Children's Home run by Your Chapter Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1240884 1 Registered provider: Your Chapter Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a private organisation. It offers care for up to 2 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been a change in leadership since the last inspection, with a new manager and responsible individual being appointed. The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2026. The new responsible individual was due to commence the role during the inspection. Ofsted has not yet been formally notified of the change in senior leadership.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living at the home. One child was spoken with during the inspection.

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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 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: 21 October 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1240884 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/10/2025 Full Good 25/11/2024 Full Good 25/04/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/06/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1240884 3

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Summary of findings

There were 2 children living in the home at the time of the inspection. The children have recently moved into the home and are beginning to form positive relationships with staff. Staff support the children to engage in activities to support their physical and emotional wellbeing. Staff have a good understanding of the health needs of children and are supporting their physical and emotional health needs. While the children are not currently in formal education, they are being supported to access other educational opportunities while appropriate provisions are identified. The home benefits from a manager who is consistent and has a good oversight of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, 3 children have moved out of the home. For one child, this was a planned move to semi-independence. However, 2 children moved out of the home sooner than planned due to increased risks in the community. Leaders and managers worked with professionals to enable the children to spend time out of the area to ensure their safety before their moves.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children have moved into the home, there has not always been sufficient consideration of the impact on the child already living in the home. This has been recognised by leaders and managers and the assessment to consider suitability before children move into the home is now more robust.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the health needs of children. Children are supported to attend routine appointments and access specialist assessments when needed. One child is currently being supported to access an assessment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to engage in hobbies and activities that reflect their interests. These include boxing, fishing and mountain biking.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children living in the home are not currently in formal education. Leaders and managers are working closely with professionals to advocate for the children’s return to education. There are plans for one child to start to access home tutoring, and the other child is accessing activities to support their learning while an appropriate educational provision is identified.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff engage in purposeful conversations on important topics, including substance misuse, the consequences of offending behaviour and the risks associated with being missing from the home. This gives children the opportunity to develop the skills needed to stay safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 1240884 4

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

Staff manage children’s behaviour using de-escalation techniques in line with children’s individual plans. As a result, there has been no use of physical intervention since the last inspection.

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

When children go missing from the home, staff take action to support their return home. However, there have been periods of time when staff have not actively searched for children.

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

Staff take appropriate action when children are suspected of being under the influence of illegal substances, including undertaking room searches. However, there have been occasions when medical advice has not been appropriately sought.

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

When allegations are made against members of staff, they are treated seriously and investigations take place. Risk assessments are implemented to ensure the safety of children while investigations remain ongoing. Referrals are also made to the local authority designated officer (LADO). However, the information supplied to the LADO is not always specific.

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

When consequences are used, they are proportionate. Children have the opportunity to reflect on the consequences, and all consequences are reviewed by the manager to consider whether they are proportionate and effective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, a new manager has been appointed. The manager is supported by a deputy manager. Both have high aspirations for children living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers use tools to support oversight of practice. This includes weekly and monthly audits which identify areas of improvement in the home. The manager ensures that any areas of improvement are acted on.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak highly of the support they receive from managers. The staff team is stable, and as a result, children are cared for by a consistent staff team. One member of staff described the support they receive from managers as ‘brilliant’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from professionals is positive. Professionals report regular communication from staff. When children move into and out of the home, communication focuses on the support available to children to ensure moves take place sensitively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision that provides an opportunity to discuss the needs of children and consider their progress. Supervision includes a focus on safeguarding, and scenarios are used to test the knowledge of staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 1240884 5 Staff receive annual appraisals that consider their performance and set targets for the next year. However, these do not consider the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year or from the children living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are well attended. They are a chance for staff to discuss the progress of the children. Team meetings also provide the opportunity for staff to share learning. A recent team meeting considered learning from research about trauma-responsive care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive training aligned with the needs of the children living in the home. They are also supported in their development to complete relevant qualifications. Opportunities for progression include a leadership development programme. Inspection report for children’s home: 1240884 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

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

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 premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health; and

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities, especially when 13 November 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 1240884 7 children are missing from the home. Staff must follow the child’s risk assessment and actively search for the child until they have safely returned.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that appropriate medical advice is sought when children are believed to be under the influence of illegal substances. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)  The registered person should ensure that when the LADO is informed of allegations, they are provided with accurate information to assist with appropriate decision- making. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.18)  The registered person should ensure that when children move into the home, full consideration is given to any possible impact on the children already living in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff appraisals consider, where reasonable and practical, the views of children and other professionals who have worked with the

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Recommendations

staff member over the year. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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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: 1240884 8

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Ruth Mortimer-Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1240884 9 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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