Children's home run by Your Chapter Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1249035 1 Registered provider: Care 4 Children Residential Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is run by a private organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to six young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is managed by a registered manager who is qualified at diploma level 5.

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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 outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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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: 15 February 2018

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1249035 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 23/08/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1249035 3

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Recommendations

 Children should be encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

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Recommendations

 Case records must be kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. Specifically, any changes in the treatment plan for a historical medical condition. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people thrive in this home. Care planning is exceptional. Plans are detailed, relevant, updated and work seamlessly with the internal therapeutic support. Young people receive individual support from the in-house, full-time psychologist. The three- phase wellness for life programme underpins the ethos within the home and the planned work undertaken with young people. Young people engage very well and say, ‘The staff have helped me so much. I am calmer, and I stop and think about things. I didn’t do this before.’ From their initial starting points, young people’s progress is excellent.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Relationships between young people and their key workers are outstanding. Staff have an in-depth knowledge of each young person and work with them in a way that promotes their individual strengths. This means that young people have a continuous sense of achievement and this strengthens their individual self-esteem and confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff understand the value of including families where possible in the planning for young people’s care. They work extremely hard to develop trusting relationships. Consequently, where possible, young people enjoy regular contact with important people in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people’s educational attendance and attainment are excellent. Young people attend the on-site registered school and complete a full curriculum. Young people have fantastic opportunities to develop essential work skills through bespoke work experience partnerships developed by the teaching staff. Examples of work experience include mechanics and farming. Likewise, young people enjoy educational success. They are keen to succeed and are working towards GCSE and AQA qualifications. This is a tremendous achievement as many young people attending this service have a previous history of educational disruption and non-attendance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Healthcare planning is extremely well supported. All young people are registered with Inspection report children’s home: 1249035 4 local general health practitioners. Records of appointments give a clear summary of the appointment outcome. Likewise, young people are provided with additional external support from a variety of agencies, including therapists, counsellors, guardians, advocates and the looked after children’s nurse. Young people engage well and make progress. However, a record of a historical medical diagnosis was misleading. This is because updates on the condition are not clearly recorded. A recommendation is made to address this matter.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people are encouraged to create weekly activity planners with the support of staff. They are keen to try out new activities and this has helped them to develop in confidence and self-esteem. Young people attend the gym, rugby, trampolining, the cinema and go on a variety of day trips to theme parks and beaches. Photographs displayed in the home are a testament to the unique and valuable experiences and memories that young people make at this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people are regularly consulted about the running of the home. They participate in young people’s meetings, key-work sessions and occasionally complete ‘Have your say’ surveys. However, some young people do not regularly review their files and the information recorded about them. This would enable young people to learn about their past and to better understand the aims of the placement and the work undertaken with them. A recommendation is made to address this matter.

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

The safety and protection of young people are exceptionally well managed. Up-to-date risk assessments are developed in consultation with social workers and therapists to ensure that all eventualities are considered. Consequently, young people’s risk-taking behaviours are consistently monitored and evaluated in accordance with their risk management plan. Where risks are deemed to have increased or indeed where a specific change in behaviour is identified, staff take effective action in consultation with therapists to address these concerns and to update the risk management plan. Consequently, young people’s risk-taking behaviours are significantly reduced while living in this home.

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

Missing from home risk assessments and action plans are routinely reviewed and updated. This means that staff are vigilant and ensure the continued protection of young people resident in the home. For example, on occasions where a young person leaves the home without permission, staff take swift and effective action to ensure their prompt and safe return.

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

All staff are trained in the use of physical intervention. A staff member said, ‘We always work through the de-escalation and redirection plans for young people to avoid the use of a physical intervention.’ Records confirm that de-escalation techniques are successful. However, when behaviours escalate and a physical intervention is necessary, the home maintains a detailed record which is shared with the home’s psychologist and external professionals to re-evaluate behaviour management techniques as appropriate. Inspection report children’s home: 1249035 5 Behaviour management plans are developed in partnership with the home’s psychologist, social workers and educational professionals. This means that a consistent approach to all behaviours is applied at all times. Young people receive sanctions which are fair and proportionate and suitable to their age and understanding. Likewise, young people receive consistent praise and reward for good behaviour and the excellent progress that

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

they make towards their individual goals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in post since February 2018 and became registered with Ofsted in September 2018. She is qualified at NVQ level 5 in social care and is committed to delivering consistent and individualised progressive childcare practice. At the time of the inspection, the registered manager was absent through sickness. Suitable arrangements are in place to oversee this period. The home is currently being overseen by the deputy manager and registered individual.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last interim inspection in February 2018, the home has been successful in recruiting staff for the vacant positions. This means that the children’s home is now functioning with a full core staff team. All staff receive a one-week induction and are further supported by regular managerial and clinical supervision within the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people live in a home that is managed in their best interests. The home meets the aims and objectives of the statement of purpose, and young people, social workers and families are clear about the service and support that the home provides.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Internal and external monitoring systems provide the home with an exceptional approach to the overall monitoring of care. Detailed information highlights areas for development, and the manager’s action plan details the methods used to enhance the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are provided with an excellent annual training package. Mandatory training is regularly refreshed, while regular additional training is provided by the home’s in-house psychologist. This level of training ensures that young people are looked after by staff who have a clear understanding of their complex and individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The care provided within the home is based on two theoretical frameworks, attachment and the well-being for life program. Staff work exceptionally hard to build positive and trusting relationships to strengthen young people’s self-esteem and confidence. Young people begin to develop safe attachments and this enables them to begin to understand their lives differently. Using the wellness for life model, young people begin to forecast action-reaction and consequence. Consequently, young people learn to organise and manage their emotions in a way that prevents them from going into regular crisis.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a strong commitment to delivering excellent child-centred practice that is tailored to the individual and personal needs of young people. The effectiveness of this approach is measurable in the progress that young people make, particularly in risk reduction, education and self-esteem. Inspection report children’s home: 1249035 6 The home employs a full-time core staff team. Senior residential staff are qualified at diploma level 5. Likewise, 50% of residential staff are qualified at NVQ level 3, with the remaining staff enrolled or near completion of this qualification. The training of staff at this level ensures that they are suitably qualified in the care and management of young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that all referrals to the home are suitably assessed for compatibility. Evidence of impact assessments leading to decisions not to place demonstrates a clear commitment to the young people already placed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff routinely notify Ofsted, placing authorities, parents and community police of any concern or event involving a child, in accordance with Regulation 40. Immediate action is taken to reduce risks. The home places the needs of the young people at the forefront of its practice and this is evident in the excellent progress that they make.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is located in a quiet area that blends in within the local community. The home is close to bus and rail links, local amenities and general health practices. It is spacious and modern in design. Young people design the style of their bedrooms and this helps them to feel that they belong.

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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: 1249035 7

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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

Maria McGranaghan: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1249035 8 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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