Children's Home run by Your Chapter Limited in Blackpool

Inspection report for children’s home: 1240843 1 Registered provider: Your Chapter Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2021.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1240843 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/03/2025 Full Good 19/03/2024 Full Good 05/09/2022 Full Good 16/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1240843 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a warm and comfortable home environment. They have access to a large living room, a kitchen diner and a garden. Children’s bedrooms are personalised, and they contribute to the decoration of their bedrooms. Photos capturing children’s memories adorn the walls of the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children talk warmly about the time they spend with staff. Children say that they can speak openly with staff, who are dependable. This means that children trust staff. The manager has monthly meetings with children, which ensures they feel listened to.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s interests and hobbies are encouraged. They are supported to access activities including go-karting, motocross and going to the gym. Children are also encouraged to take part in creative hobbies, and one child regularly goes to a recording studio, which also supports their literacy skills.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children access education. They have clear plans to meet their needs. The manager works collaboratively with partner agencies to ensure children get the right education support. This includes access to tutors, football coaching and motor mechanics training. When children miss education, staff help them to identify and address any barriers to attendance.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who live far from their home areas are supported to stay in touch with people who are important to them. Staff work hard to identify creative ways for children to spend time with family members. This includes family time taking place in different locations, which reduces travelling time and minimises the likelihood of children being exposed to risks that remain in areas where they used to live.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are registered with the relevant health services. One child is reluctant to attend medical appointments. This means they have missed out on routine appointments, including vision tests. Staff have not been tenacious in supporting the child to understand the importance of attending appointments. A recommendation is made to address this.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s emotional needs are understood. The provider has commissioned a therapist to provide staff with clinical support underpinned by research. This helps staff to understand children’s psychological needs and any strategies to support children.

p.3

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

Children are safeguarded well. Behaviour plans detail strategies to support children when they are struggling to manage their emotions. As a result, physical intervention is rarely needed. When children need to be held, children and staff can reflect on Inspection report for children’s home: 1240843 4 incidents. This helps the manager evaluate practice and consider ways to reduce future incidents.

p.3

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

Children’s care plans are centred around their needs and are in line with local authority plans. Children’s plans include the views of multi-agency professionals, including youth justice workers and teachers. Children contribute to their plans, and each child has their own monthly ‘roadmap’, which outlines their progress. This gives children a sense of ownership and control over their care and progress.

p.4

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

Children benefit from key work that focuses on their individual needs. Topics include the consequences of knife crime, substance misuse and healthy peer relationships. This helps children understand risks.

p.4

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

Staff take a restorative approach when children display challenging behaviours and support children to reflect on their actions. Consequences are rarely used. When children do receive a consequence, such as the removal of a device for a time-limited period, they are given incentives to earn it back. This is made possible by showing positive progress in agreement with the manager.

p.4

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

When children go missing from the home, staff follow children’s individual plans and look for children in the areas they are known to spend time. Staff work with partner agencies to regularly review the risk of children going missing from the home. When children return, they are offered an independent return home interview.

p.4

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

When children require a high level of supervision, any restrictions are regularly reviewed and revised to ensure that there is minimal impact on all children. However, high levels of supervision for one child have led to an increased use of agency staffing, which has caused one child some frustration.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is skilled, well qualified and leads by example. He is supported by a dedicated leadership team that ensures practice standards are high.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager oversees practice effectively. This includes regular audits and feedback from the independent person and commissioned services. He actively seeks feedback and uses it to improve practice.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

External professionals have positive views. One social worker remarked, ‘The stickability is huge. They stay with the kids, and the kids feel valued. Their communication is brilliant.’

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have regular, reflective supervision, which promotes development and is an opportunity for them to share new ideas. As a result, the home has adopted innovative practices based on research, for example the use of therapeutic childhood boxes that contain sensory objects to help soothe children. Inspection report for children’s home: 1240843 5 Staff have annual appraisals and professional development plans. These plans include feedback from children, partner agencies and colleagues. This helps staff recognise their strengths, giving them a clear view of their progress and any areas for development.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff enjoy regular and meaningful training opportunities bespoke to the needs of children. Staff also benefit from opportunities to study for professional qualifications that enhance their practice. Temporary staff receive regular supervision, training and a thorough induction. All staff spoke of strong team morale and a shared commitment to children’s progress. Inspection report for children’s home: 1240843 6

p.5

Recommendation

 The registered person should continue to support and encourage children to attend regular health appointments when these have been declined, as homes have a key role in organising and ensuring each child’s attendance at the necessary primary and secondary health services. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 34, paragraph 7.11)

p.6

Recommendation

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: 1240843 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Your Chapter Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3 Oakwater Avenue, Cheadle Royal Business Park, Cheadle SK8 3SR

p.7

Inspector

Jon Dutton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1240843 8 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8