Children's Home run by ROC Northwest Limited in Wigan

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1264537 1 Registered provider: ROC Northwest

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is one of several owned and managed by a private company. It provides care for up to six children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There are currently three children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2024.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to review the action taken by the provider to adhere to the restriction notice in place and to meet the compliance notices under regulation 12, the protection of children standard and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. The provider has taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, the manager has left the organisation and one child has moved out of the home. At the time of this visit, three children were living in the home. All three children spent time with the inspector to share their views about the home and the improvements that had been made. This included their bedrooms, which were now observed to be clean and tidy.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has reflected on children’s experiences living in this home and identified lessons learned to improve staff practice. Staff have accessed a range of training. As a result, staff understand their safeguarding roles and responsibilities and are aware of the appropriate action to take to keep children safe. Staff are positive about working in the home. One staff member said, ‘Things are changing for the better.’ Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1264537 2 Children’s attendance in education has improved. One child had a plan to attend a local college, and another child had an education activity planned with staff. This continues to promote and support their learning opportunities.

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This monitoring visit

Since the inspection, the interim manager has undertaken a review of the paperwork in the home. These documents now include a clear evaluation that demonstrates her critical oversight. When new concerns have emerged, the interim manager has been proactive to escalate concerns to one child’s placing authority and has reviewed and updated risk assessments to reflect new or emerging concerns.

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This monitoring visit

There have been two missing-from-home episodes since the last inspection. Both these incidents had full management oversight and a debrief with the child. Follow up key-worker sessions have also taken place to ascertain the child’s wishes and feelings, which have led to safety planning with the child’s social worker.

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This monitoring visit

When children have made complaints against members of staff, the interim manager has taken appropriate action to ensure that children have been appropriately safeguarded. The interim manager liaised with all professionals, including the local authority designated officer, the child’s social worker and the regulator.

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This monitoring visit

The home environment has improved. The house is now more inviting and child friendly. Repairs that were outstanding on the last visit have now been carried out. A windowpane has been replaced in the dining room area. A new carpet has been fitted in the communal areas of the home and the lounge has been redecorated.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/05/2024 Full Good 31/07/2023 Full Good 11/10/2022 Full Good 02/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1264537 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful; 30 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1264537 4 help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi)(ix)(x)(xi)(xiii))

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used; 30 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1264537 5 the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

The provider must ensure that there is a record of all visitors to the home and to the children, including the names of the visitors and the reason for the visit. 30 March 2025

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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: 1264537 6

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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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Inspectors

Michelle Greenhalgh, Social Care Inspector Michelle Bacon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1264537 7 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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