Children's Home run by Your Chapter Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: SC489416 1 SC489416 Registered provider: Care 4 Children Residential Services Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private organisation operates this children’s home. The service is registered to accommodate up to four girls who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home provides medium to long-term therapeutic care to young people who present with significant risk of child sexual exploitation. It is dually registered as a school, and education is provided on site.

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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 provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement

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Good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Not applicable Inspection report children’s home: SC489416 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people make good progress living here.  Multi-agency assessment of need is good.  Young people benefit from a therapeutic environment.  Young people have positive relationships with staff and engagement is good.  Staff are nurturing. They support young people to learn to manage their own emotions and behaviours, and to make safer choices.  Young people feel safe at the home.  Young people feel that they have a voice. They are encouraged to share their wishes and feelings.  Missing from home episodes reduce considerably.  There is a variety of learning opportunities available to meet young people’s learning styles, needs and interests.  Young people engage well with education. They make progress and are supported and motivated to achieve their full potential.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff do not always communicate effectively with young people’s families. Contact with family is not always facilitated well.  Recording is inconsistent and, in some instances, key recording requirements are missing. Furthermore, information is sometimes contradictory and misleading.  Transition arrangements for young people are not robust enough.  Monitoring and quality assurance systems are not yet effective.  Liaison with partner agencies is not strong enough.  Ofsted notifications are not always sent in a timely way.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/03/2017 Full Requires improvement 15/12/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/01/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC489416 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, 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

14: The care planning standard In order to meet the care planning standard, the registered person must ensure that children— (1)(a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. In particular, ensure that family contact is well planned and suitably managed; (b) have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home; and that arrangements are in place to— (2)(b)(i) ensure the effective induction of each child to the home; (iii) plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or move to adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. 28/06/2017

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children’s home that— (2) (h) uses monitoring and review systems, to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 28/06/2017

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Requirement Due date

36: Children’s case records In order to meet the child case records standard, the registered person must maintain records for each child which— (1) (b) are kept up to date; and (c) are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (2) Case records must be kept— (c) securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there. 28/06/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC489416 4 * These requirements are the subject of a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, with 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13)  Registered persons have a key role in seeking to develop the home’s effective working relationships with each child’s placing authority and with other relevant persons. These may include services, individuals (including parents), agencies, organisations and establishments that work with children in the local community, for example police, schools, health and youth offending teams (regulation 5 – engaging with the wider system to ensure that children’s needs are met). These

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Recommendations

working relationships will also be key to success in delivering the care planning standard (regulation 14). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.3)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make good progress. They benefit from holistic specialist therapeutic care. Agencies report that they are happy with the care and that young people are doing well. The multi-agency assessments are good. These inform the individual care that young people receive. Staff understand the needs of the young people and work together to support young people through their therapeutic programme. Young people benefit from having clear routines and boundaries in place. They say that they have good relationships with staff. It is evident that young people trust staff and feel safe and cared for. Staff receive support from the clinical psychologist. Through this, they learn about why the young people are displaying their behaviours. Furthermore, staff receive advice on how to work with the young people in order to bring about positive change. This is a strength of the home. Young people receive the support that they need to understand their emotions and risk-

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

taking behaviour. This helps them to make safer decisions. For example, missing from home was a key risk indicator for the young people when they arrived. This has considerably reduced. Through a therapeutic nurturing and consistent approach, young people begin to take responsibility for their behaviours and make choices that are more positive. Young people are involved in the running of the home and take part in regular young people’s meetings. These meetings take account of the care and education provision for Inspection report children’s home: SC489416 5 young people. This supports the home’s therapeutic ethos. Young people are encouraged to share their wishes and feelings through a variety of ways. For example, young people contribute to the multidisciplinary meetings and receive written feedback that aims to answer their questions and alleviate any worries they may have. Young people make good progress in education. When they first arrive at the home,

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

they have very low educational attendance and attainment. Young people have access to full-time education on site and the relationship between care staff and education staff is good, enabling them to work well together. As a result, young people benefit from this consistent approach. One young person in particular is making very good progress and has an attendance rate of 100%. Young people speak positively about their education and are committed to achieving their individual goals. When young people find it difficult to engage in education, staff are proactive in motivating them. The educational facility at the home has developed an incentive system to enhance engagement and learning outcomes. This is working well. Young people have the opportunity to access activities and are encouraged to try new things. The young people speak positively about the opportunities available to them. The home feels inviting and it is reflective of the young people living there. They are

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

encouraged to personalise their home. Young people have respect for their home. Staff have an understanding of the young people’s cultural needs and this informs the young people’s day-to-day practice.

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improvement to be good

Young people who live in this home are, in the main, safe. Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities. While staff adhere to safeguarding practices and procedures, written risk assessments are not always robust enough. They are often ambiguous and inaccurate. The strategies in place to manage risks and behaviour are also unclear. Furthermore, they are not always updated when an incident occurs. There is an over- reliance on handovers, log books and staff communication to manage some risk-taking behaviours. This is not effective and, consequently, key information is missed. Practice is not risk averse, but instead seeks to empower young people to make appropriate and acceptable choices. Staff do not always have a full understanding of the young people’s behaviours and the impact that these can have on their well-being. For example, when unhealthy eating patterns are highlighted, monitoring or evaluation does not take place to ensure that

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improvement to be good

these behaviours do not become a safeguarding concern. Furthermore, healthy eating strategies are not in place to support young people to make healthier choices. Procedures to manage young people going missing from home are effective. Young people are encouraged to make good choices. Individual strategies are in place for each young person. This enables staff to manage missing from home episodes well. Subsequently, incidents of young people going missing from home reduce considerably for young people. When young people attempt to go missing from home, staff proactively support them to return home safely. Return home interviews are undertaken. Inspection report children’s home: SC489416 6 However, updates to relevant agencies are not routinely provided. Thus, the risks and protective factors relating to future missing from home incidents are not clear to partner agencies. Furthermore, when notifications to the relevant authorities are required, these

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improvement to be good

are not always completed to an appropriate standard. The process is not followed correctly and in a timely way. Young people have regular contact with their families. However, staff do not routinely manage contact safely and effectively. While young people benefit from their contact, the needs and risks associated with supervised contact visits are not fully considered. Subsequently, staff are not always successful in protecting young people from preventable risky situations. Staff receive training on behaviour management and the safe use of restraint. They are able to respond quickly to issues that arise and, as a result, staff manage and de- escalate incidents effectively. Staff and young people are clear about the standards of behaviour that are acceptable. Young people respond to these well and they receive support in understanding their emotions and behaviour. This enables them to take responsibility for their own behaviour and to learn strategies to self-regulate.

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improvement to be good

Young people know how to make a complaint. They speak with staff about any issues that arise. Furthermore, young people talk to other appropriate adults about their concerns, wishes and feelings. There are timely and proactive responses to the complaints made by young people. However, action taken in response to complaints and associated communication is not always clear. Young people are sometimes uncertain about the outcome of their complaint, or of the possibility that the nature of their complaint may happen again. The recruitment and selection of staff is good. Staff are vigilant and take appropriate steps to verify visitors’ identity to protect young people. Health and safety checks are completed, and this ensures a safe living environment. The location risk assessment clearly identifies the risks and the safety measures in place to keep young people safe in their local community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The current manager has been in her position since February 2017. She is new to the company. However, she does have previous experience as a registered manager. A recently appointed deputy manager supports her. The deputy manager has worked in the home for a considerable amount of time as a senior member of staff. She is suitably qualified and experienced and provides consistency for the staff team and young people. Furthermore, the manager has begun receiving support from a very experienced registered manager that works for the same organisation. This role acts as a designated mentor who provides management support and management oversight. The home operates in line with its statement of purpose. Staff are suitably qualified, or they are working towards a relevant qualification. There have been a number of staff changes in recent months, which have resulted in some vacancies, but staff have now been recruited to these posts. The home now benefits from a full staff complement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

However, the staff are not yet working cohesively and, thus, practice is sometimes Inspection report children’s home: SC489416 7 inconsistent. There is a development plan in place that is both young person and outcome focused. The manager is aware of the strengths and the improvement areas. However, a full understanding of this is not yet evident within the staff team. Relationships with other agencies are generally positive. There are times when external agencies do not complete agreed actions. In these instances, leaders and managers do not proactively challenge in a timely way and, subsequently, there is drift and delay. Once these issues receive the attention that is required, actions are completed and young people receive a positive outcome. While the registered manager has an understanding of the young people’s needs and the progress that they have made so far, there are some gaps in her knowledge. This is

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

particularly in relation to young people’s transition arrangements. Furthermore, staff are unclear about these. Consequently, plans and preparation are not robust enough. This was an area of practice highlighted in the last inspection. While some of the practice issues have been addressed, this area requires further improvement. Inconsistent management oversight results in limited evaluation of the quality of practice. This has an impact on the management of young people’s needs, risks and behaviour. Recording standards vary and, in some instances, key recording requirements are missing. Moreover, information is sometimes contradictory, misleading and stored in the wrong place. This leads to staff not fully understanding the information available and information being shared inappropriately. Staff members report that they generally enjoy working at the home, and that the practice and the culture is improving. They say that things are more settled and that

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

young people are responding well to the positive changes. Staff have guidance, policies and procedures in place to support their care practice. However, there are occasions when staff do not follow agreed procedures and this leads to inconsistencies in practice. Staff receive individual regular supervision. However, supervision records are not always clear and they are missing the required signatures and dates. Furthermore, human resource procedures are not always followed. Therefore, staff do not always receive the support and guidance that they need. Staff have access to individual clinical supervision if required. In addition to this, clinical support is offered through the regular team meetings. This supports staff in their delivery of therapeutic care for young people. Staff training is available. The training provided is reflective of the young people’s needs. Gaps in training are identified accordingly and arrangements are made to rectify this.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about Inspection report children’s home: SC489416 8 how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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 children’s home: SC489416 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care 4 Children Residential Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Care 4 Children, 1 Stuart Road, Bredbury Park Industrial Estate, Bredbury, Stockport SK6 2SR

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Post Vacant Bernadette Perry

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Inspector

Lisa Gregoire-Parker, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC489416 10 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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