Children's home run by Your Chapter Limited

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1240883 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 children’s home is owned by a private organisation and provides care for up to three children. 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 visited this setting on 23 and 24 September 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. We also visited on 8 February 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The reports are published on the Ofsted website.

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This monitoring visit

On 19 and 20 May 2021, a full inspection was undertaken at the home. Serious and widespread shortfalls were found in safeguarding practice, and leadership and management. As a result, the home was judged inadequate and two compliance notices were issued, under Section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. These related to regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

The focus of this visit was to monitor and review the actions taken by the provider to meet the compliance notices issued under regulations 12 and 13. The provider has identified a new responsible individual to oversee the leadership and management of the home. She has a wealth of experience and knowledge in residential care. The acting manager is currently in day-to-day charge of the home. He was previously the deputy manager. The home does not have a registered manager. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1240883 2 During the visit, the inspector observed key locks on all communal areas of the home, including the downstairs fire door. Staff hold bunches of keys on a lanyard. One child said, ‘It reminds me of being in a jail when they carry them around.’ During the visit, contractors attended the home and all door locks were replaced. This means that staff will not have to carry around large bunches of keys.

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This monitoring visit

Children were vocal about the improvements that had been made in the home. They said that the acting manager and staff listen to them and said that their home is a ‘calmer place to be’. Children said that staff had talked to them about how to keep themselves safe, and that they understand their risk assessments and what strategies are in place to keep them safe. Positive relationships were observed between children, the acting manager and staff throughout the visit.

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This monitoring visit

Staff spoken to during the visit said that they were happy working in the home and that the acting manager was very supportive and helpful. Staff reported that the changes in the home had been significant and the home was a better place to work.

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This monitoring visit

Staff said that since the last inspection they had all had opportunities to meet with the acting manager and talk about their practice, development and the operation of the home. This was evident in the recordings of supervision sessions.

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This monitoring visit

Team meetings have been held to keep staff up to date on emerging information, discuss roles and responsibilities, share good practice ideas and to share a mutual understanding about the vision and ethos of the home. Staff said that this had improved communication in the team and recording systems had also improved.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has arranged training courses, workshops, quizzes and additional team meetings to improve the acting manager’s and staff’s understanding of their roles and responsibilities. The training included safeguarding, reporting and recording, whistle-blowing and the roles and responsibilities of safeguarding professionals, including the designated officer and the missing-from-care coordinator.

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This monitoring visit

The acting manager has undertaken a full skills analysis of the staff team members. This provided an opportunity to review their skills and knowledge and identify all areas for improvement. Consequently, additional training sessions have been identified and attended by team members.

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This monitoring visit

New systems have been introduced so that decision-making processes relating to the safeguarding of children are clearly recorded. Furthermore, the acting manager has updated records to include his evaluation following incidents. The effectiveness of these changes in terms of improved response to children could not be evidenced at this visit as there have been no significant incidents in the home since the last visit. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1240883 3 The acting manager has introduced a management checklist. This enables him to monitor, evaluate and analyse the work undertaken by the staff. Daily and monthly monitoring systems are in place to enable the acting manager to identify weaknesses and to take corrective action.

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This monitoring visit

The quality of management monitoring and review systems has improved due to the additional checks and audits in place. The previous requirements were not considered at this monitoring visit. The requirements will be reviewed at the next full inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 19/05/2021 Full Inadequate 20/08/2019 Full Good 29/05/2019 Full Inadequate 05/06/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1240883 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, the 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 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

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)) 30 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

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 does not happen, then the provider needs to ensure that they seek medical support without any delay. 4 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)) 30 July 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1240883 5 In particular, the acting manager must include the names and working hours on the staff rosters.

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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 six 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—

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Requirement Due date

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; and

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Requirement Due date

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)) 30 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

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. 30 July 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1240883 6 (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This is particularly in relation to staff’s knowledge about the local area and any effect this has on children.

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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

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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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Inspector

Michelle Edge, Social Care Inspection Manager Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1240883 7 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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