer. The detailed internal investigation is clear and responsive to the concerns, with suitable action following as a result. This has led to children feeling safe with the adults employed to care for them.

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

The physical environment is safe. Regular fire drills and safety testing mean the home and the equipment are safe to use.

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

The home is managed by a permanent, experienced and qualified manager. The staff team works well together to fill any gaps in the rotas from the vacancies while the recruitment process is ongoing. The manager is supported by the responsible individual and the provider, who is not in any rush to fill the beds. This gives the staff and manager time to reflect and focus on the children currently living in the home.

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

New staff are appointed through safer recruitment practice. However, in some cases, staff references have not been thorough in confirming their suitability with their last employer, and gaps in employment are not always explored fully. Inspection report for children's home: 2770431 4 Induction training provides staff with the skills and knowledge to meet children’s needs. Most of the staff are registered on the diploma and are working through this to achieve a better understanding of the issues children in residential care face.

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

Staff are supported through regular team meetings and supervision. This allows them opportunities to discuss the children and their own personal circumstances. When concerns about staff performance have been raised, these are discussed and are recorded in staff supervision records. However, records relating to key issues, such as performance or conduct concerns, are brief, not reflective and actions are not always clear. Supervision notes are not always signed or shared with staff so that they have a record of their discussions and appraisals. Manager’s rationale for progressing staff through their probationary period is not always included.

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

The independent visitor provides consistency as a critical friend to the manager. The independent visitor’s relationships with children have improved with the children starting to become open to them visiting the home more. However, the independent visitor’s consultation with professionals and family members is limited, and children’s bedrooms have not been seen since the home opened. This does not provide the regulator with assurances about the quality of children’s bedrooms.

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

The statement of purpose has been updated in line with staff changes but has not been shared with the regulator. The manager is in the process of updating the location assessment. The biannual report was submitted in timescales to address the first six months of the home operating. An advisory discussion with the manager about making this more evaluative with actions to correspond with children’s progress has made her more aware of how to proceed with the next one.

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

Professionals are very positive about the manager and staff. One social worker said, ‘They couldn’t manage [name of child]’s behaviours in the previous home. There have been no issues here.’ Inspection report for children's home: 2770431 5

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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

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (2)(a)(v)) 27 April 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d)) 27 April 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c)) 27 April 2025

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person— 27 April 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2770431 6 to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (2)(b))

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Recommendation

 The registered person must ensure that the home is a welcoming, homely and domestic environment that meets the needs of children. Specifically, ensure that the windows and windowsills are clean and free from cobwebs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, Paragraph 3.9)

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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: 2770431 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 92-98 Queen Street, Sheffield S1 2DW

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Inspector

Parveen Hussain, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2770431 8 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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