Children's Home run by Rockhopper Children’s Services Limited in Coventry

Inspection report for children’s home: 2692837 1 Registered provider: Rockhopper Children’s Services 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 is owned by a large, private provider. It is registered to care for up to five children who may have special educational needs and are likely to have social and emotional difficulties because they have experienced early childhood trauma. Five children are currently being cared for in this home at the time of inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since July 2024 and is currently working through the relevant qualification in leadership and management.

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Information about this children’s home

A responsible individual is in post; Ofsted has not yet assessed their suitability.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2692837 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/07/2024 Full Good 08/08/2023 Full Good 17/05/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2692837 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, five children were living in the home. Since the last inspection, one child has moved in and one has moved on. In addition, during the second day of the inspection, one child transitioned to semi-independent accommodation in line with their care plan. Children experience thoughtful and well-planned transitions both into and out of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children spoke with the inspector. All said that they enjoy living in the home and feel safe. One child commented, ‘The manager and staff are brilliant.’ Another child said, ‘The biggest achievement is I feel more put together compared to when I arrived.’ All children spoke positively about the atmosphere in the home, which they attributed to the adults who care for them. Children enjoy new experiences and opportunities, such as holidays and celebrating special events together. These moments are captured and shared with them each month through a child-friendly newsletter, which helps to build a sense of belonging and celebration.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from nurturing and therapeutic approaches that support their emotional well-being. These approaches foster a strong sense of belonging and enable children to build trusting, positive relationships with staff. Children are actively encouraged to give their views, wishes and feelings, which are meaningfully acted on. For example, one child requested to move schools, and staff advocated effectively on their behalf to ensure that this was achieved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is promoted well. All children have made progress from their starting points, and four children attend education provisions. One child has not attended education for some time; however, the manager is taking appropriate steps to escalate the matter. In the meantime, staff continue to encourage learning through educational activities. Plans are in place to attend local education provision open days to explore suitable course options.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well understood by the adults who care for them. Leaders and managers work effectively with health services to ensure that these needs are met. When changes in health needs arise, staff promptly seek professional input to enhance the support provided. Children also benefit from access to an in-house therapist, which supports their emotional well-being. Routine health appointments are attended and children receive guidance on healthy lifestyles during key-working sessions. However, leaders and managers do not consistently review the effectiveness of current strategies to support children in maintaining good personal hygiene, independence and healthy daily routines.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is warm, welcoming and thoughtfully decorated. Children’s bedrooms are personalised to reflect their individual preferences, helping them to feel valued and at home. However, staff do not consistently maintain the cleanliness of Inspection report for children’s home: 2692837 4 children’s bedrooms, and current strategies to support children in this area are not always effective.

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

Since the last inspection, a serious concern remains under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this nature, the actions taken by the home in response to the concern were considered alongside the evidence reviewed at the previous inspection.

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

During this inspection, the inspector reviewed a learning review completed by an external agency in relation to the serious concern. Actions for improvement were identified, and leaders and managers have responded promptly and effectively. These actions have contributed to strengthening the safeguarding culture within the home, including the implementation of additional staff training and a new system for reporting and recording safeguarding matters.

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

When children go missing, staff respond promptly and work collaboratively to ensure their safe return, including actively searching for them. Upon their return, children are welcomed with warmth and care. Staff explore their feelings to understand the reasons behind the incident. Staff are effective in sharing information with external agencies, such as the police and child exploitation teams, which supports a strong multi-agency approach to risk management. For example, one child was moved due to escalating local risks. Although missing incidents initially increased following the last inspection, they have since reduced. Staff have worked closely with children to explore underlying causes, and individualised plans have been implemented, contributing to a reduction in these risks.

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

Children are supported to understand risks through key-working sessions and input from external professionals, such as an exploitation worker, who help to enhance their awareness and understanding. Internet and device monitoring systems are in place and contribute to keeping children safe online.

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

Staff respond appropriately to incidents of self-harm, offering emotional support, medical intervention and monitoring to ensure children’s safety and well-being. However, records do not consistently provide clear details of the actions taken, and some entries are misleading. This oversight was not identified by the manager. Furthermore, risk management plans do not consistently provide clear guidance for staff on post-incident monitoring, and some plans have not been updated following changes. Despite these recording shortfalls, staff actions in practice demonstrate a strong commitment to safeguarding and providing emotional support.

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

Staff implement consistent and positive behaviour management strategies that support children effectively. On occasion, children have been held as a last resort to keep them and others safe. However, there are gaps in the recording and structure of staff post- incident reviews. These reviews are conducted collectively, which does not allow staff to Inspection report for children’s home: 2692837 5 share individual reflections or raise concerns confidentially. Additionally, these records do not include dates, which limits accountability and oversight.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a passionate and enthusiastic manager who is a strong advocate for children. The manager works effectively with placing authorities to ensure that children’s care needs are prioritised. For example, when one child was due to move into a semi-independent setting, the manager appropriately escalated concerns through the correct channels, highlighting that the proposed placement was not suitable given the child’s level of need. As a result, it was agreed that an alternative setting would be explored.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are supported by a consistent and stable staff team, with a high proportion of staff holding relevant qualifications. Since the last inspection, all staff have completed additional training that is tailored to the specific needs of the children. This has enhanced staff understanding of children’s backgrounds and individual needs, enabling them to provide more effective and informed support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff report feeling well supported and led by the manager. They receive regular supervision. Since the last inspection, individualised development plans have been introduced to promote their professional growth. This has contributed to a more confident and skilled workforce, driving positive change in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring systems are in place and support effective oversight of the home. The manager routinely reviews key records, including incidents, safeguarding concerns and care planning documentation, to identify patterns and areas for improvement. This enables timely action to be taken and ensures that children’s needs are consistently met. Regular audits and quality assurance processes contribute to maintaining high standards of care and continuous development. Inspection report for children’s home: 2692837 6

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(iv)(vi)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff encourage children to take a proactive role in looking after their day-to-day health and well-being. In addition, they should support children’s education attendance and independence and maintain children’s bedrooms. They should review the effectiveness of strategies to support children to maintain good personal hygiene routines and promote a healthy lifestyle. 9 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")— 9 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2692837 7 has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff are spoken to within required timeframes, provide opportunities for individual reflections and ensure that records are signed to confirm that they are accurate.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)(c)) 9 November 2025

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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: 2692837 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Rockhopper Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 7, Brook Business Centre, Cowley Mill Road, Cowley, Uxbridge UB8 2FX

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Inspector

Joanne Humphreys, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2692837 9 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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