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

Inspection report for children's home: 2725420 1 Registered provider: Rockhopper Children's Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This privately owned home provides care for up to 5 children with social and emotional difficulties and complex needs.

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Information about this children's home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in August 2023.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection, there were 4 children living at the home.

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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: 2725420 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/08/2025 Full Good 03/09/2024 Full Good 15/01/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2725420 3

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Summary of findings

Children experience warm, nurturing and responsive care, which helps them to feel safe and settled. As a result, the children have developed trusting relationships with staff and are making progress from their individual starting points. Children are supported to spend meaningful time with their families, participate in clubs and activities and enjoy new experiences. Children's plans and risk assessments are informed by specialist professionals within the wider organisation. Staff implement these plans consistently. The staff benefit from effective guidance and support from managers and specialists. This helps to ensure that the children receive support that is responsive to their individual needs and vulnerabilities.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers maintain effective oversight of issues affecting children and staff practice. However, sometimes, staff do not complete searches for children when children go missing from home. Sometimes, there is unnecessary delay in carrying out formal plans for the development of children's independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have lived at the home for over 3 years, and the other 2 children have lived at the home for over a year. No children have moved into or out of the home since the last inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spoke positively about their experiences of living at the home. They have secure and trusting relationships with staff. Staff interactions with the children are warm, nurturing and responsive to their individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The positive relationships that staff have developed with the children underpin the children feeling settled and secure. The stability experienced by the children has positively impacted on their individual progress. This includes their ability to focus on education and enjoy family time. One parent said that their child has made significant progress since living at the home and is now behaving in safer ways.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When difficulties arise between the children, staff respond appropriately to promote positive relationships. They increase supervision as needed to safeguard children's wellbeing. Staff have worked with the children to address tensions through restorative conversations and targeted support. This has included consultation with other professionals and the implementation of clear plans to manage identified concerns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide range of activities and experiences that enrich their lives and promote their development. Two children have travelled abroad for the first time, providing them with new opportunities and experiences. Children are encouraged and supported to participate in local clubs and activities. This helps them to develop Inspection report for children's home: 2725420 4 friendships, build confidence and enjoy opportunities that most children enjoy. Through their involvement in these activities, children have achieved awards and developed valuable skills that enhance their independence, self-esteem and overall wellbeing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have taken steps to support one child to prepare for independence. However, staff have yet to begin planned independence work with another child. This delay means that the child is not being fully supported to develop age-appropriate independence skills appropriately.

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

Staff build positive relationships with the children, which means they trust the staff. Consequently, children feel able to discuss sensitive issues, and staff help them develop a better understanding of risk and personal safety. Staff demonstrate professional curiosity and seek to understand the factors influencing children's behaviours and experiences. This helps to keep children safe.

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

Effective use is made of specialists available within the organisation to help identify, understand and manage risks to children. The information, advice and guidance provided by these professionals are used to inform children's plans and risk assessments. This in turn strengthens the direct work staff undertake with children. As a result, children receive support that is responsive to their individual needs and vulnerabilities.

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

Staff's use of creative and purposeful activities has helped to engage the children in positive experiences that reflect their interests. This approach provides opportunities for the children to make safer choices. For one child, this has contributed to reducing the risk of offending behaviour. While some children do not always comply with court orders in place, staff provide ongoing support and guidance to help them understand the importance of this.

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

The manager reviews and evaluates the use of physical intervention effectively. The children and staff are routinely provided with opportunities to debrief and reflect after any incidents. Managers use these discussions to consider not only the physical intervention itself, but also the events, triggers and staff responses that led up to the incident. They ensure that any physical intervention used is fair and proportionate. They also assess the effectiveness of staff practice, identify learning opportunities and consider whether behaviour support plans require review or amendment. When practice shortfalls are identified, these are addressed promptly through supervision, reflection and feedback to staff. This approach has contributed to a reduction in the use of physical intervention since the last inspection.

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

Any allegations raised receive appropriate scrutiny from leaders and managers. Children's views are actively sought and considered, including through debrief discussions following concerns they have raised. This helps to ensure that allegations are managed effectively and that children's experiences are understood. Inspection report for children's home: 2725420 5 Staff generally take appropriate action when children go missing from home. They seek to maintain contact with children during incidents, and this has helped children to return home safely. However, staff sometimes do not search the areas that the child could have been at as they do not feel safe to do so. Managers have yet to identify strategies to support staff to complete searches in these situations. This undermines staff's ability to ensure that children are safe. Effective information-sharing arrangements are in place with partner agencies, ensuring that relevant information is shared promptly to help

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

manage risk. Staff demonstrate care and concern for children when they return home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager maintains effective monitoring and oversight of the service to ensure that the children receive good-quality care. They advocate effectively on behalf of the children and appropriately challenge other professionals to ensure that the children receive the support they need and that risks are appropriately managed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Reflective practice is embedded in the service. Leaders and managers analyse incidents and other significant issues impacting children to identify any emerging patterns and trends in staff practice. When areas for development are identified, these are addressed appropriately with individual staff members. Additional specialist support has been provided to help staff reflect on their practice and better understand children's needs and behaviours. This has strengthened staff practice and contributed to children experiencing safer and more effective care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported. They said managers are approachable and supportive. Staff described the home as having a positive team culture, which promotes effective working relationships and contributes to the consistent good-quality care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular good-quality supervision. They are provided with a variety of suitable training that supports them to meet the needs of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders, managers and staff have built positive relationships with partner professionals and children's families. Professionals referred to the strong relationships that staff have developed with the children. This effective partnership approach helps to ensure that the children receive the help and support that they need. Inspection report for children's home: 2725420 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff help each child to prepare to live independently, including supporting the child to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope without the home's support and to develop practical skills such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including quality standards', page 17, paragraph 3.27)  The registered person should specify the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing from home. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including quality standards', page 45, paragraph 9.28)

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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: 2725420 7

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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

Daniel Sancto, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2725420 8 regulates 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 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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Inspector

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