Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Plymouth

Requires improvement

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 At the time of this inspection, no children were living at the home. This made it difficult for inspectors to fully assess the progress made by children.  The registered manager was unable to demonstrate a clear understanding of some of the key issues raised at the previous full inspection and subsequent monitoring visit. He found it difficult to articulate effectively to inspectors, leaving them doubting his ability to offer clear leadership and guidance.  The manager was unable to cohesively demonstrate a good insight in respect of child sexual exploitation. There are no current assessment tools used in the home to inform practice and minimise possible risks to children. This has resulted in one significant risky situation not being recognised, since the last full inspection.

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The children's home strengths

 The staff has worked hard to prepare one young person to move successfully into the community. The team remains involved in supporting this young person. This has aided a smooth transition into adulthood.  The morale of the staff team has improved. This was specifically noted during the monitoring visit when staff presented as more upbeat and excited about some changes that had been made to procedures for caring for young people.  Some specific training has been provided to staff in respect of one young person’s presenting behaviours. The registered manager feels that this was good training that supported the team, improving the care it offers to young people.  Some practice progress has been made at the home. Multi-agency meetings have been held to consider concerns raised at the last inspection. This has resulted in young people receiving a more consistent approach to their care.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person is required to ensure that staff (2)(a)(iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. In particular, managers and staff should demonstrate knowledge and understanding of all aspects of safeguarding children and, in particular, child sexual exploitation. Risks in respect of safeguarding should be clearly documented and should underpin day-to-day practice. Assessments of risk should be used to inform practice and reduce risks for young people. 20/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard 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 children’s welfare. (2)(f) In particular, the registered person must 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. In particular, the manager should demonstrate that he has the skills and capacity to lead the team and manage the home in a cohesive way. 20/11/2016

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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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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/06/2016 Full Inadequate 05/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/06/2015 Full Good 29/12/2014 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/05/2014 Full Adequate

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Requires improvement

There were no children living at this home at the time of this inspection. The ability to assess and monitor this area of practice was limited due to this. One young person has been successfully supported to move on from this home in a planned way. Evidence was seen of preparation work taking place with the young person to ensure that they held some of the basic skills required for adulthood. The young person was fully involved and consulted in the planning of their move and was supported to make choices about their new home. This level of consultation ensured that the young person was emotionally supported and their anxieties were reduced significantly. Staff keep in touch with young people who have moved on from this home. For one young person, this has offered a level of security and reassurance that was required to make their move a positive one.

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Requires improvement

There are gaps in knowledge and understanding in respect of child sexual exploitation. The registered manager was unable to demonstrate that he has the skills to consider this area of risk for young people effectively. This has led to one occasion when child sexual exploitation was not considered appropriately, when a young person went missing in concerning circumstances. The home does not currently use an assessment tool to inform this area of practice. The organisation has provided some training to the home to address the safeguarding shortfalls identified at the last inspection. There are still some gaps in knowledge that need to be addressed. The missing-from-home policy has been updated, and staff are now able to actively search for young people who go missing from home. Staff are pleased about this change in practice and support this approach to care. Safeguarding concerns have been progressed appropriately since the last

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Requires improvement

inspection. This has resulted in multi-agency meetings to consider risks for young people in a more cohesive way.

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Inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to demonstrate that they have robustly accepted, understood and addressed all of the shortfalls identified at the last inspection. While enough has been achieved to meet the requirements, some concern about the current leadership of the home remains. The presentation of the registered manager left inspectors questioning how he could lead and drive improvement in a way that is clear and succinct, so that his team understands the required changes that it needs to make. Supportive improvement planning has been put in place by the organisation to address the shortfalls found at the previous inspection. While senior leaders are confident that some aspects of practice have improved, they are realistic about the key issues and the work that needs to continue in the home to support better care for young people.

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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’.

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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 children looked after 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

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or that result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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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 that 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 whom 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

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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 .

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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, 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,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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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

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