Children's Home run by Choices Home for Children Limited in Stockport

Inspection report for children’s home: 2724171 1 Registered provider: Choices Home for Children Limited

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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 who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Four children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post has been vacant since June 2024.

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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 are not protected or their welfare is not promoted and the care and experiences of children are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 21 November 2023

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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: 2724171 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/11/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2724171 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Since the last inspection, leaders and managers have failed to maintain effective management oversight of the home. Shortfalls in staffing mean that children are often cared for by staff who do not know them, or the home, well and staff do not respond consistently to children. This has negatively impacted on children’s experiences and overall progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children say that they are unhappy and do not feel listened to in the home. They have raised a number of concerns about staff practice, including staff using their toiletries without consent and staff’s needs being prioritised over the needs of children. Leaders and managers are unable to demonstrate that sufficient action has been taken to support children and to adequately address their complaints to improve practice in the home. This does not enable children to feel valued, cared for, or safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Three children have lived together for several years, and one child has recently moved into the home. The child’s transition was well planned, and considered the needs of children already living in the home alongside the needs of the child moving in. However, group living dynamics are not well managed, and some children struggle to live with each other. Consequently, an increase in incidents is having a significant impact on all children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff understand the barriers to learning for children, but have not taken sufficient action to adequately support one child back into school, and have failed to escalate requests to identify a school for another child. Consequently, children’s progress in education is limited and they are not being supported or encouraged to achieve their educational potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children are encouraged to have fun and to engage in a variety of activities and experiences. They have recently been involved in the provider’s ‘choices got talent’ competition and have enjoyed trips to a water and theme park. However, staffing shortfalls mean that children are not always supported to engage in activities by staff who they know.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The home is not a well-maintained environment for children. It requires attention to repair broken floor tiles and improve the cleanliness of the bathrooms and children’s bedrooms. An annexe used by children when they feel overwhelmed is not welcoming. Furnishings are old and torn, the walls are dirty, and children have access to age- inappropriate books.

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

Safeguarding practices in the home are not adequate. Significant shortfalls regarding the use of physical intervention were identified during the inspection. Staff have undertaken Inspection report for children’s home: 2724171 4 several physical interventions with children that were unsafe, and not all interventions have been recorded in line with regulation. Leaders and managers have failed to take appropriate action to ensure that children are effectively safeguarded, or to address shortfalls in staff practice to identify any learning to improve practice in the home. Neither children nor staff have been supported to reflect on incidents, or to speak to someone who is independent. This does not ensure that children are cared for safely, or that leaders and managers have adequate oversight of practice in the home.

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

Children’s risk management and support plans are of poor quality. Plans are not updated following incidents, and do not include all known and emerging risks for children. Plans do not provide clear guidance for staff to follow to keep children safe.

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

Incident records do not include sufficient oversight by managers, and instances of poor staff practice are unchallenged. Several serious incidents have either been reported late, or have not been reported to Ofsted as required by regulation. This significantly impacts the regulator’s oversight of practice in the home.

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

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that all staff receive the training they need to effectively care for children, despite the training being available through the provider. This includes refresher training that was identified as necessary in response to shortfalls in behaviour management, and training that is specific to children’s individual needs, such as a deprivation of liberty order, attention deficit disorder, complex trauma, or sexually harmful behaviour. This has resulted in some children being looked after by staff who do not adequately understand their needs or know how to effectively support them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The current management arrangements are poor and ineffective. The previous registered manager resigned prior to the inspection and the home is being supported by the responsible individual. A new manager has been appointed and was on their induction during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Changes to the staff team and a high use of agency staff has resulted in inconsistency for children. Children spoke of the positive attachments they had with staff. However, they also spoke of how they had not experienced positive endings when staff moved on and the impact this has had on their emotional well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Opportunities to reflect on staff practice and the recent challenges for children are limited. Neither the manager or staff have received regular, reflective supervision, and the quality of team meetings and evidence of discussions about children are variable. This does not support the team to improve the care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Oversight of records and documents by leaders and managers is not robust. Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that staff have access to key information to meet children’s needs. Statutory documents, including delegated authority and an up-to-date placing authority care plan, were missing for one child and escalation processes had not been followed. The statement of purpose is not factually accurate, and has not been Inspection report for children’s home: 2724171 5 reviewed or shared with Ofsted following the resignation of the registered manager and changes to the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not taken sufficient action to meet the requirements made at the last inspection. The five requirements made at the last inspection have been restated. Inspection report for children’s home: 2724171 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 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

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

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)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that children’s plans contain all known risks, are reviewed regularly, and detail clear guidance for staff to follow to keep children safe.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that staff only use holds that are agreed and do not compromise children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

Any concerns regarding poor staff practice in relation to behaviour management and the use of holds that are not safe must be investigated thoroughly by the provider in line with safeguarding procedures. 11 August 2024

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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— 11 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2724171 7 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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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 has sufficient staff to provide care for 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

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

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that staff have completed all identified training to meet the individual needs of children, and that training identified to improve staff practice is completed in a timely manner.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that there are adequate staff on duty in the home, and that staff are consistent and known to children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that they review and evaluate all incident records to identify any learning and to support and develop practice in the home.

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Requirement Due date

*The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who— 11 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2724171 8 develop positive relationships with them;

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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

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that staff listen to children and take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting their care.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that any concerns raised by children, such as staff using children’s personal toiletries, prioritising staff needs before children’s, and children not feeling like the home is their own, are taken seriously and responded to by managers and staff in ways that are child centred and enable children to feel heard.

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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.

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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 name of the child; 18 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2724171 9 details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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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

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; and

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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 (1)(a)(b) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered provider must ensure that all instances of physical intervention are clearly recorded and evaluated as detailed in regulation, and that both children and staff are spoken with about the measure.

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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; 18 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2724171 10 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;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that there is sufficient professional challenge to support children in accessing suitable education provisions.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, ensure that there are clear plans in place to support children with informal learning opportunities when they are not in education, and that staff are aware of and support children to attain their educational targets.

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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— 18 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2724171 11 understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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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

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vii)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that all areas of the home, including children’s bedrooms, are well maintained, clean and free from hazards. In addition, that repairs are completed in a timely manner.

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

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered provider should ensure that children’s looked after plans and delegated authority are on file.

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Requirement Due date

This was a requirement at the last inspection and has been restated. 18 August 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 18 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2724171 12 Specifically, the registered provider must ensure that both the manager and staff receive supervision in line with the organisation’s supervision policy.

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Requirement Due date

This was a requirement at the last inspection and has been restated.

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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.

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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 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 18 August 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

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 18 August 2024

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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: 2724171 13

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Choices Home for Children Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 31 Wellington Road, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 7ED

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Inspectors

Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Inspector Donna Ryan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2724171 14 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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