Children's Home run by Your Chapter Limited in Blackpool

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1240843 1

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Care 4 Children Holdco Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is one of a number of homes that are operated by a large, private organisation. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

A manager was appointed in December 2020, but has not yet applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this children’s home on 3 March 2020, when we carried out a full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out in line with Ofsted’s procedures for monitoring services during the current period of suspended routine inspection activity.

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This monitoring visit

The visit was carried out using a combination of on-site and off-site activity.

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This monitoring visit

Young people are making good progress in all areas. They are attending education provisions and taking part in positive activities with staff and each other. There has been a significant decrease in the young people’s high-risk behaviours, such as going missing from home, which means that they are safer on a day-to-day basis.

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This monitoring visit

Young people described positive relationships with staff and said that they can talk to staff if anything is troubling them. Young people expressed confidence in the staff and one young person said of the manager, ‘He speaks up for us. You always feel like he has got your back.’

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This monitoring visit

Staff have a good understanding of the young people’s needs and the things that are important to them. Care planning is of generally good quality and includes guidance Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1240843 2 for staff on the young people’s daily needs. It would be useful to implement additional guidance for staff when a young person’s needs change temporarily, for example due to illness or short-term medical treatment.

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This monitoring visit

Assessments demonstrate that risks to young people are decreasing over time. For example, one young person was admitted with a history of frequently going missing and engaging in offending behaviour. Since his admission to the home, he has not presented with any concerning behaviours.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are able to de-escalate challenging situations quickly and effectively. This is reflected in the fact that there have been no instances where staff have been required to physically intervene or restrain a young person.

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This monitoring visit

Prior to the admission of one young person, an impact risk assessment was completed. This assessment lacked some significant information and did not demonstrate that the whole range of information had been properly considered. Failure to record the relevant information could lead to shortfalls in risk-management practice.

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This monitoring visit

An incident occurred in the home in December 2020 which raised some safeguarding concerns. Although the manager took appropriate action to immediately safeguard the young people, the matter was not reported to all relevant agencies within the correct timescales, as set out in the organisation’s safeguarding procedures.

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This monitoring visit

Concerns had previously been identified in relation to the personal situation of the same staff member. These concerns were not well managed and the measures that were agreed, including increased supervision, were not followed through by the previous manager. These shortfalls mean that there has been a failure to manage risks and ensure that young people are being cared for by staff who are mentally and physically fit to carry out their role.

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This monitoring visit

The home is currently without a registered manager. A manager has been appointed and is in the process of submitting an application for registration with Ofsted. Handover arrangements between the outgoing manager and the current manager were not effective. Significant information was not passed on to the new manager, regarding the concerns above which meant that he was not aware of an ongoing risk-management plan. Therefore, some significant risks were not mitigated.

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This monitoring visit

There is a stable staff team in place. The staff are well motivated and spoke positively about the support provided for young people. Staff expressed confidence in the new manager and reported good levels of support. Currently, the staff team is wholly male and consequently the young people do not have the opportunity to have regular contact with different gender groups. The manager has recognised this is an area for development and is currently attempting to address the matter. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1240843 3 An independent person carries out a monthly visit to the home to assess standards. These visits have taken place consistently throughout periods of government restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, reports of the visits have not always been sent to Ofsted within the expected timescales. This undermines Ofsted’s ability to monitor services effectively, and therefore compromises the young people’s

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 03/03/2020 Full Good 12/02/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 08/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1240843 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

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that risks relating to young people’s safety or well-being are clearly identified and that staff are provided with clear guidance on how to mitigate these risks, and to the provider ensuring prompt referral of safeguarding concerns and allegations to the designated officer. 5 March 2021

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose. 5 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1240843 5 (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring an effective handover between managers which ensures that the current manager is fully aware of identified risks and concerns relating to the staff who they are managing.

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only—

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that effective risk management is in place to address identified concerns about a staff member’s physical or mental health. 23 February 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located; 5 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1240843 6 the placing authorities of children;

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44 (1) (4)(a)(b) (7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that HMCI are provided with copies of the independent person’s reports in a timely manner.

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Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that direct work undertaken with young people reflects that young people have been encouraged to express their views, wishes and feelings and that these have been taken into account when planning and undertaking young people’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 21, paragraph 4.5)  The registered person should ensure that there is clear guidance in place for staff on short-term changes to young people’s needs as a result of illness, injury or medical treatment. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3)  The registered person should ensure that young people are supported by staff from different gender groups, so that young people are enabled to develop relationships with a diverse range of adults. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.22)

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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 Holdco Limited Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1240843 7 Registered provider address: 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

Marie Cordingley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1240843 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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