Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Plymouth

This monitoring visit

The purpose of this unannounced monitoring visit was to assess the progress that has been made following the full inspection in June 2016. At that inspection, an inadequate judgement was made and a compliance notice, under Regulation 13: The leadership and management standard, was issued.

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This monitoring visit

There is evidence that the registered manager and the staff team have made changes to their approach and practice and, thus, have met the requirements of the notice. However, the changes are in their infancy and practice still needs to develop to ensure that consistently good, safe care is provided.

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This monitoring visit

The procedures in relation to missing from home have been improved to ensure that the young person is located quickly and that every effort is made to ensure that he returns home quickly and safely. The written procedures now direct staff to search the local area. There has been one missing-from-home episode since the inspection in June. Practice in relation to missing episodes needs to develop further to give increased consideration to child sexual exploitation, to make every effort to explore fully the circumstances surrounding each missing episode and to use the home’s monitoring systems to look for trends and patterns, which may raise concerns about sexual exploitation.

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This monitoring visit

Return home interviews have now been established with an organisation external to the home. The young person appreciated the meeting he had with the independent person who carried out the interview, and stated, ‘She was easy to talk to.’

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This monitoring visit

The team has made some good developments in managing the young person’s behaviour. The previous behaviour management plan has been reviewed. New systems now sit alongside this plan to provide clear boundaries for the young person. These provide staff with a clearly defined set of strategies to help them to better support the young person. The systems could be developed further by increased consultation with the young person about setting out rules and consequences. In addition, child-friendly documentation setting out agreed approaches could be given to the young person to aid his understanding.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has worked alongside other professionals to try to establish support for the young person in relation to one specific aspect of his care. At this point, further support has been declined and will be re-established at a later date. This is a disappointing outcome. The registered manager continues to work with other to agencies to ensure that the young person gets the help he needs. Some good work has taken place with neighbours and with the young person to minimise conflict. The young person clearly understands what is required to ensure that relationships with his neighbours remain positive. The young person said he enjoys living at the home, which presents as clean and tidy throughout. New carpets and replacement furniture enhance the physical environment. Photographic memorabilia displayed enables the young person to have a visual reminder of activities he has enjoyed taking part in.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager now escalates all concerns he has identified by his monitoring of the home to senior managers in the organisation, the placing authority and Ofsted. As a result, the young person’s current presenting needs are closely monitored and considered. All significant emerging behavioural and safeguarding matters are reviewed in a multi-agency strategy discussion and/or meeting. A further full inspection will be undertaken.

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to care for one child who may have emotional and/or behavioural issues. The home is part of a large national organisation.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that must be taken so that the registered persons meet 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 persons must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

34: Policies for the protection of children

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (‘the missing child policy’) setting out: (a) the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home, in relation to a child who is, or has been, so absent. (5) before implementing, or making an amendment which the registered person considers to be substantive to, the missing child policy, the registered person must: (a) consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person (b) have regard to any relevant local authority or police protocols on missing children. In particular, missing procedures must clearly describe actions staff must adhere to in the event of a child going missing and staff fully understand the action they need to take. Staff should actively search for children who go missing and children should be afforded a return from missing interview on each occasion. (Regulation 34 (4)(5))

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the positive relationships standard the registered person must ensure that staff: (2)(a) (ii) help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; (iii) encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; 19/07/2016 (iv) help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone (v) communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding (vi) help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how these relationships can be supportive or harmful.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person is required to ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a) (iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; (vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; (b) that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. 19/07/2016

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person should: (1) enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children’s home that: (b) promotes their welfare. (2) in particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to: (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child (d) ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide for each child (e) ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 19/07/2016

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children's home since its last Ofsted inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. in 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 this guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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,

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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