Children's Home run by Your Chapter Holdings Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1240753 1 Registered provider: Your Chapter Holdings Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home. It is registered to provide care for up to four children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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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:

The provider made the decision to close the home after the home was judged as inadequate in July 2021. The home reopened in April 2022 after a variation visit was undertaken. Inspection report for children’s home: 1240753 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/07/2021 Full Inadequate 04/06/2019 Full Good 12/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1240753 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The provider made the decision to close the home in July 2021 after serious safeguarding concerns were found at the full inspection. The provider submitted a variation to reopen when they had recruited a new manager and a stable staff team. This is the first inspection since the home reopened.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, there were two children living at the home. Leaders and managers devise impact risk assessments to assess children’s needs. However, there are gaps in these assessments and further work is required to ensure that the needs of all children are considered, alongside the skills of the staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The quality of care provided by staff is nurturing and responsive and is helping the children to have a positive experience. Both children have made progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is homely and welcoming. The home is decorated to a high standard and children proudly showed the inspector their bedrooms and commented on how much they like their bedrooms and the overall environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are building positive relationships with the children and observations throughout the inspection were positive. The children are comfortable with staff and the inspector observed a warm and nurturing environment. Children were confident talking to inspectors and said that they are happy and safe. They told the inspector that they have staff that they can talk to, and that staff look after them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children previously experienced some difficulties in education. Since the children moved into the home, staff have helped them attend education, where they are making progress. One child has achieved functional skills qualifications and he proudly told the inspector that he now has a forklift driving certificate.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are helping children begin to enjoy a range of activities, including boxing classes and trips out with staff. This is developing their self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with children’s placing authorities to ensure that arrangements for children to spend time with their families are safe. Children’s families visit them at home. This helps children maintain relationships with people who are important to them.

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

Children told the inspector that they feel safe at the home. Children happily told the inspector that they have staff that they can talk to, and that staff listen to them. Observations throughout the inspection demonstrate that children are comfortable with staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 1240753 4 Children’s risk assessments include their known vulnerabilities. The risk assessments include some strategies for staff to manage risks. However, risk assessments do not consistently include all current strategies to minimise risks. Leaders and managers immediately addressed this shortfall and updated one child’s risk assessment during the inspection.

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

There have not been any incidents since children moved into the home and risks have reduced. This is particularly in relation to substance misuse and missing-from- home incidents. Furthermore, since children moved into the home, there have been no occasions when physical restraint has been necessary. This demonstrates an effective behaviour management approach.

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

Children do not go missing from home. However, staff are clear on the actions they would take if a child left the home without permission.

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

One child proudly told the inspector that staff have helped him stop smoking cigarettes. This is significant progress for this child, who has a history of smoking cigarettes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is an interim manager in post. She has recently submitted her application to register with Ofsted. She is supported by a competent deputy and, alongside the responsible individual, they are creating a nurturing and comfortable home. There is a new staff team in place. Staff spoken to describe good morale within the team and approachable and supportive leaders and managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers monitor the quality of care provided to children. However, they need to ensure that children’s plans include all current actions to help children reach their full potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are gaps in recording. This is specifically in relation to staff consistently signing all relevant plans and documents to demonstrate they are aware of all changes in care planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have had training in some areas that are relevant to children’s individual needs, for example, criminal exploitation, county lines and safeguarding. Leaders and managers have also arranged for external training in safeguarding to enhance the staff’s skill base to manage children’s needs effectively. However, there is a gap in respect of training in substance misuse. A requirement is made to specifically address this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision that includes reflections on practice and the needs of the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 1240753 5 Social workers are positive about their children’s progress. One social worker commented on the significant changes the staff have helped her child to make. She said, ‘I cannot praise them enough,’ and they are ‘absolutely fantastic’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The requirements made at this inspection do not directly impact on children’s overall progress and safety. Inspection report for children’s home: 1240753 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 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

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

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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) (2)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers need to ensure that children’s plans and risk assessments are robustly evaluated to ensure that strategies remain relevant to support children and keep them safe.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers need to ensure that all staff have had specific training to meet children’s individual needs. 10 October 2022

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This is particularly in relation to impact risk assessments. Leaders and managers need to ensure that these are robust and analyse staff skills to meet children’s needs, and that matching in relation to children is thorough and fully addresses all known risks. 10 October 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1240753 7 The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 10 October 2022

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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: 1240753 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Your Chapter Holdings Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Catherine Fargin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1240753 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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