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.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager in post since 13 September 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

There were no children living at the home at the time of this monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged inadequate at the full inspection in November 2023. Ofsted found that children had suffered harm due to serious and widespread safeguarding failures.

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This monitoring visit

Since the home was judged inadequate, four monitoring visits have been conducted. The provider has failed to make and sustain the necessary improvements or act in accordance with the relevant regulations. A restriction notice was served following a monitoring visit on 30 January 2024.

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This monitoring visit

Further visits have been undertaken to monitor this restriction. During these visits, inspectors identified ongoing weaknesses relating to safeguarding practices and a continued lack of stability and effectiveness in the leadership team.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken by the provider since the restriction notice was issued.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last monitoring visit, the responsible individual and three further staff have left the organisation. There has been no registered manager in post since 13 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2724911 2 September 2023. This ongoing instability in respect of leadership and management of the home does not provide assurance that children’s safety and welfare will be promoted.

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This monitoring visit

The interim manager has applied to Ofsted to register, and three new staff have been recruited. The frequent changes in leadership, management and staffing in the home undermine stability and consistency.

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This monitoring visit

A new person has been appointed to take on the role of responsible individual. He has been in post since 6 June 2024. His company had previously completed an audit of this home, so he understood the strengths and weaknesses of the home. Ofsted has not been able to assess his suitability for the role of responsible individual in this setting. However, since he started with the company, he has taken action to implement new processes and reviewed and updated documentation.

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This monitoring visit

Safer recruitment processes have been reviewed with new strengthened procedures in place. This has improved the quality and oversight of the recruitment process. All new staff have been safely recruited.

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This monitoring visit

A new recording system has been introduced to monitor care practices in the home. The responsible individual has shared examples of how the forms should be used to develop the skills of the managers and staff team.

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This monitoring visit

Despite the introduction of new documentation, processes and monitoring and review systems, the interim manager has failed to use these effectively to demonstrate how they will embed improvements into care practices. Opportunities to understand the knowledge that staff have gained following training sessions has not been thoroughly explored by the interim manager and outstanding actions from supervision have not been followed up. This does not assure Ofsted that the home has suitable management arrangements.

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This monitoring visit

New staff have attended training in team teach, safeguarding, care planning and risk management. Staff talk positively about the training they have received.

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This monitoring visit

New staff have received supervision. Staff report that they have found these sessions useful in understanding the expectations of their roles.

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This monitoring visit

Other requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection were not considered at this visit and are carried forward to the next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2724911 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/11/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2724911 4

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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 with the given timescales.

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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 has sufficient staff to provide care for 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)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(d)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must have effective oversight of the quality of care provided to children so that they can identify and address areas of concern. 16 September Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2724911 5 This includes oversight of staff practice, records for children and training and records for staff.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b) (5)) 16 September

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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

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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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

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; 16 September Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2724911 6 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

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

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that records of restraints are completed in line with regulation, ensuring that these are reviewed and that any concerns with restraint practice or injuries sustained are identified and responded to swiftly.

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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

that staff— 16 September Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2724911 7 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

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

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vi)(vii)) This requirement is restated.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that children’s risks are clearly assessed. Also, they should ensure that staff are provided with clear guidance and strategies to support them to reduce risks.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff take effective action to keep children safe. This includes ensuring that allegations made by children are promptly reported to relevant agencies to safeguard children.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. 16 September Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2724911 8 (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that children have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. They must ensure that they scrutinise the information available prior to a child moving in so that they effectively consider whether they can meet children’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

Further to this, the registered provider must ensure that home care plans reflect the information and outcomes from the child’s relevant plans and that this informs good care practices in the home.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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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. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ix)(x))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 16 September Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2724911 9 Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that children’s emotional and behavioural needs are understood and these are met, in line with the child’s relevant plans.

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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 10

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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, Social Care Inspector Michelle Edge, Senior His Majesty’s Inspector (QAV) Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2724911 11 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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Inspectors

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