Children's Home run by Rocksteady Care Ltd in Kent

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2644283 1 Registered provider: Rocksteady Care Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This privately owned children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children, aged between eight and 18, with social and emotional difficulties. There were two children living in the home at the time of the visit.

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Information about this children's home

There has been no registered manager since September 2024.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was undertaken to address specific concerns received by Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

During the visit, it was determined that there were regulatory breaches. However, leaders had already devised plans to address many of the issues identified during the visit. It is acknowledged that the impact of these actions will take time to embed and to rebuild the confidence of the staff team.

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This monitoring visit

The home has been without a registered manager and a responsible individual since September 2024. A new manager was appointed on 24 March 2025 and has a plan to submit her application to register. However, this has not yet been received by the regulator. There have also been changes to the senior leadership and directorship of the home, and these have not been notified in a timely way to the regulator.

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This monitoring visit

Recruitment during this period has not always been safe. For at least two individuals, there is no information held by the organisation. Leaders have reviewed recruitment records and sought to restore any missing information. However, this still requires attention to ensure that systems are robust enough to determine that children are receiving care from safely recruited individuals at all times. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2644283 2 Two children have recently moved into the home. At the point of admission, staff were not provided with sufficient information to respond effectively and consistently to their specific risks and vulnerabilities. Whilst there is no evidence to suggest that children are currently at risk, there is a concern that staff do not currently have clear and informed guidance about how to recognise and respond to concerns around some risks comprehensively.

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This monitoring visit

During this period, staff have felt despondent and in need of clearer communication from leaders. Management monitoring and oversight has not been rigorous enough and senior staff have not been supported sufficiently according to their level of experience.

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This monitoring visit

While there are sufficient staffing levels to support the number of children living in the home, the team needs time to re-stabilise and prepare for any further arrivals. The team also needs to expand its numbers of permanent staff in order to reduce reliance on irregular staff at times of sickness, annual leave or other absence. Leaders have offered reassurances that they will be considering future referrals only once greater stability has been ensured and after the children currently living at the home have settled in sufficiently.

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This monitoring visit

During the short period of time that the manager has been in post, she has developed a good level of knowledge about the current strengths and areas for development. However, no quality-of-care review had been submitted to the regulator at the time of the visit.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, children have had positive and planned endings when moving on from the home. One of the children who recently moved in has begun to build a rapport with staff and is engaging in a variety of activities. He has already crafted some pieces of art, which are being displayed in the home. Both children are still settling in and learning the routines and boundaries of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Two recommendations made at the last inspection have not been reviewed at this visit. They will therefore remain in place and be considered as part of the next full inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/04/2024 Full Good 30/08/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2644283 3

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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 with the given timescales.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard requires the registered person to

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that there is effective monitoring and oversight from managers to ensure confidence and cohesion amongst the staff team. They should ensure that there is clear direction and sufficient support for staff. 30 June 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2644283 4 The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children's home if there is no registered manager in respect of the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager should ensure that they submit their application to register with the regulator at the earliest opportunity. 29 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

The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children's home;

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Requirement Due date

or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that the individual is of integrity and good character;

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 32 (1) 2(a)(b) 3(a)(d)) 30 June 2025

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare; 30 June 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2644283 5 and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home's child protection policies;

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) 2(a)(i)(iii)(vi)(vii) (b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, there should be clear guidance for staff around managing risks at the point of children's admission to the home

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI, as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, if any of the following events take place or are expected by the registered person to take place—

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Requirement Due date

any change of director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the organisation;

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Requirement Due date

any change in the identity of the responsible individual;

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they submit an SC3 to the regulator reflecting the current leadership arrangements in place. 30 June 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children's home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. 30 June 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2644283 6 After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 45 (1) 2(a)(b)(c) (3) 4(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

An organisation may only carry on a home if—

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Requirement Due date

each director of the organisation, except for a director who is the responsible individual, who is involved in the carrying on of a home by that organisation satisfies the requirements in paragraph (6); and

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Requirement Due date

the organisation has notified HMCI of the name, address and position in the organisation of the responsible individual.

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— the individual is of integrity and good character; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of the matters in paragraphs 1 and 3 to 6 of Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c); and 30 June 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2644283 7 have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 26 (4)(i)(ii) (6)(a)(b) (7)(a)(b)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any allegations made by children are recognised, recorded and reported at the earliest opportunity. Staff should report any allegation of abuse immediately to a senior manager within the home and any allegation of harm or abuse must be addressed in line with the home's child protection policy. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 44, paragraph 9.17)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they comply with relevant health and safety legislations, including fire safety, and should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than 'institutional' impression. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they challenge any placing authority who asks them to accept a child in the absence of a complete and current relevant plan. It is essential that homes understand what will be required of them before they accept responsibility for a child's placement, to avoid disruption and instability for the child in future and for other children in the home. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', pages 56-57, paragraph 11.5)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children's home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2644283 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Rocksteady Care Ltd

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 18 Wealden Avenue, Tenterden TN30 6NN

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Inspector

Tash Williams, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2644283 9 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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