Children's Home run by Your Chapter Limited in Telford and Wrekin

Inspection report children’s home: 1250186 1 Registered provider: Care 4 Children Residential 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 provides care for up to four young people. The home specialises in caring for girls who have been subject to child sexual exploitation. A private company operates this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: First inspection

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

None Inspection report children’s home: 1250186 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home is outstanding because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people feel safe, protected and highly valued by staff whom they have grown to trust and respect.

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Key findings from this inspection

 T he registered manager is passionate and sets high expectations of the standard of care staff must provide.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Social workers and parents understand the model of care used by the staff and can see the significant difference this is making on young people’s welfare, safety and emotional well-being.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people’s school attendance has increased considerably as a result of living at the home. The majority of young people are now achieving 100% school attendance.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people’s physical and emotional health noticeably improves because staff ensure that young people have access to essential health services.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff ensure that young people are able to influence decisions. This commitment to consultation means that young people are able to participate in key decisions that are important to them.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people’s relationships with their families improve significantly because of how staff support family contact.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Parents and social workers quickly notice a significant reduction in young people’s risk-taking behaviour.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff are extremely well trained to safeguard young people and are highly alert to young people’s vulnerabilities and any potential risks of harm.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Care planning is comprehensive, with each young person’s care plan capturing the uniqueness of the young person.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Leaders and managers are ambitious and energetic, and continuously looking for different ways to improve care practice. This includes using research and the advice of clinical therapists to help to inform practice and to improve young people’s lives.

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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

 The registered manager has not ensured that social workers have given consent for the use of alarms on young people’s bedroom doors.  The young person’s guide does not give accurate information about the three- stage programme of care that the home offers. Inspection report children’s home: 1250186 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

First inspection Inspection report children’s home: 1250186 4

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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

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance (Regulation 24 (1)(b) 19/02/2018

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation:

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the children’s guide helps children to understand what the day-to-day routines of the home are (‘what happens in the home’). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22)

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outstanding

Young people thrive as a result of the care that they receive from an enthusiastic and highly committed staff team. Staff view young people as an extension of their own family and take immense pride in all of their achievements, no matter how small. A young person told the inspector, ‘Ever since I was a kid I just wanted to be loved and cared for and be normal, and now I am.’

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outstanding

Young people form substantial trusting, stable relationships with staff. This is recognised as a considerable achievement and supports young people in the development of their self-esteem and confidence to achieve. A social worker said, ‘Her relationship with the staff is excellent. She has built strong relationships with the staff – this helps make it work.’

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outstanding

Staff provide young people with high-quality, individualised care that responds to their personal experiences. The staff team operates a bespoke three-stage model of care, supported by their therapy team. All young people, staff, social workers and parents know and understand this model of care. Young people talk openly about Inspection report children’s home: 1250186 5 their achievements and objectives. One young person said, ‘I’m on Phase 1… It’s a beginning time. I am earning trust and will grow into more responsibility, then I can move to Phase 2.’ This clarity means that young people understand and engage with their care plans, recognising the progress they have made.

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outstanding

Young people show significant progress in all areas of their lives as a result of living in this home. Aspirational staff ensure that young people receive all the care they need to thrive physically, emotionally, socially and educationally. One social worker described the staff as going ‘over and above’. School attendance has significantly increased for all young people, with the majority of young people now achieving 100% attendance. Staff work closely with teachers to promote a positive view of education. When necessary, staff will stay with young people in school to support their learning. A social worker told the inspector, ‘This is the first placement where she has settled and is engaging in education and is positive about it.’

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outstanding

Staff are proactive in promoting young people’s health needs. Young people are supported to have a healthy diet, encouraged to go to smoking cessation and to have access to sexual health advice. This means that young people have improved physical and emotional health.

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outstanding

Young people are consulted about all elements of their care. This includes day-to- day issues in the home as well as reviews and updates of their individualised care plans and risk assessments. Because of this, young people feel listened to on matters that are important to them. This inclusive participation plays a large part in helping each young person to have an increased sense of self-worth and belonging.

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outstanding

Staff create an extremely warm, nurturing environment within the home and ensure that the home is furnished to a high standard. They help young people to make sure that their bedroom reflects their interests and personalities. A social worker said, ‘Her bedroom was lovely; it was freshly decorated and had new furniture. It really reinforced their message that this is a fresh start.’ Consequently, young people visibly take ownership of their home and respect their environment.

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outstanding

Young people are exceptionally well supported to settle into the home. For example, one young person received a letter from another resident on her first night which empathised with her and reassured her that she would settle in soon. A social worker told the inspector that when she had arrived with a young person and her family they were made to feel welcome; ‘It was late but they gave the family the time that they needed to settle her in and we weren’t rushed at all.’ This supports the critical settling-in period for young people.

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outstanding

Staff motivate young people to develop self-care skills, including completing household chores, cooking and manging their own laundry. As a result of all the encouragement of the staff, young people become more proactive in these areas, and were observed during the inspection to complete tasks unprompted. Inspection report children’s home: 1250186 6 Visits to family and friends, especially those who live at a distance, are actively promoted by staff. A parent told the inspector, ‘Contact is really, really well supported, both for myself and for (young person).’ Staff travel to family contact with young people and supervise this when required. One young person, talking about the planning she had completed with her key-worker before family contact, said, ‘She said would look after me. She did it too. She didn’t let me out of her sight. I felt better about the visit and she showed me she was there for me.’ Young

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outstanding

people’s relationships with family members have improved significantly as a result of the support that staff provide.

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

Staff work tirelessly to safeguard young people. All young people told the inspector that they feel safe as a result of living in the home. One young person said, ‘It makes me feel emotional because I feel safer here than I have anywhere.’

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

Staff operate a comprehensive risk management system that recognises and responds to young people’s individual needs. A social worker said, ‘I received regular risk-management plans and updates to these when needed. They were comprehensive enough so that I didn’t need to make any changes or suggestions.’ Because of this comprehensive approach, risks are managed effectively and young people’s risk-taking behaviours significantly reduce.

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

Young people take part in structured key-work sessions that are set out to match each young person’s individualised care plan. These sessions enable young people to gain a better understanding of risks and how to keep themselves safe in the future. A young person said, ‘They teach us how to be safe, they teach us internet safety. They teach us about relationships and what is safe. They teach me about what to do if you get in a situation, how to look after yourself.’ Social workers and parents supported this view, recognising that young people make exceptional progress in this area. A parent told the inspector that her daughter’s most significant progress was ‘the acknowledgement that she was at risk. Now she sees that she was vulnerable and at risk, she didn’t see that before.’ This means that young people are supported to safeguard themselves.

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

Missing from care incidents are low, with only one since the home opened in May 2017. This was managed effectively, with staff following the agreed protocols and making sure that the young person received support on their return. Staff are proactive when they believe young people may go missing. They will leave the home with the young person and encourage them to return, with positive results. A parent said, ‘They go above and beyond to keep her safe. She previously had that many missing it was untrue; she’s not had any here.’

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

Staff receive comprehensive training in relation to safeguarding and radicalisation. This includes receiving specialist training in providing care to young people who have a history of being subjected to child sexual exploitation. When young people demonstrate specific risks, for example self-harm, staff are supported with additional Inspection report children’s home: 1250186 7 specialist training. This means that staff are trained to provide effective, safe care to young people.

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

Staff implement clear behaviour management strategies, with young people receiving consistent messages regarding expectations. A positive reward system promotes praise, which young people thrive on. As a result, consequences are used minimally with a strong focus on restorative practice rather than sanctions.

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

Staff undertake comprehensive weekly health and safety checks. This means that young people live in a safe environment.

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

The registered manager oversees the safe recruitment of staff. This ensures that everyone employed is safe to work with young people. Recently, young people have been involved with staff interviews. This clearly demonstrates to applicants that young people are at the heart of this service.

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

The home operates a door alarm system to safeguard young people. Although young people have given their own consent for this measure, social workers have not been provided with the opportunity to give their written consent to this measure of surveillance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager holds a level 5 diploma in leadership and management. She has been with the service since it was opened and is passionate and dedicated. Staff, young people and parents all speak positively about her exceptional practice and the difference she makes to young people’s lives. She has high expectations about the standards of care that staff provide to young people. As a result, this influences the staff’s commitment in wanting to get it right for every young person.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager makes excellent use of all monitoring and review systems to help her identify areas of development and to make continuous improvement. The home’s independent visitor who visits the home monthly supports this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Young people receive one-to-one support. A social worker said, ‘There are enough staff about to be available to her.’ This means that young people experience staff who are responsive to their individual needs. Importantly, this approach supports the building of trusting relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has developed a strong culture of supportive team work. A staff member told the inspector, ‘No one is more important than the other, we all work together.’ This strong, collaborative practice supports the consistent care and boundaries that are intrinsic to the home’s therapeutic model. One social worker observed, ‘The expectations are really clear. There are clear boundaries and they are all following the same programme. There is a clear therapy process… it is not just about being in the middle of nowhere.’ Inspection report children’s home: 1250186 8 Staff receive regular supervision that supports them to reflect on and to develop their practice. This means that staff have confidence in managers who are readily available to them for advice and guidance. Staff also have access to the in-house therapist and because of this staff feel supported and safe in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive a comprehensive induction and training programme. This means that they quickly gain the knowledge necessary to meet the needs of the young people living in the home. All staff either have or are within the required timescale to complete their level 3 qualification in residential childcare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager ensures that staff work closely with the wide range of professionals to identify and meet the needs of young people. For example, staff work closely with the local police and drug service, who have completed workshops with young people. When a response is slow from another service, the manager is quick to escalate her concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager ensures that the home operates within the statement of purpose. This means that parents and social workers fully understand the aims and objectives of the home. However, the young person’s guide does not mirror the same level of detail. This means young people are less well informed if they rely solely on the young person’s guide for essential information.

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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 differences 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 how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom 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: 1250186 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care 4 Children Residential Services Limited

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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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Inspector

Tracey Coglan Greig, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1250186 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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