Children's Home run by Your Chapter Limited in Telford and Wrekin

Inspection report for children's home: 1250186 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 children’s home provides care for up to four children. A private company owns and operates this home.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has left the home. The current manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 1250186 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/03/2022 Full Good 18/11/2019 Full Good 02/10/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: 1250186 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to make progress. Children attend a school attached to the home. Residential staff work closely with education staff, so children’s attendance is high. For example, one child had not attended school for almost a year and since arriving at the home has attended every day. This joined-up approach means that children develop their learning and their prospects for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s day-to-day experiences are positive. Children are keen to develop relationships with staff and staff speak warmly about the children. However, children have experienced significant staff changes since the last inspection. This has hindered the opportunity for children to develop trusting, secure relationships with staff who know them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s families and other professionals are positive about the home and the progress children make. Staff and managers make sure that communication is clear and detailed. This means that children have well-planned care from professionals who understand their progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a warm and welcoming home. Children personalise their bedrooms and other areas of the home. Staff put photos and inspirational words on the walls to remind children of how they can make a difference in their own lives. As a result, children are comfortable in the homely environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children understand that the risks they face around exploitation mean the rural setting of the home is necessary. However, they find the limited transport services frustrating as they have fewer opportunities for activities outside the home. Senior managers spoke with children about possible solutions to this during the inspection. This emphasises to children how important their views are to those who care for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers make thoughtful decisions about children moving into the home. Managers visit children before children decide whether to come to the home, so they can talk about what life in the home is like. Two children have left the home in unplanned ways since the last inspection. However, managers made these decisions with children’s best interests at heart. Managers have reflected on these short-notice endings and used this learning to plan for other children who have moved into the home. This has helped the home to become more settled over time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to be in touch with people who are important to them. There are necessary restrictions relating to this contact, which children recognise. However, children would like to better understand how they can work towards more privacy and trust. Staff use a clear programme with children to develop their emotional skills and self-esteem. They also complete work in school that relates to risk of exploitation and building healthy relationships. This contributes to children Inspection report for children's home: 1250186 4 being more trusted and working towards increased privacy. Over time, this means children can increase their freedom and independence.

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

Children make very few allegations about staff. However, when they do, managers address these quickly and thoroughly. Managers liaise with other professionals well and are clear on their responsibilities. Managers also keep children updated about what is happening. This helps children to feel heard and supported.

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

Staff follow children’s plans if they go missing from the home. Staff search for children and liaise with police and other professionals as needed. When children return, they are warmly welcomed back. Staff spend time talking with children afterwards to help children think about why they left the home. They also sensitively challenge this behaviour. As a result, no children have gone missing from the home for several months. This is significant for children who live here.

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

Staff and managers update children’s risk assessments and plans regularly. They have support from a clinical team to develop support strategies. This means that staff have clear, up-to-date guidance to help children.

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

Children are confident to go to staff for help when they have harmed themselves. Staff’s sensitive responses mean that children feel able to continue to seek support when they need it. In contrast, records relating to self-harm are less clear and lack management oversight. As a result, while children feel strongly supported, the frequency of these incidents is not reducing as quickly as it could.

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

Staff only physically intervene with children when necessary. Managers do not ensure records are fully completed on all occasions. Gaps in information limit the opportunity to reflect and learn from these incidents. Despite this, incidents involving physical interventions remain rare and staff have detailed guidance from behaviour support plans to manage and de-escalate behaviour. Staff use this to good effect.

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

Leaders manage safe recruitment well. Senior leaders are very clear about their duties to safeguard children. They go over and above requirements to assure themselves that adults in the home are suitable. This emphasises the commitment senior managers have to children’s safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s safety, well-being and development are central to managers’ and leaders’ practice. Staff mirror this commitment in their own work with children. As a result, children experience a culture of high expectation and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have clear systems to monitor children’s progress in key areas. This enables them to provide regular updates to other professionals and increase support if needed. Children can view their own progress using an online tracker. Inspection report for children's home: 1250186 5 Staff have regular supervision. This is supportive and offers constructive challenge. Supervisors use these times to talk about children, as well as developing staff understanding of the underpinning approach of the home and policy and guidance. Team meetings and meetings with clinicians also help staff to develop their understanding of children. This emphasises supervisors’ and leaders’ commitment to developing staff so they can better help children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have prioritised working with children due to some staffing shortages. This has been to the detriment of management oversight in some areas of the home. For example, there are gaps in some records. Managers are aware of this. They are actively recruiting staff so that children have consistent adults who can offer trusting relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers address serious incidents with children. They liaise with others and support children well. However, managers do not always notify incidents to Ofsted in a timely way. This limits the regulator’s oversight but has not impacted on children’s safety or well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children have formal and informal opportunities to share their views, wishes and feelings. While some requests are quickly considered, others appear to take longer than children hope. For example, children would like a punch bag which they can use for their fitness and anger. However, after several months, this is still not in place. These delays are rare, as children are central to the home and staff and managers take their views seriously. Inspection report for children's home: 1250186 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

mutual respect and trust. (Regulation 11 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must ensure that children are able to build meaningful, reliable relationships with consistent staff that help them to develop trust. 12 January 2023

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must ensure that monitoring systems support clarity of detail in all records, and that this is used to ensure continual learning and development of practice. 12 January 2023

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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—

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration; 12 January 2023 Inspection report for children's home: 1250186 7 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. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv) (b)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, managers must ensure that records of physical intervention include all required details, and that managers’ reviews are reflective and aid practice learning from interventions.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children have healthy balanced diets. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)  The registered person should ensure that they increase the opportunities for children to attend activities outside the home and address transport options, bearing in mind the rural location of the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.5)  The registered person should ensure that notifications are made to Ofsted without delay. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13)

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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: 1250186 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: 3 Hobart House, Oakwater Drive, Cheadle Royal Business Park, Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 3SR

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Inspector

Karol Keenan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1250186 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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