Children's Home run by Care 4 Children Residential Services Ltd in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2581237 1 Registered provider: Your Chapter Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private company. It provides care for up to 8 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living in the home. The inspector spent time with 2 of the children.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since February 2026.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has a school on the same site, which children living in the home can attend. The inspector only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 20 January 2026

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2581237 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/01/2026 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/01/2025 Full Good 06/02/2024 Full Good 22/11/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2581237 3

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Summary of findings

Children living in this home make progress across many aspects of their lives. They benefit from consistent care provided by staff who have a clear understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. As a result of the support they receive, risks to children and others are reduced over time.

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Summary of findings

The absence of a registered manager has not resulted in children being placed at risk of harm. However, current management arrangements have not consistently ensured robust recording practices or effective oversight of incidents, and these areas require further strengthening.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, 4 children have moved on from the home. Three children returned to live closer to family members as they reached an age of greater independence. Senior leaders acknowledged that they were unable to safely meet one child’s needs and worked with the placing authority to support a planned move. The welfare of all children was central to this decision-making. As a result, children experience positive endings to their time in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have moved into the home since the last inspection. The acting manager carried out thorough assessments of their needs, considering the skills and experience of the staff team, as well as the needs of children already living in the home. This careful planning helps to ensure that children can live together safely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s physical and emotional health needs are well recognised and supported by staff. They attend necessary health appointments, and staff respond promptly to emerging concerns. For example, when one child experienced dental pain, staff ensured that they were seen quickly by a professional.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend the on-site school, and staff promote the importance of positive routines and regular attendance. Barriers to education for one child are well understood. When the child experiences difficulties attending school, staff provide informal learning opportunities and engagement in constructive activities. Regular communication between care staff and education professionals ensures a coordinated and holistic approach to supporting children’s progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to spend time with their family members, with arrangements carefully planned in partnership with placing authorities. Staff regularly support one child to travel significant distances to maintain important family relationships. Managers and staff build positive relationships with family members through consistent communication, ensuring that children remain connected to those who are important to them. Inspection report for children’s home: 2581237 4 The home is spacious and provides children with areas to spend time alone and together with staff. Communal areas are clean and well presented, and furnishings create a comfortable, welcoming home for children. Any maintenance issues are addressed promptly. Children’s bedrooms are personalised, and they take pride in these spaces.

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

Children report feeling safe living in the home. Staff develop positive and trusting relationships, enabling children to express any worries or concerns. When children speak about their past experiences, staff respond with sensitivity.

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

Staff support children to manage difficult emotions during times of distress. When physical intervention has been necessary, it has been proportionate to the level of risk. Police assistance has been appropriately sought when required to maintain the safety of children and staff. Following incidents, managers speak with children and evaluate staff practice to ensure that there is learning and reflection.

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

Risk assessments are up to date and reflect children’s known risks and vulnerabilities. In addition, specialist assessments are carried out by a commissioned therapeutic service. This support helps staff to understand the underlying reasons for children’s behaviours and informs appropriate responses. Staff are clear about the actions required to keep children safe.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. Since the last inspection, one child has been missing on 2 occasions. On each occasion, staff followed the home’s missing-from-home protocol, and relevant safeguarding professionals were notified promptly. The child was warmly welcomed back, and managers ensured that independent return home interviews were carried out to help understand the reasons for the child going missing.

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

Children’s views, wishes and feelings about their care are regularly sought and responded to. Staff engage children in discussions about their day-to-day experiences. However, recording does not always capture significant conversations, including children’s views and feelings about others moving into or leaving the home, and this is an area for improvement.

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

Since the last inspection, new staff have joined the home. Leaders follow safer recruitment practices to ensure that only suitable and appropriately vetted individuals are employed to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

At the time of this inspection, the home had been without a registered manager for 17 weeks. A new manager has been recruited but is not yet working in the home. The acting manager recently left their position. A new deputy manager is in post. Senior leaders ensure that they have a visible presence in the home, and support from other registered managers in the organisation is available to staff and children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2581237 5 Leaders and managers review all incidents. However, this has not always been effective in identifying gaps and discrepancies in incident records. Some records of physical intervention do not include the information required by regulation. Inaccuracies in reporting limit leaders’ ability to fully evaluate and analyse incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers ensure that all staff complete a comprehensive induction and probationary period. Leaders have high expectations of staff, and probation and disciplinary processes are used effectively to monitor and develop staff practice. When there are insufficient staff numbers, agency staff are used. Leaders ensure that the same agency workers are used. This helps to ensure consistency of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Team meetings take place regularly and are used to build staff’s knowledge and confidence. Staff receive training to help them develop the skills they need to meet children’s individual needs. Suitably experienced managers provide regular reflective supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and staff develop positive relationships with professionals and family members. External professionals speak highly of the care children receive and the progress they make. A social worker said, ‘This is the home [name of child] needed. I would not hesitate to place a child there again.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2581237 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 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; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b)) 30 July 2026

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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— 30 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2581237 7 the name of the child;

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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;

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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

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. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that records of physical intervention are accurate and include all required details.

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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— 30 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2581237 8 ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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)(b)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they have oversight of all work being carried out. All incident records must be thoroughly reviewed and evaluated to ensure accuracy and identify areas of learning to make continuous improvements.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff keep accurate and up-to-date records of important conversations held with children. This includes, but is not limited to, children’s views, wishes and feelings about other children moving into the home and the support staff provide for children before they move on from the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2581237 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Your Chapter 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

Anna Belshaw, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2581237 10 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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