Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Shropshire

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no changes in the children living at the home since the last inspection. All children continue to make good progress. For example, one child is sitting their GCSEs early and another child is now ready to move to a foster placement. An enthusiastic new manager has reinvigorated staff and created an active, fun, positive atmosphere.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff provide children with nurturing care. This includes members of staff adapting children’s bedrooms that extend to using children’s own designs. Staff create colour schemes, dens and play areas that children feel safe in. Children are also growing flowers and vegetables in the garden.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff and the manager manage children’s emotional and behavioural difficulties well, through positive approaches and warm relationships. Staff avoid giving children negative consequences. They focus on celebrating children’s talents, strengths and achievements in school, local groups and at home. For example, staff and the manager have created a ‘challenge corner’, an ‘achievement board’ and a ‘praise board’. Each child is enthusiastic about earning and achieving rewards and congratulations because they have a say in their own targets and rewards. They also write to each other, praising one another for how well they have done. These approaches all help children develop empathy for others and stronger bonds with staff and other children. Children feel safe because they get the attention that they need.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff and the manager handle each child’s move into the home with care and skill. They help each child to feel welcome and to settle. They provide children with regular opportunities to have their say and express themselves. For example, children have weekly meetings; do painting and collage; have one-to-one time with their key worker; and go on group activities that the manager comes along to. This encourages communication and learning for every child. Staff also help children gradually get to know the organisation’s school, in-house therapists and the local police. Staff carefully time children’s introductions to school and the start of their therapy and life story work, so that things go at each child’s own pace. The manager spends a day each week in the school, so that children know that he is aware of what is going on there. The clinical assistant comes to the home regularly on one day per week. All these practices mean that children understand what is

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

happening and feel that they are facing one challenge at a time.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A new manager was appointed in November 2016 following a short handover with the previous registered manager. He is going through the Ofsted registration process and demonstrates good leadership. The new manager makes a confident contribution to children’s plans, including challenging other professionals when this will improve children’s lives. The manager has amended the home’s statement of purpose so that it is in line with the changes that he has made. However, he has not sent the updated version to Ofsted.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The new manager does not have experience of managing a children’s home, despite his clearly transferrable skills. This means that he lacks some knowledge. He is not aware of the importance of keeping surveillance practices under regular review. This means that each child’s bedroom door alarm is set at night without a regular check that this continues to be necessary on safeguarding grounds. Similarly, the manager was not aware that any allegation that a member of staff has harmed a child must always be referred to the local authority designated officer for a decision about how to proceed. In addition, he has not ensured that records of a staff safeguarding issue (that began before he was in post), are complete and stored in the home for monitoring and reviewing purposes. More generally, he is not yet effective in ensuring that children’s records are up to date or that his reviewing practice captures shortfalls. Despite these gaps in knowledge,

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

children continue to receive good quality care and staff are well led and supported overall.

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Information about this children’s home

This private children’s home is part of a national organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five young people who have emotional and/or behavioural problems arising from severe trauma. Therapy is provided and a special school is available.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 02/06/2016 Full Good 04/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 29/06/2015 Full Requires improvement 11/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(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

Ensure that any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. This is with particular respect to the use of bedroom door alarms. (Regulation 21 (c)(iii) and (iv)) 20/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect provides for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child, to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located. This is with particular respect to referring all allegations to the Local Authority Designated Officer in the first instance. (Regulation 34 (2)(b)) 20/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect provides for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response. (Regulation 34 (2)(d)) 20/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the registered person notifies HMCI of any revisions to the statement of purpose and sends HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(b)) 20/04/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure that the registered person takes responsibility for deciding what each review should focus on, based on the specific circumstances of the home at that particular time and any areas of high risk to the children that the home is designed to care for. They will also consider what information or data recorded in the home will form part of the evidence base for their analysis and conclusions. There is no expectation that the registered person will review the home against every part of the Quality Standards every six months – registered persons should use their professional judgement to decide which factors to focus on. The review should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next six

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Recommendations

months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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Recommendations

 All children’s case records (regulation 36) must be kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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 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 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 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

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

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

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