Children's Home run by Your Chapter Limited in Calderdale

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234317 1

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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 owned and operated by a private company and offers short- to medium-term placements for up to six children and young people aged from 11 to 17 years. The children and young people may have experienced trauma and exploitation, and may also have emotional, social and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is newly appointed to the home and has yet to apply to Ofsted to become the registered manager.

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This monitoring visit

An assurance visit was completed at the home in September 2020. The last full inspection of the home was completed in February 2020.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was undertaken to address specific concerns received by Ofsted from notifications submitted by the registered manager. During the visit, the inspector focused on episodes of children going missing from the home, and how the provider assesses that children are suitably matched to live together.

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This monitoring visit

Due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the visit was undertaken remotely with systems in place to gather the information required. At the time of the visit, there were two children in residence.

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This monitoring visit

Children are well supported and respected by staff. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected their day-to-day experiences, though staff have continued to engage them in constructive and new activities. For example, the children are supported to learn new skills, such as tidying their bedrooms and learning how to cook their favourite meals. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234317 2 One child spoken to said, ‘I’m learning how to cook, one of the staff members is also teaching me how to keep fit with boxing. Staff respect you, I’m happy here.’ The child rated the support from the staff team as ‘10 out of 10’.

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This monitoring visit

Managers challenge placing authorities if they perceive that other professionals are not working in the child’s best interests. For example, the manager recently escalated concerns with a placing authority when he discovered that important information about risk was not shared with him or his staff team before a child was admitted to the home. Immediate action was taken to ensure that the child received care in accordance with relevant plans.

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This monitoring visit

Incidents of the children going missing from home are managed well. Staff have gone above and beyond when responding to these incidents. For example, they search for children in their home town, which at times is a considerable distance away. The manager and the staff team work effectively with social workers and the police to reduce the risk of children going missing from care.

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This monitoring visit

The staff continue to receive training during the pandemic. Training completed includes child exploitation, knife crime, bullying, and managing challenging behaviour. This supports the staff’s understanding of their responsibility to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has improved the quality of detail in the children’s risk assessments. However, in one child’s missing-from-care protocol, there was information recorded that was not about that child. This could potentially result in inconsistencies in staff practice.

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This monitoring visit

Planning for children referred to the home is well thought out. The manager, with support from the responsible individual and the clinical team, assesses the suitability of referrals before agreeing admission. However, the impact risk assessments lack evaluation and strategies about how the children can live together safely. This could result in children being at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

The two requirements and one recommendation made at the previous inspection were not reviewed during this visit. These will be carried forward to the next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234317 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 03/02/2020 Full Inadequate 03/05/2018 Full Good 24/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/10/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234317 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that matching risk assessments for children fully evaluate all risks when matching new children to those already living at the home. Also, individual risk assessments for children must not have details duplicated from another child’s risk assessment. 28 February 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the home’s approach and ethos are embedded within the staff team. 28 February 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234317 5 The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all staff have had an appraisal of their performance conducted and recorded. 28 February 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should meet children’s basic day-to-day needs and physical necessities. Staff should seek to meet the child’s basic needs in the way that a good parent would, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met. Doing so is an important aspect of demonstrating that the staff care for the child and value them as an individual. This particularly refers to ensuring that the décor of the home is kept to a high standard with any minor repairs being completed in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standard’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)

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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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Inspector

Aaron Mcloughlin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234317 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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