Children's home run by Your Chapter Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 1 Registered provider: Care 4 Children Holdco Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned by a private organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

The provider states in their statement of purpose that they provide care for children with EBD (social and emotional difficulties)

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager recently resigned from her post. However, Ofsted has not yet received a voluntary cancellation form.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 8 February 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on our website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious failures that mean children are not protected and their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded, and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor, and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: Good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 2 Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/08/2019 Full Good 29/05/2019 Full Inadequate 05/06/2018 Full Good 03/10/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 4

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inadequate

Since the last visit, three children have moved out of the home and two children have moved in. Children’s moves were not planned. This means that children have not moved on from the home in a positive way. The provider could not demonstrate how they have supported these children to make progress, and the risks in respect of one child increased throughout his time living at the home.

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inadequate

The two children currently living at the home have lived at the home for a short time. One child moved in just prior to the inspection. Therefore, it is difficult to measure any progress that these children have made. However, children told inspectors that they like living at the home and they were both positive about the staff team.

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inadequate

Children’s plans do not clearly record what staff need to do to help children. For example, staff told inspectors that one child needs help to manage his food intake and that this was an issue at his previous placement. However, it is not clear what staff are expected to do to support the child.

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inadequate

One child is prescribed controlled medication. He refuses to take this medication and there was a delay in staff escalating this to healthcare professionals. This is necessary to understand the consequences on the child’s health and well-being.

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inadequate

Children are supported to engage in education. During the inspection, one child was supported to attend an introductory session at his education placement and staff supported another child to complete some education at the home.

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inadequate

Inspectors found damage in the home environment. For example, one child’s wardrobe is broken and there is damage to the stair bannister. As a result, children are not provided with a safe, homely and welcoming environment. Furthermore, children do not have access to all rooms in the home. This is because furniture and other items are stored in two rooms in the home.

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

Since the previous monitoring visit, the provider received a complaint from a member of staff in relation to the poor practice of four members of staff. Inspectors found that leaders and managers did not take any action in respect of these allegations until three days after the allegations were made. Leaders and managers failed to put any immediate safeguards in place and the staff who were the subject of the allegation continued to work at the home. The failure to take any immediate action meant that children and staff were at risk of harm. Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 5 Leaders and managers do not understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. Leaders and managers informed the designated officer that a complaint had been made. However, the provider made the decision that the allegation did not meet the threshold for referral to the designated officer. The designated officer subsequently asked the provider for further information in relation

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

to the complaint. However, there was a delay in the provider sharing this information. These further delays meant that children continued to be at risk of harm.

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

Children’s risk assessments do not include all known risks. This means that staff do not have access to risk management strategies to follow in practice. This is particularly in relation to the risk from criminal exploitation.

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

Missing from home plans and risk assessments contain conflicting information. This means that the actions for staff to follow are not clear. This is confusing for staff and means that strategies to reduce risk are inconsistent.

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

Staff told inspectors that drugs are available in the local area. This information is not included in the home’s safe area risk assessment. This is a risk for children who have moved on from the home and the children who currently live at the home.

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

In Ofsted’s view, the shortfalls highlighted demonstrate that safeguarding practice in the home is a serious concern and does not effectively protect children from harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers are not leading and managing the home in a manner that is consistent with the home’s statement of purpose. Leaders, managers and staff fail to demonstrate that they inspire and lead a culture that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential. This fails to demonstrate that the care meets the needs of children and promotes their safety and welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The responsible individual told inspectors that the registered manager recently resigned from her post. The deputy manager is currently in day-to-day charge. He is not fully aware of the whistle-blower’s complaint. This means that he cannot effectively monitor staff practice in the home. Therefore, he cannot make improvements in the quality of care provided for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Performance improvement plans were implemented in relation to the staff involved in the whistle-blower’s complaint. However, one member of staff did not know what was included in her plan. This means that the plan is ineffective because improvements cannot be made in practice if staff do not know what they are expected to do.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The provider has not submitted a statement of purpose to Ofsted since June 2019. Not only is this a breach in regulation, but it is also a safeguarding concern because Ofsted does not know who is working at the home. Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 6 Records do not demonstrate that staff have received supervision in line with the statement of purpose. Some staff told inspectors that they have not had frequent supervision. This includes staff who are in their probation period. However, some staff said that this has recently improved. This means that there are missed opportunities to review staff practice and to ensure that staff are supported to develop within their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The provider has failed to ensure that all staff attend relevant training to meet the needs of the children they are caring for. This does not ensure that all staff have the necessary knowledge to support, safeguard and care for children. One staff member had completed 15 online training courses on the same day. Managers have not reviewed the effectiveness of this learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Shortfalls were also found in staff rosters. The provider needs to ensure that staff rosters record all the information as required by regulation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are delays in the provider notifying Ofsted of serious incidents in the home. This means that Ofsted cannot effectively monitor what is happening in the home to ensure that children are safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The provider has not submitted a report in line with regulation 45. This is a further breach in regulation because this requirement was made at the previous visit. This is a repeat requirement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

In Ofsted’s view, the shortfalls highlighted demonstrate ineffective leadership and management practice that has compromised the experiences and progress of children living in this home. Therefore, children cannot reach their full potential and be protected from harm. Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 7

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health; and

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)(e) 4 July 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 8 This is particularly in relation to ensuring that the provider takes effective action to investigate any complaints or allegations against staff.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, the provider needs to ensure that all risks in respect of children are assessed and that risk assessments include strategies to help staff reduce the risk. * 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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The acting manager needs to ensure that he has oversight of any incidents in the home to understand the impact of the quality of care provided to children. This includes any allegations/complaints against staff.

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Requirement Due date

The acting manager needs to ensure that children’s plans include all known information. 04 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— 30 July 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 9 keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The provider needs to ensure that children take medication in line with their plans. If this doesn’t happen, then the provider needs to ensure that they seek medical support without any delay. 30 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

The acting manager needs to ensure that he includes names and working hours on the staff rosters. 30 July 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

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

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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)(c)(e)) 30 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— 30 July 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 10 the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it;

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Requirement Due date

and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (4)(a)) The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This is particularly in relation to staff knowledge about the local area and any impact on children. 30 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 1240883 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care 4 Children Holdco Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspectors

Catherine Fargin, Social Care Inspector Genevieve O’Reilly, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 12 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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