Children's home run by ROC Northwest Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection report for children's home: SC483692 1 SC483692 Registered provider: ROC Northwest

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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 one of a number of homes operated by a private provider. It is registered to care for four children who may have social, emotional or learning needs.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, four children were living in the home. All four children were seen and spoken to directly by the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably experienced and has been registered with Ofsted since October 2023.

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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: 17 October 2023

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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: SC483692 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/10/2023 Full Good 29/11/2022 Full Good 12/01/2022 Full Outstanding 11/02/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC483692 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Four children live in the home. Children are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms to their individual tastes. This helps them to develop a sense of permanence and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children attend school or college. One child, previously out of education for an extended period, is now attending full time due to the support they have received from staff. Their attendance rate is high, and they are making notable progress from their initial starting point.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive relationships with staff. Staff consistently focus on the well-being of each child in their practice. Achievements are acknowledged and celebrated, with certificates displayed in the home. Staff provide numerous opportunities for enjoyment and participation in a range of activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children have faced challenges related to their mental health and well-being. The manager ensures access to external services for support, enabling children to receive specialised help.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop skills they will need for independence. Staff understand the individual needs and experiences among the children in the home. Staff support children’s confidence and social skills, preparing them for their future effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views, wishes and feelings are prioritised. Children know how to raise complaints. When children do make complaints, these are taken seriously and investigated, and children receive an outcome of the complaint. This makes children feel heard and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are included in changes to the home. Several rooms have been freshly decorated. While this is an improvement, the home currently lacks a warm and inviting atmosphere. Staff can enhance this by displaying more photos of the children throughout the home and allowing them the freedom to add colour and design to various areas, creating a more welcoming and homely feel.

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

The well-being and safeguarding of the children are a priority for managers and staff. As a result, children are well protected and have expressed that they feel safe and secure in the home.

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

Risk assessments and safety plans are regularly updated to reflect children’s needs. Incidents are addressed promptly and recorded in detail, ensuring timely updates and appropriate support for the child involved. Children are supported in learning from challenging experiences and develop effective coping strategies. Inspection report for children's home: SC483692 4 Children who go missing from home are supported to return safely by staff. Protocols are followed, and response is timely and effective, ensuring the safety of children. Follow-up support for children reduces the likelihood of future occurrences.

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

Children who display targeted behaviours to others receive educational work to develop their understanding. Additionally, others targeted by such behaviours are supported in processing their emotions and feelings associated with their experience.

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

Staff respond to incidents of self-harm by creating a safe, supportive environment where open communication is encouraged for children. Staff are trained to recognise warning signs and follow individualised support plans to reduce self-harm.

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

Physical restraint is only used when necessary. Staff have all received restraint training and are skilled at managing behaviour and difficult situations in the home. Boundaries in the home are clear, consistent and proportionate to each child’s individual circumstances.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good oversight of the children’s journey, progress and needs. The manager maintains a thorough awareness of the home’s strengths and areas for improvement, integrating these into development plans. Staff are supported to ensure that the children’s experiences and care remain consistent and unaffected by ongoing enhancements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are skilled and complete mandatory training. The manager must ensure that refresher courses are completed to maintain staff training and develop their knowledge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported by the manager. They receive regular supervision, and this provides staff with opportunities to reflect on their well-being, needs and roles in the home. Consideration is given to the relationships forming between staff and children, as well as any challenges that may arise. Clear actions are set with specific timescales for staff to follow, and these are regularly reviewed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals have highlighted the manager’s strong advocacy for the children, ensuring that all decisions made are in their best interests. This advocacy stems from a clear understanding of their needs and what is required for them to progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff provide an inclusive and supportive environment for children. Staff encourage learning events that are designed to educate and promote an understanding of various cultures and identities. Staff promote equality and diversity among children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager receives care plans for children on their admission to the home, but these can be out of date when children have been there for a few years. The manager must ensure that current care plans are available for staff to ensure that the care provided reflects the developing needs of children. Inspection report for children's home: SC483692 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(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that when children move into the home, they have access to the most up- to-date local authority care plans.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that when children move into the home, staff are provided with internal care plans that set out clear expectations of how children must be cared for in the home. These must also incorporate the actions set out in the most up-to-date local authority care plans. 30 March 2025

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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)  The registered person must ensure that children are able to experience living in a home that is homely and that notice boards are removed from the living areas. The registered person should seek as far as possible to maintain a homely environment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children's home: SC483692 6

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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: SC483692 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5th Floor, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Paul McKay-Smith, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC483692 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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