Children's Home run by Your Chapter Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489416 1 SC489416

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Care 4 Children Residential Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and run. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for four children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home provides care, in line with its statement of purpose, for children who are at risk of child sexual exploitation.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit took place on 9 December 2020 due to an escalation in notifications, giving cause for concern about safeguarding practices and the leadership and management of the home. Inspectors identified poor practice relating to safeguarding, care planning and risk management. This poor practice had a significant and negative effect on children’s safety and welfare. In addition, the leadership and management of the home was found to be ineffective. As a result of the visit, two compliance notices were issued under regulation 12, the protection of children and regulation 13, leadership and management. A restrictive notice was also issued.

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This monitoring visit

During this visit, the inspector considered the action taken by the provider to meet the steps under each compliance notice. The inspector found that the provider has met the steps under the compliance notices for regulations 12 and 13. The provider has complied with the restriction notice and no further children have moved into the home.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last visit, the registered manager returned to work for a short period of time. He has submitted his resignation and is currently on annual leave before leaving the organisation. An interim manager is in post, who has worked alongside the responsible individual to address the shortfalls since the last visit. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489416 2 Risk assessments and risk management are improved. The risk assessments now contain relevant specific information for each child and strategies that staff are expected to follow to reduce the risks. Risk assessments are now regularly reviewed with children and with individual staff members. Furthermore, staff confirmed that the risk assessments have been discussed in team meetings and supervision sessions to support improvements in their practice.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has taken a number of steps to address the shortfalls in safeguarding practice. Individual and group sessions have been held with staff to ensure that they understand their role and responsibilities in protecting children. Team meeting records demonstrate that opportunities are now in place for all staff to discuss issues about care practices. Staff said that team meetings are more structured and in their view have supported the team to be more consistent in their approach for children.

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This monitoring visit

All staff are now provided with practice-based supervision. This ensures that care practice is regularly reviewed, and training and development opportunities are identified. In addition, managers have used this process to address poor care practices and developed action plans for staff who may require further training or guidance to improve their practice.

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This monitoring visit

The organisation’s whistle-blowing policy has been reviewed and shared across the organisation with all staff. Staff have received information and training about the policy and procedures in regard to whistle blowing. This will encourage a safe working environment and an open culture where staff will feel able to speak up and promote transparent dialogue with the management team if concerns arise. Staff said, ‘What is good about the new policy is that this is a much clearer process. We can raise and discuss our concerns openly and understand that the manager will look at the concerns even if no further action is needed.’

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This monitoring visit

The provider has reviewed all documentation in the home. Children’s care records have improved and following all serious incidents or restraints there is clear management oversight and review. Following the management review of incidents there is now evidence of inappropriate practice being challenged and addressed.

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This monitoring visit

Children talked about the improvements in the home, a more consistent staff team and a clean, warm home. Although children are not happy about some of the changes made in regard to smoking, they understand why the new strategies are in place. Children have seen their risk assessments, and staff have talked to them about the risks and support systems in place. Children appear happier and relaxed. They say that the home has ‘improved loads’ and that they feel comfortable talking to staff who they know when they are upset. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489416 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 16/09/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/04/2019 Full Inadequate 17/07/2018 Full Good 16/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489416 4

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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

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as possible when balanced against the needs to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)iv)) 15 January 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 15 January 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child— 15 January 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489416 5 is instigated; or

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Stephanie Hewitt

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Inspector

Michelle Edge, Social Care Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489416 6 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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