Children's home run by Care 4 Children Residential Services Ltd in Stockport

Interim inspection report children’s home: 1240842 1 Registered provider: Care 4 Children Residential Services Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is one of a number of homes operated by a small private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for one young person who has emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A mobile motorhome is used to access outward-bound activities at set locations as part of the service.

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Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 30 October 2017

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Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home provides time-limited emergency placements for young people who have highly complex emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A motorhome is also used, as part of the service, to enable young people to participate in outward-bound activities. Fully trained activity instructors help to steer young people through a period of crisis in their lives. Four young people have left the home since the last inspection, in line with their care plans. One young person has recently been admitted to the home and is settling well. Interim inspection report children’s home: 1240842 2 Three of the six requirements and all of the three recommendations made at the last inspection have been addressed. For example, young people are now admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs identified in the statement of purpose. Appraisals of staff performance are completed and recruitment procedures are

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

in place to promote the safety of young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although progress has been made, further work is necessary to improve the overall effectiveness of the home. Young people’s risk assessments are better, but do not include the timescales for reporting young people missing from care to the police. Also, the staff do not hold relevant care qualifications, and management monitoring processes, such as the ‘golden checklist’, are not being adhered to. Moreover, areas of the home’s living environment are in need of repair to ensure the highest standards of accommodation.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The senior manager is well aware of these shortfalls and has plans in place to address them. For example, he is currently reviewing the management arrangements to support the development of the home. An experienced manager from another home in the organisation is also providing support and guidance to the staff team to improve standards further.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people who come to live here have new experiences and learn new skills. They participate in a programme of activities including mountain biking, caving, kayaking, camping, swimming and climbing. The staff encourage them, side-by-side, to complete the challenges. This develops young people’s trust, confidence and sense of achievement. For the majority of young people this works, and they refrain from risky behaviours such as violence and criminal activity.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff continue to work very well with young people’s families and placing authorities to promote the needs of young people. They support young people to see their family members, and transport them back to their home town regardless of the long distances involved. This enables young people to maintain relationships with those important to them.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/10/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Interim inspection report children’s home: 1240842 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

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure that staff 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; and that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12(2)(a)(i)) and (d)) 20/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (2)(c) and (h)) 20/04/2018

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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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out Interim inspection report children’s home: 1240842 4 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’.

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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: 1 Stuart Road, Bredbury Park Industrial Estate, Bredbury, Stockport SK6 2SR

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Inspector

Caroline Jones, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: 1240842 5 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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