Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Halton

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has Improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people continue to thrive because they receive consistent care and support from a staff team which is committed to ensuring that they achieve their individual potential. Staff provide a stable environment and know the young people exceptionally well. Consequently, this helps them to form positive attachments and develop trust for the adults caring for them. One young person who has lived at the home for six years recently transitioned to semi-independent living. Staff continue to maintain contact to ensure that he settles into his new home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people receive a good level of support from staff to attend and engage in their education. Staff know how well they are achieving and progressing. When there are concerns, they work closely with education providers to help overcome any barriers to a young person’s learning. One young person is in the second year of a public services course at college. He has aspirations to go on to higher education and wants to be a sports coach or physical education teacher.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are interested in and listen to young people’s day-to-day experiences, which makes them feel valued. This is evident in the records of formal and informal key work sessions. Topics include behaviour, family contact, friendships and activities. Joint working with the therapist has enabled one young person to gain a better understanding of his behaviours, and this is helping to reduce his anger and frustrations. Another young person has requested to chair the young people’s house meetings.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are strong advocates for young people and ensure that their wishes and feelings are acted upon. This has resulted in a young person being empowered to challenge his placing authority decision about where he should live.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A recommendation made at the last inspection has been met. In line with their individual health plans, young people receive good advice and support in key areas of their health and well-being. For example, they are encouraged to engage with drug and alcohol services, which promotes good health.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people benefit from safe care, and risks associated with them are well known and understood by staff. Individual risk assessments highlight specific risk factors for each young person. However, risk management strategies do not provide staff with clear direction in terms of monitoring a young person’s welfare if they are under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. There is effective liaison with placing authorities and other safeguarding agencies to ensure young people’s welfare and safety, particularly when there are concerns of sexual exploitation.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no significant incidents or complaints since the last inspection. The incidents of young people going missing from the home are relatively low, and there have only been four episodes. Records of these demonstrate that the staff response was robust. Positive behaviour management ensures that physical interventions are rarely used and only as a last resort.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager provides strong and effective leadership. Monitoring of the home provides a clear overview of young people’s progress. The manager uses this to ensure that the quality of the service is maintained and improves the experiences of care for young people.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to three young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a large national private provider.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 02/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/11/2015 Full Good 11/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 21/08/2014 Full Good

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Ensure that staff continually assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan and risk assessments, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. This specifically relates to clearer risk management and strategies in relation to monitoring young people believed to be under the influence of alcohol or harmful substances. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection’.

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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 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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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, 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

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

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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