Children's Home run by Your Chapter Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1271998 1 Registered provider: Your Chapter Limited Full inspection 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 operated by a large private organisation. The provider states in the home’s statement of purpose that it provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties and who may have learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector spoke to the children during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in May 2018. There is no registered manager in post.

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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

Date of last inspection: 19 January 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1271998 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/01/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/10/2021 Full Inadequate 15/10/2019 Full Good 17/10/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1271998 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last full inspection, one child has left the home to live with their family. This was a well-planned transition.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, two children lived at the home. Children said they were happy living in the home. One child who has lived in the home for some time told the inspector that things were ‘a lot better now’. Since the last inspection, there have been improvements to the decor and furniture throughout the home. Children have been involved in the designs and have helped to choose furniture. The home is personalised as a result.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress in their education and staff have a good knowledge of resources available to support their education, health and care plans. Staff challenge where it is necessary to ensure that children have the educational support they require to reflect their individual needs. The manager has been proactive in finding a school place for a child who recently moved into the home to ensure that he had a structured education plan as soon as he could.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff relationships with children are a strength of the home. The inspector observed warm and caring interactions between staff and the children. Consequently, children are having a positive experience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote good health for all the children. Staff register the children with the relevant health professionals. Staff support children to attend appointments, encourage children to try a varied diet and engage them in exercise. However, not all healthcare plans identify children’s individual health needs and any diagnosis. This means that key information about children’s health conditions is not recorded or reflected in documents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team has aspirations for the children they look after. Sensitive key-work sessions take place regularly with the children about their futures and any issues that may affect them. Staff encourage the children, through activities, to make progress towards their goals. As a result, children build confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend time with their families and people important to them. Staff advocate for the children to have appropriate time with their families and friends. Consequently, children can maintain and develop their sense of identity and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children engage in various activities that promote their talents, hobbies and interests. Children are encouraged sensitively to try new activities out of their comfort zone safely, and this has increased their self-esteem and supported them to manage new situations. Children have helped to plan activities for the summer months. Inspection report for children’s home: 1271998 4

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

Children living in the home feel safe. Children know how to raise a concern and are confident in doing so. As a result, children feel settled, secure and cared for. When children have made a complaint, they have received a response once all enquiries have been made.

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

Individualised risk assessments are in place for children, which contain clear strategies to reduce risk. Staff are knowledgeable about risks to children and know what their role is in implementing strategies. Consequently, children living in the home are being safeguarded effectively. There has been a reduction in risk-taking behaviours.

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

Incidents of children going missing are now infrequent. However, there are clear missing-from-care protocols in place for all of the children. Staff work closely with other agencies in order to locate children and ensure that they are safe. Strategies for staff to follow are clearly recorded and easy to understand. Staff support children to understand risks in their lives, and they help them to develop strategies to keep themselves safe. This helps children to make good decisions, form trusting relationships with staff and manage risks in their lives.

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

Training is up to date and specific to the needs of the children. Staff’s knowledge is tested and revisited by the management team to ensure that training is effective. Consequently, the team is skilled in keeping children safe.

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

All staff are trained in de-escalation techniques, and the interventions are effective in preventing incidents from escalating. Incident reports are appropriately detailed, and physical intervention is only used as a last resort to keep children safe.

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

Before a child moves into the home, the assessment process to ensure that their needs can be met is comprehensive and now considers the location of the home and the compatibility of children already living there. Clear risk identification and robust matching have meant that children have settled and are safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, the provider has appointed a new manager who is appropriately qualified and experienced. With the ongoing support of senior leaders, he has implemented several changes to improve the quality of care provided and the recording in the home. He has applied to register with Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Decisions made by the management team are now child-centred and made in the best interests of the children living there. Consequently, the staff working in the home provide care with the same ethos.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that there are clear care plans in place for children. The plans accurately reflect the children’s needs and the plans of the local authority. The Inspection report for children’s home: 1271998 5 manager regularly reviews the care plans and all staff members read and sign them. This results in the manager being able to evidence children’s progress effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Members of the staff team benefit from regular supervision sessions. These are structured and evidence reflective discussions as well as challenge. Supervisions are also used as a space to revisit training and staff’s knowledge. As a result, staff feel supported and the manager has good oversight of staff’s strengths and areas for improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that the home has a permanent staff team which meets the needs of the children. The team has a good gender balance and this is considered when arranging shifts. As a result, the children are provided with good-quality and consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is aware of the home’s strengths and areas for development. There is a plan in place for development of the team and areas to focus on as part of their continued learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows each of the children well, and he has created a warm and nurturing environment and a positive ethos among the team. Staff are child-centred in their approach. Staff feel supported and speak positively about the manager as being a strong, supportive and caring leader.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works well with professionals. An independent reviewing officer told the inspector that she found the manager helpful and in tune with the child, understanding his needs well. They also noted a marked difference in the operation of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff use incentives and consequences in order to support children with their behaviour. However, the manager has not always reviewed and evaluated all documentation in line with children’s plans, to ensure that measures used are proportionate. Inspection report for children’s home: 1271998 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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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 each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require.

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that children’s health plans are updated and include all identified health needs and conditions. 25 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2)) 25 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1271998 7 In particular, the provider should ensure that any sanctions given are consistently evaluated and discussed with children in a timely way.

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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 for children’s home: 1271998 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Your Chapter Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hobart House, Oakwater Drive, Cheadle Royal Business Park, Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 3SR

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Inspector

Jessica Higginson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1271998 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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