Children's Home run by Your Chapter Limited in Tameside

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519592 1

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Your Chapter Limited

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and can provide care for four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager in post since March 2023.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 28 and 29 June 2023. This was due to serious and widespread shortfalls in respect of safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home. As a result, three compliance notices were issued under Section 22A of the Care Standards Act. These were in relation to regulation 12, the protection of children standard, regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, and regulation 23, the medicines standard.

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This monitoring visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to monitor and review the steps taken by the provider to meet the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have reviewed children’s risk assessments. Risk assessments have been updated to identify children’s individual vulnerabilities. They now include clear strategies and actions for staff to follow in practice to reduce the risk of harm to children. Children play an active role, as staff talk to children about their risk assessments. However, leaders and managers do not ensure that all planned activities have appropriate risk assessments in place. A requirement is made to address this shortfall.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have supported staff to understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. Staff have reflective supervisions, team meetings, and comprehensive discussions about children’s day-to-day needs. The Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519592 2 manager has implemented a safeguarding resource hub to encourage staff to complete training and share good practice. Staff spoken to demonstrate that they understand the home’s safeguarding policies.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have worked hard to improve monthly audits and monitoring systems. Leaders and managers monitor and evaluate children’s records to review the quality of care provided to children. Individual development plans have been implemented to consider the home’s objectives and outcomes for children.

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This monitoring visit

A full medication review has been completed since the last inspection. This demonstrates learning and reflective practice. Staff have attended additional medication training, and learning is reinforced through team meetings and supervisions.

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This monitoring visit

A case review was held on 22 August 2023. This review concluded that the provider has taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices in relation to regulation 12, the protection of children standard, regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, and regulation 23, the medicines standard.

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This monitoring visit

The other requirements were not considered as part of this visit and will be reviewed at the next inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 28/06/2023 Full Inadequate 21/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/11/2021 Full Good 15/10/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519592 3

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children are encouraged to attend education. Children must be supported to complete informal learning when not receiving full-time education. 13 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. 13 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519592 4 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being;

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that children are supported to understand the impact of smoking and vaping. Children should be helped to access appropriate services to help improve their health and well-being.

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Requirement Due date

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

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

help each child to understand how to keep safe; 13 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519592 5 understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that risk assessments are in place to evaluate the risks associated with activities.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

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

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iii)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 13 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 13 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if— 13 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519592 6 there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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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 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 manager should ensure that the application to register with Ofsted is submitted within appropriate timescales.

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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;

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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

This requirement is restated. 13 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (2))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 13 August 2023

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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

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

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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— 13 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519592 7 understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(vii)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject of 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. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519592 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: Your Chapter, Hobart House, 3 Oakwater Avenue, Cheadle Royal Business Park, Cheadle SK8 3SR

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Inspector

Nichola Croft, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519592 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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