Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Birmingham

Unique reference number SC412175 Inspector Andrew Hewston Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Cambian Childcare Limited Registered person address Pinnacle House 2 Oakwood Square, Cheadle Royal Business Park CHEADLE Cheshire SK8 3SB Responsible individual Stephen James Nevitt Registered manager Tina Jayne Ratcliffe Date of last inspection 25/03/2014 2 of 11 Inspection date 17/07/2014

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness good

Outcomes for children and young people good Quality of care good Keeping children and young people safe good Leadership and management adequate

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Overall effectiveness

The home provides a good level of care and support for young people that are on remand. This means that placements are often on a short term basis requiring increased supervision of young people and a high awareness of the role of the home. Staff have a good understanding of the specific circumstances of young people. This means that staff provide personalised care that is tailored to the individual care needs of young people.

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Overall effectiveness

A complaint has been made to Ofsted in relation to the home prior to the inspection. The home is currently investigating areas relating to the concerns raised and will report to Ofsted on completion of this.

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Overall effectiveness

The views of young people are sought on a regular basis, with meetings and questionnaires helping the staff to be aware of the young peoples concerns. Although the relationships between some staff and young people are not consistently positive the young people can discuss staff whose company they enjoy and who give them regular support.

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Overall effectiveness

All young people feel safe within the home. Effective systems are in place to ensure that where concerns are raised about the safety of young people, staff are swift to respond and care for their health and well being. 3 of 11 The home is effectively managed by an experienced team and care is provided by committed and knowledgeable staff.

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Overall effectiveness

Areas of development for the home relate to staff training, supervision and vetting. There are also some need for improvements in behaviour management and activity planning. 4 of 11

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private organisation. The service operates in partnership with a Local Authority to provide remand services for young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/03/2014 Interim good progress 28/11/2013 Full good 14/03/2013 Interim good progress 21/11/2012 Full outstanding

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that staff recruitment is fully completed and that full and satisfactory information is available [in relation to him in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 2]( Regulation 26 (3d)) 29/08/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure staff receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal (Regulation 27(4a)) 29/08/2014

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s): 5 of 11  ensure young people pursue individual interests and hobbies. This includes ta part in a range of activities, including leisure activities and trips (NMS 7.2)  ensure staff meet young people's individual needs as set out in the placement plan with regard to their religious needs (NMS 2.3)  ensure young people are encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour a way that is appropriate to their age and abilities (NMS 3.6) 6 of 11

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are able to make a good level of progress in the relatively short period that they are in the home. Staff work with the young people effectively to ensure that they are aware of why they are at the home and the future plans for their placement. The staff also work with the bail and remand team, as well as the young people's social workers to develop a clear way of working with young people that meets the needs of any remand conditions.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people’s physical and psychological health needs are addressed through partnership working with general and specialist health services. Young people take responsibility for their own health. For example, they participate in key work sessions that help them to understand the importance of maintaining good health. As a result, young people are able to make informed decisions regarding their life-style choices and this promotes their welfare. Young people decrease in their use of alcohol or drug use due to the effective close working with staff and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people improve in their educational abilities due to the home having good contacts with a range of different educational providers as well as tutors that visit the home. This results in young people's interests being responded to. Young people have come into the home with no recent history of any school attendance and have since attended college on a regular basis through staff support.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Regular contact between young people and their families is embedded in the structure of the home. Decisions regarding the frequency of family visits are laid out within the admission period at the home and these arrangements are well known by the staff team and young people.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people develop in their life and independence skills while being at the home. All young people are expected to care for their own clothing and to increase their awareness of public transport. Assessments are also made in other self help skills such as awareness of opening a bank account. As a result they feel confident about moving on to the next stage in their lives, knowing they have acquired the necessary skills for independent living.

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Quality of care good

Young people state that they don’t get on with all of the staff, all of the time, but there is always someone on duty that they can talk to, and they have a good relationship with some. There are a range of ways young people are consulted and 7 of 11 examples of them being listened to. All young people have key workers to support them and ensure that necessary paperwork is completed. Young people are consulted about the home and their development within it on a weekly basis, through individual meetings and also young people's house meetings. Records of these meetings show that subjects relating to young people's behaviours are discussed, as well as activities, menus and events within the home. Young people and professionals that work with them are involved with a monthly questionnaire relating to the home and it's performance.

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Quality of care good

Young people are aware of how to make complaints and have contacted differing organisations when they are unhappy. Information relating to complaints is available within the home and is also discussed on admission. When complaints are made they are responded to directly with the young person and investigations are thorough. The home's phone system allows young people to call a range of support services without having to ask the staff team. This supports young people's ability to change practice or raise issues.

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Quality of care good

All young people have placement plans. These are written by the home, in line with the looked after children documentation and the bail and remand information. Plans are highly individualised and give the staff a good awareness of the differing needs of the young people and how these are to be met. Reviews are completed to examine the plans contents. Reviews include the views of young people and significant adults related to them.

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Quality of care good

Placement planning includes a good range of health information and highlights when checks with health professionals have been completed. The staff team promote a healthy lifestyle with a balanced menu, visits to the gym to keep active and regular health appointments. As a result, young people understand the positive impact a healthy life-style has on their development. Young people are supported with taking their medication, with assessments made for those that are able to self medicate. Medication administration records are up to date and signed appropriately.

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Quality of care good

The staff have a high level of communication with social workers and additional professionals involved with the home. One social worker stated in a questionnaire that the 'quality of the care offered by the home is exceptional. He has been happy and said positive things about the home.'

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Quality of care good

Young people are involved with activities both inside the home and externally. Although young people state that they enjoy the activities the planners do not give a clear indication of what young people are involved with each evening and there is a lack of available planning for the current summer holidays.

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Quality of care good

Young people make progress in their education because staff work in partnership with a wide range of educational placements and internal educational providers. Staff regularly liaise with teaching staff to consider barriers to education and how these can be addressed. Staff also attempt to find practical skills that young people are 8 of 11 interested in and integrate these into their educational placements. Because of this attendance is good and young people celebrate their achievements.

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Quality of care good

The home promotes an awareness of individuals' diversity through placement planning and information within the home relating to differing customs and religions. Some young people stated that at the start of Ramadan staff's awareness of the festival required development. This is being responded to well, as some staff continue to increase in their sensitivities relating to this area.

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Quality of care good

The home is located in a residential area with easy access to public transport, health and leisure facilities. There is a large garden to the rear, which allows young people to play a range of games and sports. Overall, the accommodation provides a pleasant, comfortable and homely environment for young people to live in.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are safe in the home and say they feel safe. When bullying behaviours occur staff have a strong robust response and work is completed with both the victim and perpetrator. Young people are empowered to speak out when they are worried or concerned. There are good systems in place within the home and through external parties to highlight if individuals have worries. As a result, this helps increase young people’s awareness about how to keep safe.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people’s behaviour is positively managed. There have been no incidents of staff using physical intervention to control young people’s behaviour since the last inspection. Staff promote positive behaviour and reward young people appropriately, as well as ensuring that negative behaviours have a consequence that relates to the behaviour. Both positive and negative consequences are fully recorded within both the homes log and the young people’s file. These records are monitored by the manager and through external examination. This helps to support the safety of young people. Each young person has a behavioural reward programme to promote positive behaviours and interactions within the home. Targets within this programme are not always sufficiently individualised however, to support their development at the home.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Levels of young people going missing from the home are low. On the few occasions when this has occurred, the home has responded well. Staff work closely in partnership with local police, youth offending services and social workers. On young people’s return staff discuss the reasoning behind the behaviour and reiterate the risks associated with being absent from the home. This supports the young people’s safety outside the home.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Safeguarding investigations are handled fairly, consistently, and in a timely manner. Full details and chronology of events are recorded and all necessary professionals are involved ensuring effective working with external partners, such as the local authority 9 of 11 designated officer (LADO). Regular training in child protection ensures the continued development of staff’s knowledge and understanding of safeguarding young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

A wide range of recruitment checks are completed on all staff before they start working at the home and young people are involved with this process. In a minority of instances the manager needs to be more rigorous in ensuring all relevant references are sought, to consistently safeguard young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff ensure that health and safety takes a high priority. General environmental and risk assessments are in place and regular checks are completed in areas such as gas and electrical supplies to promote the safety of young people and staff. Impact assessments are also completed on all admissions to ensure that placements are appropriate and young people continue to be safe within the home. All these actions show that young people’s welfare is promoted throughout their time at the home.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home has a strong management team and a Registered Manager who has been in position since 2008 with the Registered Managers Award. There were no points for development from the last inspection, although the management team has a high awareness of the strengths and weaknesses within the home. A detailed development plan is in place to ensure that the staff team continues to move forwards.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home's Statement of Purpose gives a very comprehensive and accurate account of the aims and objectives of the service, so that anyone using it knows what will be provided. The children's guide gives young people good information about the home so they know what to expect and what is expected of them. It is personalised to meet the particular needs of each young person depending on the reason for their admission.

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Leadership and management adequate

There are effective systems for monitoring the home, both through an external visitor and the manager. The manager completes a very comprehensive report which is a qualitative analysis of the operation of the home. These have been sent to Ofsted at the frequency recommended by the statutory guidance. This means the regulator has been as fully informed as it could be of any emerging issues or trends.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home is appropriately staffed, with vacancies currently being recruited to. Where gaps occur within the rota these are filled by staff who know the home and it's purpose either from within the organisation or regular bank staff. Staff receive supervision by senior staff that have completed training in giving supervision. Not all staff have received supervision in line with the expectations of the organisations policy, especially staff that are new to the home and require additional support or guidance. 10 of 11 All staff receive a good level of induction into the home including safeguarding and behaviour management training. Training relating to other aspects of the child care role is provided within the first six months of being in post. Some staff have not received updated training and training relating to the specific role of the home is not currently provided. Staff are therefore not fully skilled in the complex remit of the

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Leadership and management adequate

home and how it works with the placing authority. All staff have either completed or are enrolled on the relevant diploma course.

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Leadership and management adequate

Communication within the staff team is good. All staff are fully informed of any changes relating to either young people or the operation of the home through regular handovers, team meetings and the daily log. The staff work well together and see themselves as a good team. The staff team is diverse and includes people from a variety of backgrounds. When incidents occur within the home these are forwarded to the necessary organisations swiftly to keep all parties up to date with the home.

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Leadership and management adequate

Record keeping within the home is good and information is accessible and provides a coherent account of a young person’s life, should they wish to read it either now or in the future. All records are appropriately stored to promote individuals privacy. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management adequate

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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