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 home is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to three children with emotional and social needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post is vacant. An application has been received from the proposed registered manager.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Following an inadequate inspection judgement on 19 May 2021, two compliance notices were issued under regulation 12 and 13 on 28 May 2021. A monitoring visit was undertaken on 7 July 2021 and both notices had been met. Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 2

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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 children’s home: 1240883 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The leaders and staff have worked tirelessly to improve the quality of care and protection provided for the children. Children talked to the inspectors about the improvements that had been made to their home environment, and said that they felt ‘safe’ and they have staff they can ‘talk to’ and ‘trust’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children receive individualised care and support from a nurturing staff team. The staff know the children extremely well and they have the children’s best interests at the centre of their practice. As a result, children make measurable progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s attendance at school has significantly improved. This is down to the leaders’ and staff’s high aspirations, unwavering support and collaborative working with schools. One child said, ‘I never went to school before and now I am going every day. If I think “I’m not going today”, the staff remind me of how far I have come and all I have achieved.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are skilled in nurturing trusting relationships with the children. These positive relationships are helping the children to talk to the staff about their feelings and fears, and get the reassurance that they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s emotional and physical health needs are promoted well. With support from the company’s clinical team, the staff develop their skills in understanding and supporting the children’s emotional needs. Improvements in the procedures for administering medication are ensuring that the children’s medical needs are met safely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff ensure that children are helped to spend time with their families in a safe and supportive way. Partnership working with parents and relatives is a key strength, and has enabled some children to have increased family time. A grandparent said:

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff really are excellent. That’s all of them, not just one. They are just like part of the family and this has really helped my grandson. Without the staff we would not be where we are now. I really appreciate their support and commitment and without them my grandson would not be looking to his future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s records clearly identify the children’s needs and how they are being promoted. However, the records do not sufficiently reflect the children’s voice or the continued progress that they are making. Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 4

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

Children are safe and they feel safe. A child described the staff’s safeguarding practice as ‘outstanding’. This is a significant achievement since the last full inspection in May 2021.

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

The children trust the staff. They benefit from the staff’s ongoing guidance and support. The staff regularly undertake in-depth key-work sessions with the children, during which they help them to understand risk and teach them how to keep themselves safe. As a result, high-risk behaviours, such as going missing from home and substance misuse, are reducing. The children’s safety is undoubtably a priority for the leaders and staff at this home.

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

Allegations made against staff are reported and recorded appropriately. When concerns about staff arise, leaders act swiftly. The manager and staff demonstrate a strong understanding of child protection procedures and the roles and responsibilities assigned to them.

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

New staff are vetted thoroughly. All checks and references are obtained and verified to ensure that only suitable adults work in the home. Safe recruitment practice is enhancing children’s welfare and safety.

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

Staff are skilled in assessing and responding to risk. In the main, risk assessments are sufficiently detailed. However, substance misuse risk assessments could be improved by ensuring that all strategies are clearly recorded in the document.

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

The home provides a safe and comfortable environment for the children. However, not all visitors have signed the home’s visitors’ book or been informed of the home’s emergency evacuation procedures. This undermines the children’s and visitors’ safety in the home.

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

The local area assessment continues to be an area for improvement. The assessment does not provide a robust evaluation of the local area that is relevant to the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has applied to register with Ofsted and his application is progressing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leadership and management are strong. The manager and responsible individual are extremely child centred, and demonstrate a thorough understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. They work collaboratively with the staff team and are making continued improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is stable and consistent. The staff feel well led and well supported. They benefit from thorough inductions, regular professional supervision and well- attended team meetings. As a result, the staff feel valued, which is reflected in the high quality of care and support provided for the children. Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 5 The manager is a strong advocate for the children. When necessary, he will challenge decisions that have not been made in the children’s best interest. Furthermore, he will ensure that children have access to independent advocates to strengthen their voice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective monitoring and auditing of the home are contributing to the continued development of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a reflective leader. He is aspirational for the children, the staff team and the home. He is clearly committed to improving outcomes for the children and keeping them safe. Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 6

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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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, all visitors to the home must sign the visitors’ book and be informed of the home’s emergency evacuation procedures. This is to be implemented immediately, as discussed during the inspection. 28 October 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. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the assessment provides a robust and meaningful evaluation of the local area. 10 December

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that substance misuse risk assessments clearly reflect all identified protective strategies for the staff to follow. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that the children’s records are ‘living documents’ that clearly reflect the child’s voice and continued progress. (‘Guide to Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 7 the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

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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 8

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Samantha Millward

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Inspectors

Marina Tully, Social Care Inspector Michelle Edge, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report children’s home: 1240883 9 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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