Children's home run by Your Chapter Limited

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1271213 1 Registered provider: Your Chapter Limited

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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 is registered to provide care for up to five children with emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since September 2020.

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This monitoring visit

During a full inspection on 26 and 27 July 2022 inspectors identified significant shortfalls in both safeguarding practice and leadership and management. As a result, four compliance notices were issued, under Section 22A of the Care Standards Act. These related to regulation 10, the health and well-being standard, regulation 12, the protection of children standard, regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, and regulation 35, behaviour management, policies and records.

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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. At this visit, the inspector found that the provider has taken sufficient action to address three of the compliance notices. However, further to this visit, a compliance notice under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, was again issued.

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This monitoring visit

Since the inspection, three children have moved out of the home. One child is currently living at the home. Leaders and managers have drawn up a health plan for this child. The child is registered with a general medical practitioner and a dentist. The plan includes all the child’s health needs and is updated with the child’s recent health appointments.

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This monitoring visit

The child told the inspector that there have been improvements since the previous inspection. She said that she can talk to staff, and she describes how staff are Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1271213 2 helping her make progress. For example, the child told the inspector that she has completed training around safeguarding.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has appointed a new deputy manager to support the interim manager. The deputy manager has experience and knowledge in residential care and, together, managers have taken action to improve the leadership and management at the home. For example, new systems are being developed to improve the overall review and monitoring systems. However, these systems are not fully embedded in practice. Therefore, a requirement under regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, is restated.

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This monitoring visit

There has been one incident of physical intervention since the previous inspection. Recording has improved and management oversight assesses the effectiveness and proportionality of the measure. However, shortfalls remain because the incident was not managed in line with timescales as set out in regulation. Therefore, a requirement is restated.

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This monitoring visit

The child living at the home has a risk assessment in place that identifies her current risks and actions for staff to follow in practice to reduce risk. However, another child’s risk assessment was not updated with current strategies to reduce the risks associated with the child going missing from home and substance misuse.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers could not demonstrate that a system is in place to check staff’s understanding of children’s current risks. Furthermore, leaders and managers could not demonstrate how staff are informed if there are any changes to the actions and strategies included in children’s plans.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers could not demonstrate that a review has taken place of any competency gaps in relation to each member of staff. Furthermore, not all staff have received training as outlined in the compliance notice under regulation 12.

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This monitoring visit

In Ofsted’s view, the provider has taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices under regulation 10, the health and well-being standard, regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, and regulation 35, behaviour management, polices and records. However, the provider has not taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notice under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and a compliance notice is issued.

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This monitoring visit

The other requirements were not considered at this visit but will be reviewed at the next inspection. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1271213 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/07/2022 Full Inadequate 08/02/2022 Full Good 21/05/2019 Full Good 15/01/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1271213 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, 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 to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

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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

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;

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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)(v)(vi)(d)(e)) 7 November 2022

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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— 7 November 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1271213 5 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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(b)(c)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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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.

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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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(ii)(c)) 7 November 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 7 November 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1271213 6 the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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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. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(c)) 7 November 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 7 November 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

The registered person must ensure that— 7 November 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1271213 7 within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; 7 November 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1271213 8 are kept up to date: and

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Requirement Due date

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

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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: and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the records include a copy of the staff duty roster of persons working at the home, a record of the actual rotas worked and a record of any person who works at any time at the home, including registered manager. 7 November 2022

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaints, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (1) (3)) 7 November 2022

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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

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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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

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

is instigated; or 7 November 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1271213 9 concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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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)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: Your Chapter Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Catherine Fargin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1271213 10 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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