Children's Home run by The Rubix Care Group Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2807447 1 Registered provider: The Rubix Care Group Limited

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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 provides care for one child with social and emotional difficulties. There was one child living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted in November 2024.

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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 requires improvement to be 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 is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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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: 2807447 2

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improvement to be good

The child spoke to the inspector during the inspection.

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improvement to be good

One child has lived at the home since it was registered in November 2024. During this time, there has not been a registered manager in place due to them being on maternity leave. Consequently, there have been concerns regarding management oversight and staff practice. As a result, the child’s local authority made the decision to move the child out of the home. There is currently a delay with this move. However, the responsible individual has assured the local authority that the child can remain living at the home. This ensures that the child does not have further unnecessary moves.

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improvement to be good

The child has been involved in the plans for their move and has met the new staff team and visited the home. The child said that they are looking forward to the move and see it as a fresh start. They also know one of the staff members, which makes the move feel easier for them.

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improvement to be good

The child has built some positive relationships with staff and has enjoyed various activities with them in the community, including go-karting, theme parks and escape rooms. The child recently celebrated their birthday, which is something that they wanted to do with staff before leaving the home.

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improvement to be good

The child is not currently in school. Although attempts were made to find an appropriate provision, this was not successful. Staff do not consistently encourage and support the child to engage in education, and plans have been allowed to drift. As a result, the child has not had clear structure or routine to their days and is often left to rise late in the day.

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improvement to be good

The child’s health needs are met, and routine appointments are encouraged. Appropriate referrals have been made to services to support with their emotional well-being. Additionally, staff are supported by a clinical psychologist to better understand the child and reflect on the ways that they can support them. However, staff are aware that the child uses vapes and have allowed the child to buy these. The responsible individual has followed disciplinary procedures when this has occurred.

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improvement to be good

The staff and child have regular conversations about what is going on in the child’s life. Staff offer appropriate advice and support. The child’s social worker said, ‘[Name of child] has trusting relationships with the staff, and they are opening up to them more.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2807447 3

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improvement to be good

The child is subject to a deprivation of liberty order (DOL order) that outlines the restrictions that can be used to keep them safe. Staff have not consistently followed this order or obtained clarification when they have been unsure about supervision arrangements for the child. As a result, there have been incidents and shortfalls in staff practice that have meant that the child has not always been well protected.

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improvement to be good

As a result of incidents when there has been a lack of supervision from the staff, the responsible individual took over the day-to-day management of the home and thoroughly investigated the events. Appropriate action was taken against the staff members involved and the information was shared with the local authority designated officer. Since the responsible individual has been overseeing the home, similar incidents have not occurred again, and the local authority is satisfied that the child’s plans are being followed.

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improvement to be good

The child’s wish is to move back to their hometown to be with their family and friends. As a result, they often leave the home or staff when out in the community to go back there. In line with their plans, this results in the child being reported to the police. However, positively, since living at the home, there has been a decrease in both the duration and frequency of these occasions, and the child will regularly maintain in contact with the staff to let them know that they are ok.

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improvement to be good

When the child is reported to the police, staff follow clear guidelines with regards to where to go and search and regularly contact the child. Additionally, they will work closely with professionals, collect the child from locations and request that the child receives return home interviews. However, on occasion, staff have retired for the night when children are still not safely home and have not continued to try and make contact and locate the child. Additionally, this practice has not been identified by the manager.

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improvement to be good

There have been two restraints used by staff permitted in the child’s DOL order to prevent them from leaving the home and running from staff. Each restraint was appropriate, the child was spoken to afterwards and they understand the reasons why staff intervened.

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improvement to be good

Searches of the child’s room are completed in line with their DOL order. The child understands why these are completed and is informed.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that they act accordingly when the child has self-harmed. This includes providing appropriate first aid or obtaining medical advice. A recent incident involving medication led staff to obtain a change in medication to liquid form to reduce the risk of future incidents. Inspection report for children’s home: 2807447 4

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good

Following concerns involving the acting manager, the responsible individual took on the day-to-day management of the home until the registered manager returned from maternity leave.

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good

Staff say that they have felt supported throughout and there has always been someone that they can obtain advice and guidance from when needed. Staff receive regular supervision sessions. However, the registered manager has not yet received a supervision session following their return from leave. This does not ensure that the manager has the full information that they require.

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good

Staff use an electronic recording system that the manager has full access to so that they can review records and make any comments. However, many pages of the child’s previous written logbooks had been destroyed by the child. The responsible individual was not made aware of this. This impacts on not only managers’ oversight but the child’s ability to read their records in the future.

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good

The staff team has generally been consistent. The manager does not use agency staff and uses other staff within the company to cover when needed. The manager follows safer recruitment processes that reduce the risk of unsuitable people working with the child.

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good

Team meetings take place regularly and are attended by the clinical psychologists. These meetings help the staff to reflect on their practice with the child and have been used to develop plans that can be shared with the child’s new team. Inspection report for children’s home: 2807447 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 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—

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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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the registered person ensuring that when children are subject to a deprivation of liberty order, this is followed and the staff seek clarification from the child’s placing authority when required.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to the registered person ensuring that the staff continue to make attempts to locate and contact children when they are missing from the home, for the duration until they return. 20 June 2025

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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. 20 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2807447 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement; and

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the registered manager ensuring that children have appropriate education provision.

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Requirement Due date

This further relates to the registered manager ensuring that when children are not in an education provision, they are supported to partake in structured activities that promote learning and are prepared for a return to education.

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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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 20 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2807447 7 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

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered manager ensuring that children have structure and routine. It also relates to the registered manager and staff not allowing children to buy vapes.

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Requirement Due date

This further relates to the registered manager identifying issues with staff practice and taking the appropriate action to address these shortfalls.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, this relates to the registered manager having supervision sessions following their return from an extended period of leave and ensuring that they have appropriate oversight over children’s records so that any issues with these can be addressed.

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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: 2807447 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Rubix Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 1 Cottam Lane Business Centre, Cottam Lane, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston, Lancashire PR2 1JR

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Inspector

Kerri Lynch, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2807447 9 and inspects 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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