Children's Home run by Choices Home for Children Limited in Stockport

Inspection report children’s home: SC407169 1 SC407169 Registered provider: Choices Home For Children Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and run. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The previous registered manager cancelled their registration with Ofsted in January 2020.

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Inspection date: 12 February 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC407169 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, some young people at the home have made progress with their educational attendance and developing their leisure activities. Some of these activities have led young people to increase their confidence levels. These activities include swimming, indoor skydiving, trampolining and horse riding.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

When young people have joined the home on a planned basis, there has been suitable information gathering and the managers have met young people before admission. However, an emergency admission failed to fully plan for one young person’s continued educational attendance or to appreciate the expectations of the local authority or young person in this respect. In addition, it is not clear how the impact of risks that each young person presents will be effectively managed by the staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are offered a warm welcome into the home and through the efforts of staff positive relationships are established.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some young people benefit from regular therapeutic support. However, there has been a delay for one young person accessing this input. The challenge provided to the local authority by managers has not been timely or sufficiently rigorous.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff and managers have responded appropriately to increased concerns regarding some young people’s behaviours. There is timely sharing of information with other agencies and multi-agency meetings are held to discuss those concerns. When allegations have been made by young people, these have been responded to and appropriately referred to the designated officer.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, a recommendation was made regarding the prompt repair and overall upkeep of the home. At this inspection, it was found that there was significant damage to plaster work, that the home presented as worn and tired- looking and that young people do not have sufficient storage for their belongings.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A previous requirement made regarding young people being offered care from a stable and consistent staff team has not been met. Since the last inspection, half of the staff team members have left the home, including the registered manager.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A recommendation made at the previous inspection with regard to room searches has not been met. It is not clear from documentation that when young people’s belongings are removed by staff, when, or if, those belongings will be returned.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is a workforce development plan in place that offers a structure for Inspection report children’s home: SC407169 3 appropriate induction to new staff working at the home. However, this document does not detail the time frame in which staff are to have achieved mandatory training prior to working on shift.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The current manager is aware of the weaknesses at the home and has begun to develop plans to improve on those areas. Inspection report children’s home: SC407169 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/06/2019 Full Good 18/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/12/2017 Full Good 29/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC407169 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child (Regulation 13 (1)(2)(e)). 31/05/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction (Regulation 33 (1)(a)). 30/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s need and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff— provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably (Regulation 6 (1)(2)(b)(vii)). In particular, that repairs to damaged plaster work are repaired promptly and redecorated, that children have sufficient storage for their belongings and that they are assisted to keep their rooms clean and tidy and that the kitchen floor is repaired or replaced. 12/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home (Regulation 14 (1)(a)). In particular, that the registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. 12/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard it that— the health and well-being needs of children are met. 31/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC407169 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require (Regulation 10 (1)(a) (2)(c)). In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c)). 31/03/2020

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Recommendations

 Usually, rooms should only be searched if the child has been informed or asked their permission (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.20). In particular, that a clear rationale should be provided for the removal of any belongings and that their retention should be reviewed.

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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

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC407169 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Choices Home For Children Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 31 Wellington Road, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 7ED

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Inspector

Pauline Yates, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC407169 8 to 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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