Social care · Children's home inspection (SCCIF)
Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Torbay
Summary
What we read, and from where
Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.
- Inspection datesingle source
16 Dec 2015
- Inspectors verified
Sharron Escott
- Helped and protected verified
Good
- Overall effectivenesssingle source
Good
- URN verified
SC457567
Deep dive
What this report says
In plain English
Join free to get a short, plain-English summary of any report.
Grade profile
Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.
- OverallGood
- Helped and protectedGood
70% of comparable inspections in the last three years were graded Good (12,716 inspections).
Tone of the report
How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.
In line with other reports of this type graded Good.
Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.
How the report reads, start to finish
Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.
Strengths
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
- Excellent joint working with other agencies keeps young people p.3
- The new manager has demonstrated strong leadership, she is enthusiastic and motivated. p.3
- Staff say they are supported very well and morale is high. p.3
- There is a strong co-ordinated approach to helping the young person make safe choices. p.3
Concerns
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
No strong criticism found.
Next steps
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
- Ensure that all areas are homely and domestic environment, in particular that repairs are carried out in a timely manner. p.4
- Staff should be familiar with the home's policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. p.4
- In particular, ensure that care plans and risk assessments contain 'SMART' targets and clearly document young people's actual progress. p.4
- The newly appointed manager who was registered with Ofsted in September 2015, leads her small team effectively. p.7
- Her working arrangements require her to work 24 hour shifts. p.7
- Eight hours a week is dedicated for management administration. p.7
- The manager shows genuine warmth towards the young person, consequently the young person enjoys spending time with her. p.7
- This supports the relaxed feeling throughout the home. p.7
What the report dwells on
Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.
Leadership & governance7
“The new manager has demonstrated strong leadership, she is enthusiastic and motivated.” p.3Wellbeing & mental health2
“Consequently her confidence and self-esteem has grown.” p.3
Anatomy of the report
How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.
- Pages
- 11
- Words of findings
- 806
- shorter than usual (typical 1319)
- Reading level
- Hard
- Flesch 45, typical 51
- Average sentence
- 16 words
- Next steps
- 8
- typical 4
- Hedged sentences
- 0%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
Good
The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.
p.2
The children's home provision is good because:
The new manager has demonstrated strong leadership, she is enthusiastic and motivated. Staff say they are supported very well and morale is high. There is a strong co-ordinated approach to helping the young person make safe choices. Effective multi-agency working is child-focused. Young people benefit from the secure base that this home has to offer. The young person has made good progress in her personal and social development. Consequently her confidence and self-esteem has grown. Staff recognise achievements and empower the young person to feel proud of herself. Significant areas of improvement have been good health and a reduction in anxiety. The young person has developed the ability to recognise feelings and to express them appropriately to staff. Staff are clear about their responsibility to safeguard young people. The registered manager demonstrates proficiency to manage safeguarding concerns. Excellent joint working with other agencies keeps young people
p.3
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 (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.
p.4
take account of the following recommendation(s):
Ensure that all areas are homely and domestic environment, in particular that repairs are carried out in a timely manner. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 15 paragraph 3.9)
p.4
take account of the following recommendation(s):
Staff should be familiar with the home's policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. In particular, ensure that care plans and risk assessments contain 'SMART' targets and clearly document young people's actual progress. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 62, paragraph 14.4)
p.4
Information about this children's home
The home is operated by a private company and is currently registered to provide care and accommodation for one young person.
p.5
Recent inspection history
Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement
p.5
Recent inspection history
05/01/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness
p.5
Recent inspection history
12/12/2013 CH - Interim Inadequate Progress
p.5
Good
The manager and her small staff team are strong advocates for the young person. They listen to her views and act upon these. The young person says the staff listen to her when she has concerns or is worried. The young person has developed trusting relationships with staff because staff show her affection, care and concern.
p.6
Good
The young person in this home enjoys regular good quality face-to-face and phone contact with family members; they visit the home and on occasions stay overnight. A parent reports he is very happy with his daughter’s care, and the good communication from the manager and staff.
p.6
Good
The young person is sound skills for independent living. She knows how to do her laundry, budget, shop, prepare and cook meals. More recently she has travelled independently using public transport into the local town. She has greater confidence and is well supported in to her transition to adulthood.
p.6
Good
Managing behaviour well is a strength of this home. A recent decline in the young person’s emotional health and wellbeing has been exceptionally well supported. Incidents of self-harm and aggression have occurred during this period, all were managed and responded to well. The manager promptly engaged health care professionals who reviewed the young person’s medication and are providing regular psychological support.
p.6
Good
The registered manager is passionate about the care she provides to young people. In particular, supporting the young person’s emotional well-being and encouraging her to identify and manage her feelings. This is significant to the young person who is enjoying a period stability within her placement.
p.6
Good
The young person living at this home said she feels safe and can talk to staff if she is worried or has concerns. Staff have a sound knowledge of how to respond to high risk behaviours such as self-harm, anxiety and aggression.
p.6
Good
Partnership working is well established with health professionals and the emergency services. Any incidents that impact on the safety and well-being of young people are escalated promptly to all agencies. This collaborative working provides a safe response to young people at times of distress and reduces their self-injurious behaviours.
p.7
Good
The young person is supported in managing her behaviour through rewards and daily targets. These incentives are effective as the young person responds to the financial gain. Physical intervention has occurred twice in the home. Records detail interventions are for a minimal amount of time and evidence good practice. Staff allow the young person reflection time and discuss the incident when she is ready.
p.7
Good
The help and support staff give to the young person and her family has resulted them spending increasingly more positive time together. Professionals from outside of the organisation were complimentary about the direct support staff had given to family members which has significantly contributed to maintaining strong family bonds.
p.7
Good
The young person has not gone missing from this home. A ‘missing protocol’ has been completed to inform what actions staff should take in the event that she should, to ensure her prompt and safe return to the home.
p.7
Requires improvement
The newly appointed manager who was registered with Ofsted in September 2015, leads her small team effectively. Her working arrangements require her to work 24 hour shifts. Eight hours a week is dedicated for management administration. The manager shows genuine warmth towards the young person, consequently the young person enjoys spending time with her. This supports the relaxed feeling throughout the home.
p.7
Requires improvement
Since the managers appointment the records relating to young people are more professionally organised and maintained. Despite this, the home’s recording systems remains’ complex. The duplication of information has resulted in the quality and content being diluted and or inappropriately recorded. For example; safety management to remove broken items is recorded within room search records. Currently, risk management strategies, daily living routines and targets are recorded in a number of different documents and although they are clear, this has led to unnecessary duplication of information. The manager is aware of this and is actively seeking authorisation from the wider organisation to stream line the paperwork.
p.7
Requires improvement
The manager has high standards for herself and the work undertaken by staff and has set them clear responsibilities. As a result, the team have a greater ownership for driving forward improvements. Despite having a clear vision on how she would like to develop the services provided to young people and the home, these are not identified within the home’s written development plan. The home is very well situated in a quiet neighbourhood near a small coastal town. The home is warm welcoming, although there are visual signs of damage that require attention. The young person has access to an enclosed garden and garage, which have the potential for further development. The Registered Manager holds a Level three National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in Health and Social Care. She is currently studying to achieve a Level five Diploma in Leadership and Management.
p.8
What the inspection judgements mean
The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.
p.9
What the inspection judgements mean
An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being
p.9
What the inspection judgements mean
harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.
p.9
Information about this inspection
Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's
p.10
Information about this inspection
Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .
p.10
Information about this inspection
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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, 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,
p.11
Information about this inspection
The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .
p.11
Information about this inspection
Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .
p.11
Information about this inspection
Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted
p.11
Discuss this inspection
Members compare notes on inspectors and inspections here. Join free to read and post.
Join the discussion