Children's Home run by Your Chapter Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1257739 1 Registered provider: Your Chapter Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a small private company. The home’s statement of purpose states that it provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager in post. A new manager has recently been appointed but he has not yet submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

p.1

inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded, and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

p.1

inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

p.1

inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1257739 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/03/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 07/12/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/09/2019 Full Good 07/08/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1257739 3

p.2

inadequate

At the time of this inspection, there were no children living in the home.

p.3

inadequate

Since the last inspection, one child has moved on from the home to supported accommodation in a positive way. However, three children were moved on due to concerns for their safety. These moves did not support children to experience positive endings to their care.

p.3

inadequate

When children move into the home, managers do not effectively consider current and historical information. The assessments completed prior to children moving in are not robust and do not consider the individual needs of each child or whether the staff team has the skills and experience to keep children safe.

p.3

inadequate

Children do not consistently attend education. Leaders, managers and staff do not prioritise education in the home. When children do not have identified education provisions, leaders and managers have not ensured that there is effective communication with the placing authorities, education professionals and virtual heads. Poor communication with education providers has meant that children have missed out on essential learning opportunities.

p.3

inadequate

Staff do not have access to each child’s education plan. Some education plans were missing, and others were out of date. Leaders and managers had requested some information but had not escalated concerns when information was not provided.

p.3

inadequate

Children are supported to attend some medical appointments. However, not all children’s health needs have been met and, despite a child’s health plan identifying immunisations that remained outstanding, no action was taken to rectify this.

p.3

inadequate

Placement plans for children are not always up to date and do not contain all relevant information. Some placement plans identify targets, but children are not supported to meet these. There are also limited strategies identified for staff to follow to care and support children.

p.3

inadequate

Staff support children to spend quality time with their families and friends. There are photos in the home showing children enjoying different activities, both on their own and with other children in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1257739 4

p.3

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

Leaders, managers and staff do not always respond appropriately to risk. Risk management is reactive rather than proactive. Staff do not understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe and they are not fully aware of the vulnerabilities and risks for each child. When children have raised concerns around exploitation, immediate action has not been taken to keep them safe.

p.4

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

Children’s plans are not appropriately updated following significant incidents. The plans do not contain appropriate strategies to minimise risks. Managers and staff do not keep other safeguarding professionals updated about recent and ongoing risks and vulnerabilities in the community. This includes when children have been threatened when out in the community. This is a missed opportunity to protect children.

p.4

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

Physical restraint has been used to protect children in the home. However, documentation is not reviewed and updated by managers in a timely way. Furthermore, there is limited management oversight of all incidents. The lack of management oversight does not support learning from incidents to help improve the quality of care provided.

p.4

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

Individual risks are not identified and acknowledged by staff and managers. Staff lack professional curiosity. Despite staff being aware that children had received money into their bank accounts from unknown sources, action was not taken to safeguard all involved. This lack of oversight and failure to recognise potential risk mean that children are not safeguarded and protected from harm.

p.4

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

Essential information is not always shared appropriately and communication about safeguarding concerns is poor. On one occasion, staff intercepted illegal substances being posted through the letter box into the home. This was not notified to appropriate agencies and it is unclear what happened to the substances.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is currently no registered manager in post. Two managers have worked in the home since the last inspection. There have also been several changes to the staff team, which has affected the consistency of care for children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers are not reviewing the quality of care, and internal monitoring and review systems are poor. Managers have not reviewed incidents that have occurred or considered any changes required to care practices in the home to improve children’s experiences.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not acted to address the requirements raised at the previous inspection. By failing to recognise, evaluate and respond to risk, they have not prioritised the safeguarding of children. Inspection report for children’s home: 1257739 5 In October 2022, staff did not receive supervision, despite this being a turbulent time for the children and staff. Supervisions are not reflective and do not support staff to learn from practice and identify strengths and weaknesses. Team meetings do not identify actions and there is no reflection or discussion in respect of children’s needs or the escalation of incidents.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not work together as a team as they are unclear on their roles and responsibilities. The staff team does not have the knowledge and skills to safeguard children. This is because leaders and managers have failed to monitor staff practice, identify staff training needs and implement strategies to support staff.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Children’s plans do not accurately reflect the child’s individual needs and the plans of the local authority. Leaders and managers have not been able to evidence any progress made by children as plans are not reviewed or updated and do not include feedback from children and professionals.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Senior managers took immediate action when concerns were raised about the failings in safeguarding. A decision was made to close the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1257739 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

p.6

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.6

Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

p.6

Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i)(ii)(iv)) 22 December

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe; 22 December Inspection report for children’s home: 1257739 7 have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.7

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

p.7

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded. Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)(c)

p.7

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.7

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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)(f)(g)(h)) 22 December Inspection report for children’s home: 1257739 8 The care planning standard is that children—

p.7

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

p.8

Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

p.8

Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(e)(i)) 22 December

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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—

p.8

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. Regulation 35 (1) (3)(a)(vii)) 22 December

p.8

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: 1257739 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Your Chapter Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

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

p.9

Inspectors

Nichola Croft, Social Care Inspector Catherine Fargin, Social Care Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home: 1257739 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.

p.9

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10