Children's home run by Your Chapter Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 1 Registered provider: Care 4 Children 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

This children’s home is operated by a private organisation. It offers care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager was appointed to the home in February 2019 and is awaiting registration with Ofsted.

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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: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

As a result of an inadequate inspection and breach in regulations, three compliance notices in respect of the protection of children standard, the positive relationship standard and the leadership and management standard were served on 6 June 2019.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A restriction of accommodation notice was placed on the home in June 2019. A monitoring visit was undertaken on 4 July 2019 and found that sufficient progress had been made to address the compliance notices. This resulted in the restriction of accommodation being lifted. Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/05/2019 Full Inadequate 05/06/2018 Full Good 03/10/2017 Full Good 15/05/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 3

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Recommendations

 Each child should have their own personal space which will usually be their bedroom. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.18). Specifically, to ensure that vacant bedrooms are ready and available for a new admission to the home.

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. Everyone working in the home must understand their roles and responsibilities and what they are authorised to decide on their own initiative. There should be clear lines of accountability. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20). Specifically, allow for all staff to come together in a team meeting to discuss the shortfalls in practice as identified at the previous inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one young person has been discharged to semi-independent accommodation. One young person remains in placement. There have been no new admissions since the restriction of accommodation was lifted on 4 July 2019.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Residential care planning is significantly improved. Placement targets are identified and keywork sessions take place regularly in order to meet each target. In addition, young people now have a better understanding of the aim of the placement, their long-term goals and what is expected of them in order to meet their placement targets. Consequently, young people have a better level of engagement in the placement and are well motivated to achieve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Educational attendance and attainment have improved. Young people have developed a commitment to their learning and now attend school regularly. Young people gain AQA qualifications in chosen topics such as building and construction and car maintenance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the value of including families where possible in the planning for young people’s care. This has proved successful. Staff have developed trusting relationships with families. As a result, the quality of contact is vastly improved, resulting in increased contact arrangements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home endured a significant period of crisis leading up to the last full inspection in May 2019. Since this time, the manager and staff have worked hard to address the Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 4 shortfalls as identified at the inspection, including a change in the culture of the home. This inspection found a homelier environment with a happy and relaxed atmosphere. Young people now have consistent routines and are supported by staff, who have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are suitably registered with healthcare professionals and are supported by staff to attend appointments and receive treatment where necessary. Individual keywork sessions help young people to address health concerns, for example the impact of alcohol and substance misuse. As a result of this focused work undertaken with young people, there have been no instances of alcohol or substance misuse since the last full inspection, and young people are now suitably supported to understand and address their healthcare needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Free time away from the home is now structured and suitably monitored, and young people now attend planned recreational activities away from the home. Activities include quad biking, jet skiing, skate park and motorcycle scrambling. In addition, young people attend evenings out with staff to visit the cinema or go for a drive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

In order to help young people form positive relationships in the community, staff undertake sessions looking at the impact of both positive and negative relationships. This enables young people to not only reflect on past friendships and the impact on their lives but also to understand what makes a positive friendship. As a result of good progress, young people are allowed agreed unsupervised periods of time away from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Consultation with young people is further developed. Young people are provided with feedback forms to comment on the care they receive and the progress they make. In addition, young people now receive consistent keywork sessions and opportunities to attend young people’s meetings. Young people’s level of engagement in these forums is significantly improved.

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

Since the last full inspection, there have been no incidents requiring the use of physical intervention. There are no child protection or exploitation concerns and no incidents of alcohol or substance misuse taking place in the home.

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

Young people’s safety is now suitably managed within the home. Young people and staff have a clear understanding of the rules and boundaries in place. Individual risk assessments have been further developed in partnership with young people and staff. Risk assessments identify areas for concern and strategies to manage risk. This ensures that staff are provided with appropriate guidance in their response to and management of risk-taking behaviours.

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

Positive behaviour management strategies are in place to address unwanted behaviours. Consequently, young people begin to identify areas for development and receive a suitable reward for the progress they make. Rewards include additional activities, Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 5 clothing money and video games. Strategies for managing unwanted behaviour are becoming embedded within the home’s practice. Consequently, behaviour management plans are now purposeful and routinely reviewed and updated to ensure that a consistent approach is maintained.

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

Free time away from the home is now closely monitored and regularly reviewed in partnership with the home’s psychologist and placing authority. Consequently, young people can spend time in the community in accordance with their updated individual risk assessment. There have been no episodes of young people going missing overnight, or away from the home for extended periods of time. In recent weeks, there have been three episodes of late returns. Staff now take appropriate action to search for young people, and, where necessary, report them as missing. Return home interviews are now conducted and follow-up keywork sessions also take place. These sessions enable young people to discuss reasons why they failed to return home at the agreed time and allow for a review of the current free time arrangements.

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

Young people know how to complain and they receive suitable information from the home and their placing authority to guide them in this area. Evidence from young people’s meetings and keywork sessions highlights that there are regular opportunities for young people to raise any matters they feel need to change or be improved. Ideas around activities, decor and menus are regularly reviewed with the young people.

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

There have been two complaints and one allegation made by young people, where suitable steps by professionals have been taken and recorded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has a new manager, who is awaiting registration with Ofsted. The manager took over the home during a period of significant crisis. Despite her efforts to address the concerns in the home, a full inspection in May 2019 concluded that the home’s practice was inadequate. The manager has worked exceptionally hard to address the shortfalls and she acknowledges that the mix of young people previously resident was detrimental to their ability to making progress in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team has taken steps to ensure that matching processes for young people are improved. For example, impact risk assessments and referral information gathering tools have been completely overhauled in order to make a suitable judgement on the compatibility of young people living together.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The organisation has supported the manager in her decision not to accept new referrals into the home during this period of reassessment and development. This has enabled the manager and staff to focus on developing practice that is now consistent, meaningful and provides for positive experiences and progress for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last full inspection, staff have received a variety of training sessions, including on safeguarding, managing disruptive behaviours and substance misuse. A plan for Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 6 continued training is in place and is currently being rolled out across the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff now receive consistent formal and informal supervision. Supervision is now used to review staff practice and to identify areas for development. In addition, the manager and responsible individual have developed a competency review for all staff. This means that all staff are assessed on their social care skills and abilities in accordance with their role in the home. The responsible individual said, ‘We want to ensure that all staff meet the standards we expect and have the knowledge, skills and understanding required for this position.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although most staff who previously worked in the home have come together to discuss the shortfalls identified at the last full inspection, not all have had this opportunity. This is because staff are redeployed to other homes within the organisation or are taking annual leave. Through supervision and smaller team meetings, the manager and responsible individual have addressed some of the previously highlighted concerns. However, opportunities for a meeting with all staff who were employed at the time of the last full inspection, should now be prioritised to ensure that staff understand their own responsibility and accountability. A recommendation has been made to address this matter.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s bedrooms are currently being refurbished and decorated. This means that the home is not yet in a position to accommodate more young people in accordance with the home’s registration.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, the manager and responsible individual have worked hard to address the concerns previously identified, and there is good evidence of further continued progress and development.

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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. Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care 4 Children 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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Inspectors

Maria McGranaghan, social care inspector Michelle Bacon, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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