Children's Home run by AP Care Homes Limited in Cheshire East

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724911 1 Registered provider: AP Care Homes Limited

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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. The home provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted on 27 July 2023. There is no registered manager in post.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to a suspension notice being in place, there were no children living in the home at the time of the visit.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at a full inspection on 16 and 17 November 2023. Ofsted found that children had suffered harm and, due to serious and widespread safeguarding failures, issued a notice suspending the registration of the home with immediate effect, from 17 November 2023 to 8 February 2024. The period of suspension requires the provider to cease operating until they can demonstrate that the risk of harm is eliminated.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to monitor the suspension notice. Inspectors found that the provider has complied with the suspension notice. No children have lived at the home.

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This monitoring visit

The new appointed manager has now started working in the home. The manager reported that he is developing an updated action plan to address the shortfalls previously identified.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual in place at the last inspection has now left the organisation. A new responsible individual has recently been appointed. Safer Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724911 2 recruitment checks have not yet concluded. The director has confirmed that they will no longer be involved in the management of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff currently working in the home have been subject to sufficient checks to determine their suitability to work with children. Additional staff are being recruited to secure a full staff team.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have been provided with training to develop their skills and knowledge, including training around missing from home and protecting children on social media. Staff were positive about the training provided.

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This monitoring visit

A case review was held following this visit. It was determined that the provider had taken sufficient steps to address the safeguarding failings that led to the suspension. The notice suspending the registration of the home was therefore lifted with immediate effect.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted will carry out a further visit in due course. This will include a review of the remaining requirements that were set at the last inspection .

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/11/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724911 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, 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 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;

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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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(c)) 2 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724911 4 In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s risks are clearly identified and assessed. Also, that staff are provided with clear guidance and strategies to support them to reduce risks and take action to keep children safe.

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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

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

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’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(a)(c)(e)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that children’s complaints are acted on. 2 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724911 5 The registered person must have effective oversight of the quality of care provided to children so that they can identify and address areas of concern.

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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 receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

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. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff understand and have sufficient oversight of children’s specific health needs. When advice is given in relation to meeting children’s needs, the registered provider must ensure that this advice is implemented. 2 January 2024

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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

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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 staff— 2 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724911 6 meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii)(xiii)(b)) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724911 7 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that safer recruitment checks are completed for all staff before they start working at the home. 2 January 2024

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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

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; 2 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724911 8 that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children have a positive experience of arriving at and moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that relevant plans, including health plans, care plans and education, health and care plans, are followed.

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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

use 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

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 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)(a)(b)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the care provided to children is personalised and meets children’s individual needs and vulnerabilities. 2 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)) 2 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724911 9 In particular, the registered person must ensure that CCTV is only used for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that details of staff qualifications and experience are included in the statement of purpose. 2 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b)) 2 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must maintain a register of children. 2 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; 2 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724911 10 there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(c)(e))

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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: 2724911 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: AP Care Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 307 Hale Road, Hale Barns, Altrincham WA15 8SS

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Inspectors

Catherine Fargin, Regulatory Inspection Manager Emma Thornton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2724911 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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