Children's Home run by Your Chapter Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: 1271998 1 Registered provider: Care 4 Children Residential Services Ltd

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is one of a number of homes operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have emotional or behavioural needs and/or a learning disability.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is a manager in post who registered with Ofsted in October 2019.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 17 October 2018

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

Enforcement action since last inspection:

Two compliance notices were served in April 2019 in relation to healthcare and the protection of children. A monitoring visit took place in April 2019 and confirmed that action had been taken to meet the requirements in the notices. Inspection report children’s home: 1271998 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/10/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1271998 3

p.2

Recommendations

 Children should be supported to express themselves as individuals and should be given an appropriate degree of freedom and choice in relation to day to day arrangements for their care, depending on their individual needs and the setting in which they are cared for. Children’s reasonable preferences in relation to day to day arrangements should be met with consideration given to safeguarding, particularly in relation to the use of technology. Where a child’s preferences cannot be met for safeguarding reasons, staff should discuss this with the child to help them understand why. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.21)  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes

p.3

Recommendations

should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  Children should be supported to develop understanding and empathy towards each other. Positive behaviour and relationships should be reinforced, both in individual and group work. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.11)

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people live in a comfortable home and are well cared for. Staff understand young people’s needs and provide individualised care that supports their good progress and general well-being.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work well with external professionals to ensure that young people’s healthcare needs are safely met. One young person has a health condition which requires careful daily management. Since the last inspection, significant improvements have been made, which mean that this young person’s care is well planned and carefully monitored. As a result, the young person’s overall health has improved.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s engagement in education has increased. They are attending school or college regularly and starting to meet targets. One young person has recently started a full-time college course and reported a good level of support from staff. He said, ‘They bought me all my textbooks straight away.’ Inspection report children’s home: 1271998 4 There are regular opportunities for young people to take part in a wide variety of activities with staff. Young people’s interests and talents are recognised and encouraged. This helps them to develop skills and confidence.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are encouraged to explore and share their thoughts and wishes about their care. They are consulted about the day-to-day running of the home and staff respond positively to their ideas. For example, young people recently requested equipment for their games room and the manager promptly made arrangements to provide it.

p.4

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

Young people’s assessments demonstrate decreasing risk in all areas. Young people themselves recognise that they are safer. One young person said, ‘When I first came, my risks were all red and now they are all green.’ Another young person spoke about how he was able to manage his emotions in a safer way as a result of the consistent support he receives from staff.

p.4

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

Since the last inspection, there have been good improvements to risk management processes. Risks are clearly identified and there is clear guidance in place for staff about how to support young people’s safety and well-being. Information is regularly updated to ensure that any new or emerging concerns are considered.

p.4

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

Since their admission, all young people have reduced their high-risk behaviours such as going missing from home. Staff are fully aware of the actions that they must take to safeguard any young person who does go missing. However, return interviews, which should be carried out by young people’s placing authorities, are not consistent. The manager has recognised this and is taking steps to address the matter.

p.4

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

Staff understand young people’s emotional responses and the ways in which they may express anxiety or distress through behaviours. Young people receive positive and consistent support, which has helped them to develop safer and more appropriate behaviours over time. As a result, significant incidents requiring staff intervention or police support have greatly reduced.

p.4

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

There are safe recruitment procedures in place. These help to protect young people, as prospective employees are required to undergo a range of background checks before being offered a post. This reduces the risks of young people being exposed to adults of unsuitable character.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a manager in post who registered with Ofsted in October 2019. The manager has a clear understanding of his role and demonstrates high aspirations for the young people in his care.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people, staff and external professionals spoke highly of the manager and Inspection report children’s home: 1271998 5 expressed satisfaction with the leadership of the home. Staff described significant improvements, which they feel are due to the improved management of the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that careful consideration is given before any new young person is admitted to the home. This helps to ensure that young people’s needs can be safely met and that those already living in the home, are not negatively affected by new admissions.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people’s care plans are child-centred and reflect clear needs and goals. The manager works closely with an internal multi-disciplinary team and external professionals, to ensure that young people’s needs continue to be met.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from a range of training relating to their role and young people’s individual needs. The manager provides regular supervision for staff, during which matters such as work performance and personal development are discussed.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are held regularly and are well attended. The manager encourages reflective discussion within individual meetings and group sessions. This helps to create a positive culture where staff feel able to share their views or raise concerns.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager makes good use of internal monitoring systems, which enable him to monitor standards of quality and safety. In addition, the manager responds positively to feedback, which helps to ensure that opportunities for improvement are used. This means that young people benefit from a constantly improving service.

p.5

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.

p.5

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: 1271998 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care 4 Children Residential Services Ltd

p.6

Children’s home details

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

p.6

Inspectors

Marie Cordingley, social care inspector Sophie Thomson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1271998 7 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.

p.6

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7