Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in County Durham

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has declined in effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has been without a registered manager since 15 July 2016. A new manager was appointed on 1 December 2016 and is applying to become registered. The absence of a manager for this period of time has impacted upon the quality of leadership, particularly in terms of adequate management oversight. This has been the major factor in the judgement that the home has declined in effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A recommendation was made at an inspection in July 2015 that the home‟s workforce plan should set out timescales by which the staff would be qualified. At the last full inspection in May 2016 the majority of staff who were required to be qualified were not, and a requirement was made. Currently, only 11 of the 20 staff have obtained the qualification, which the great majority of them should have completed by 1 April 2016. Although most staff are very experienced, the lack of formal qualification for the majority of them does not give assurance that they have the necessary skills and knowledge to promote the welfare of children and keep them safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In general, the children and young people are doing well. They have good attendance at school and are in good health. The staff work with other professionals to ensure good outcomes for the children and young people. For example, they have liaised with a dietician to improve one child‟s eating habits, with the result that his weight has stabilised. The staff are proactive in ensuring that the children and young people can experience a range of stimulating and rewarding activities. Most of these take place in the community, ensuring that they do not become socially isolated. In addition, the children and young people have the opportunity for new experiences. For example, having a holiday in a log cabin.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff work purposefully to ensure that the children and young people make progress against agreed targets. For example, the staff helped one child to become more proficient at handling and understanding money. Other children and young people have developed their social skills significantly. One has progressed to being able to sit at the dining table with the rest of the group, and putting their dishes in the dishwasher. This work enables the children and young people to be as prepared for independence as they can be when they eventually leave the home. The children and young people have excellent relationships with the staff. The staff manage behaviour in accordance with the detailed plans which are tailored to the individual child. These provide the staff with strategies which they use to reduce the children‟s anxiety or distress and result in a relatively low incidence of physical restraint.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

However, the recording of restraints, and oversight by managers, is poor. There is a section of the record where the manager should record their comments, but this is completed by the member of staff involved in the restraint. There is no attempt to understand and record the views of the child or young person, or their experience of the incident. The justification for using the restraint tends to be the same in most of the records, indicating a lack of evaluation of the individual circumstances of each incident. Although the record states that members of staff involved have been spoken to in supervision, there is no evidence that this happens on a consistent basis. These omissions and shortfalls mean that the record does not provide sufficient accuracy and accountability, and so leave the children and young people at risk of harm.

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Information about this children’s home

The home accommodates up to five children who have learning disabilities. It is operated by a private company.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

16/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

10/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person 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 must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes all required information. (Regulation 35(a) to (c)) 31/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

With particular reference to the qualifications of staff, the registered person may only— (a) employ an individual to work at the children‟s home; or (b) if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). (3) The requirements are that— (a) the individual is of integrity and good character; (b) the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; (c) the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and (d) full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (4) For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works

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Requirement Due date

in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained— (a) the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or (b) a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. (5) The relevant date is— (a) in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or (b) in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32(5)(b)) 31/03/2017

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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, 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

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

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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