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 of the same gender 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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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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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.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 1240753 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/07/2022 Full Good 28/07/2021 Full Inadequate 04/06/2019 Full Good 12/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 1240753 3

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inadequate

There are two children living in the home. Since the last inspection, children have not received consistent, safe care. Seven children have moved in and out of the home. They have not been provided with a stable living environment.

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inadequate

Leaders and managers have not planned children’s moves in and out of the home effectively. They have not considered the needs of children or identified and assessed the risk of placing children together. A social worker reported that children’s challenging behaviours have escalated as a direct result of poorly planned placements. Consequently, children have not had a positive experience of living in the home and their progress has been limited.

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inadequate

Children do not attend full-time education programmes. Managers and staff do not have high aspirations for children and they do not encourage or support children to attend their education provision regularly. The newly appointed manager has started to develop communication systems between the home and school. However, these are not yet embedded in practice.

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inadequate

Staff have not consistently considered children’s cultural and daily needs. Children have complained that they are not provided with essential toiletries and hygiene products. Following children’s complaints, managers and staff have not taken appropriate action to understand the concerns in a timely way and to improve practice. Furthermore, children have not had access to appropriate food in line with their cultural beliefs.

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inadequate

Children have not been supported to build positive relationships with the adults caring for them. There are not sufficient consistent staff working in the home and managers have used a high number of agency staff. This has impacted on children’s experiences.

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inadequate

The home is set in spacious grounds. Inside the home, bedrooms contain broken furniture. There are many examples of damage, for example, holes in walls and doors throughout the home. The home lacks personalisation. There are empty picture frames in the lounge and no soft furnishings. Consequently, children are not supported to develop a sense of permanence and belonging.

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inadequate

Despite the concerns identified, staff support children to spend time with their family. This enables children to maintain close relationships with people who are important to them. Inspection report for children's home: 1240753 4

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

Safeguarding practice in this home is not robust and does not promote the safety and welfare of the children. Managers and staff do not respond appropriately to incidents that have occurred, nor do they implement effective strategies to safeguard and protect the children living in the home.

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

Leaders, managers and staff do not demonstrate an understanding of their roles and responsibilities in protecting children and have not routinely taken effective action when there have been serious concerns about children’s welfare. This includes taking appropriate action when children have been missing from care. This has left children at risk of harm.

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

Incidents of physical restraint are not consistently reviewed by leaders or managers. Restraint records are poorly written and lack an evaluation of the incident and actions taken. Incidents of restraint are not consistently appraised by managers. Debriefs are completed, however, they do not capture the children’s views and feelings. This poor oversight leaves children at risk of experiencing unnecessary harm.

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

Allegations have not been reported in line with safeguarding procedures. On one occasion, there was a delay of four months before an allegation was reported to the regulator. On another occasion, an allegation was not reported to any external professionals. This did not enable a full investigation to be carried out, and the placing authority social worker did not know that their child had made an allegation. This is unsafe practice and leaves children vulnerable to abuse. It also raises questions about the transparency of leaders, managers and staff.

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

Leaders were not aware of the extent of the safeguarding concerns identified at this inspection. There is insufficient management oversight of the quality of care. Records are poor and do not include information that should alert managers to the fact that children are not safeguarded. This fails to protect all involved.

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

Staff do not frequently familiarise themselves with children’s risk assessments. Consequently, risk management plans are ineffective. For example, a staff member carried out a room search following suspicions that children had brought illegal substances into the home. However, only one child’s bedroom was checked, despite staff having concerns about both children. This is a missed opportunity to keep all children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home has not had a registered manager since October 2021. This has resulted in poor management oversight and leadership of the team. Managers have been recruited to work in the home. However, they have not applied to register with Ofsted. Their lack of action during their time as manager left children at risk of harm. Inspection report for children's home: 1240753 5 Monitoring and review systems are poor. Leaders and managers have not ensured that staff have access to relevant information or plans. Local authority care plans are out of date and individual risk assessments are not updated or reviewed. Consequently, children’s individual needs are not identified and strategies to keep them safe are not being understood and followed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff are not receiving relevant training to support them to carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively. The home is not providing care in line with its own statement of purpose. Furthermore, when training needs are identified following significant events, leaders and managers do not facilitate access to training in a timely way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Supervision of staff is variable. Leaders and managers do not encourage reflective practice and there is limited evidence of discussions around staff development and learning from practice. This is a missed opportunity to develop and guide staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not demonstrate professional curiosity around staff practice and conduct. This means that children are being repeatedly exposed to harmful situations and their safety is compromised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not taken action to meet the requirements identified at the previous inspection. This does not demonstrate that there is ambition to improve the standard of care for children. 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, The 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background.

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (2)(b)(iv)(vii)) 10 September

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that children are consulted about the care that they receive and contribute to decisions that affect their lives. 10 September Inspection report for children's home: 1240753 7 *The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (2)(a)(iii)(v)(vi)(d)) 10 September

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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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helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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

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ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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 has sufficient staff to provide care for 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)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c)(h)) 10 September Inspection report for children's home: 1240753 8 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 10 September

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically leaders and managers must ensure the statement of purpose reflects up to date staffing arrangements and qualifications. (Regulation 16 (3)(a) (5)) 10 September

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The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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there is no registered manager in respect of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that the manager submits an application to register with Ofsted within appropriate timescales. 10 September Inspection report for children's home: 1240753 9 The registered person must ensure that—

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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

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 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 (3)(a)(vii)(viii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that children are spoken to specifically about the measure used. 10 September

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Requirement Due date

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

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

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

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This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 10 September

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The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 10 September

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— 10 September Inspection report for children's home: 1240753 10 the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (2)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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 11

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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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Inspectors

Chibuzo Otache, Social Care Inspector Nichola Croft, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1240753 12 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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