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 home is privately owned. 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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Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager in post. There has not been a registered manager in post since October 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

Following this inspection, the provider submitted an application to Ofsted to cancel the registration for this home.

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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 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: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 25 and 26 July 2023. Following this inspection, two compliance notices were issued under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. These compliance notices were in relation to Regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and Regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. Inspection report for children’s home: 1240753 2 A monitoring visit took place on the 12 September 2023. The purpose of that visit was to review the actions taken by the provider to meet the compliance notices. Ofsted found that the provider had not taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

The two compliance notices were re-issued following the visit on the 12 September 2023 and were reviewed at this inspection. Ofsted found that the provider has not taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices. Inspection report for children’s home: 1240753 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/07/2023 Full Inadequate 27/07/2022 Full Good 28/07/2021 Full Inadequate 04/06/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1240753 4

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inadequate

Children’s overall experiences and progress have been adversely affected by ineffective safeguarding practice and poor leadership and management.

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inadequate

There are two children currently living in the home. Difficulties in the recruitment and retention of staff in the home mean that children have not been cared for by a consistent staff team. This has contributed to an overall detrimental impact on children’s safety and overall progress and experiences.

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inadequate

The staff currently working in the home have developed relationships with the children. The children spoke highly of the staff team.

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inadequate

One child is preparing to move to another home in the organisation because social work professionals have raised concerns that their needs are not met in this home. Plans are in place for staff to move with them to support the child to settle in.

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inadequate

Children are provided with opportunities to engage in new hobbies and activities. However, staff do not provide children with consistent support to promote engagement with new and existing interests. Staff do not explore barriers that prevent children from engaging with staff and peers in the community. This means that one child living in the home is not spending meaningful time outside of the home.

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inadequate

Staff support children in their religious beliefs. Religious leaders have been invited to the home. However, plans are not in place to support the cultural needs of both children. Children’s records do not reflect how staff are supporting their cultural needs and identities within the local community. This could potentially impact on When children are far from their home areas, support is not in place to promote a sense of belonging. This has a negative impact on children’s emotional wellbeing.

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inadequate

The children’s health needs are met. Staff support children to engage with health professionals and attend health appointments. Staff have supported one child overcome anxieties about engaging with health professionals, and as a result, they have made progress in this area.

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inadequate

Both children attend on-site education. Financial incentives are used to promote engagement. As a result, both children have made progress in their attendance and engagement with learning.

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inadequate

Improvements have been made to the physical environment of the home since the last inspection. The home has been redecorated, and new furnishings are evident throughout. However, children’s bedrooms lack personalisation. One child Inspection report for children’s home: 1240753 5 commented that he did not like his room as it was bare. This child’s move on from the home is imminent; therefore, he did not see the benefit of this being addressed.

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inadequate

Staff understand the barriers children face in maintaining relationships with their family. Staff support children with their emotions when they are unable to maintain relationships with those important to them.

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

Plans are not in place to manage all known risks for children. Staff are not aware of how children’s mobile phone use is monitored. Routine checks are not implemented to safeguard children from the risks posed.

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

Risk assessment and behaviour support plans do not include new or emerging risks. Records have not been updated following incidents. As a result, work is not undertaken with children to safeguard themselves or others moving forward.

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

Staff are not professionally curious when safeguarding concerns are identified. This means that staff do not have the knowledge or understanding of who children are in contact with. Furthermore, children’s records do not include sufficient detail for staff to understand the restrictions on a child having contact with those deemed to pose a risk.

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

Communication in the home is not robust. Information is not shared among the full staff team following incidents. As a result, staff do not understand all the risks for children.

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

Staff have undertaken additional training to develop their knowledge and understanding of the children’s needs and risks. However, not all staff have completed training to meet the children’s specific needs. This means that the children are not consistently provided with the level of therapeutic care that they require.

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

There have not been any incidents in which children have been physically held. The relationships between the staff and children mean that staff can de-escalate incidents of challenging behaviour. Children are provided with opportunities to reflect on incidents, and staff support them to identify more effective strategies to manage their emotions. This helps children develop an understanding of how their behaviour impacts on others.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has been no registered manager in post since October 2021. The home is currently being overseen by a senior manager and the responsible individual. Efforts to recruit and retain a suitable manager have not been successful. There is no plan in place for the long-term management of the home. This has had a significant impact on children’s safety and their overall progress and experiences. Inspection report for children’s home: 1240753 6 Internal monitoring of the care provided for children has improved. However, the quality of care review report submitted to Ofsted does not reflect the difficulties and challenges in the home at the time of writing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager currently overseeing the home has worked hard to try to improve the quality of care in the home. He has strengthened the staff’s understanding of their roles and responsibilities. He has identified weaknesses and shortfalls in the care being provided and developed systems to address these. However, this has not been effective because staff practice has not improved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not met all requirements from the last inspection. This does not demonstrate effective leadership.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff say they feel well supported by the leaders in the home. Staff speak highly of the interim manager and say that things have improved significantly. Staff now benefit from reflective supervision and team meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff say that they have benefited from refresher training on several topics. However, not all staff have undertaken training that is specific to the children’s needs. This shortfall remains from the last inspection. These gaps in staff knowledge could place children at risk of harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Social work professionals have commented that communication has improved since the current manager has been overseeing the home, and they now receive weekly updates.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Due to the further shortfalls identified, following this inspection, the provider made the decision to close the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1240753 7

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 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 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

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s records are updated to include new and emerging risks following incidents; that staff are professionally curious following the identification of safeguarding concerns; that records reflect the risks to children in respect of family contact and that plans are in place to monitor children’s mobile phone use.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 13 December

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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— 13 December Inspection report for children’s home: 1240753 8 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—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 13 December

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 13 December

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children; 13 December Inspection report for children’s home: 1240753 9 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 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

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

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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 10

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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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Inspector

Claire Hobbs, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1240753 11 regulates and inspects 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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