Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Devon

Inspection report children's home: SC467704 1 SC467704 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This privately owned children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for two children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 2 February 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

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Key findings from this inspection

 Both children have lived in this home for more than two years and are benefiting from the stability of their placement and the excellent relationships that they have with the manager and staff team. Children have a real sense of Inspection report children's home: SC467704 2 belonging and security. In addition, the home’s environment reflects their interests and experiences.  Children have made excellent progress in many areas of their lives. For example, they have been supported effectively to improve their behaviour and are doing well in their education.  Staff provide personalised care to both children. They act as good parents would, and ensure that children are consulted and included in decision-making. Staff provide appropriate boundaries and have high aspirations for the children in their care.  The frequency of serious incidents occurring has been reduced significantly for both children. When incidents do occur, the staff team responds quickly and

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Key findings from this inspection

effectively to keep children safe.  The staff team works in conjunction with professionals and with children’s families, in the best interests of both children.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children's home's areas for development

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Key findings from this inspection

 Two staff, who have been in post for more than two years, have not completed the Level 3 diploma in residential childcare. During this inspection, it was agreed with the registered manager that both staff would be supported to achieve this by the end of September 2017 at the latest.  While children very seldom go missing from care, there is a need to revisit the home’s expectations about independent return home interviews with placing authorities. This is to ensure that children are always afforded the opportunity to discuss their reasons for running away, with an independent person and in a timely way, following their return home. The staff team will then be able to respond accordingly to the information provided.  While staff have received a variety of training opportunities in safeguarding, recently this has been through e-learning and distance learning. It is important that staff have opportunities for face-to face training so that they can engage

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Key findings from this inspection

more effectively in reflective discussions. These are important in developing consistently good professional practices.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 06/10/2016 Full Requires improvement 01/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/08/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children's home: SC467704 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to 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 person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

32: Fitness of workers The registered person must ensure that an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification by the relevant date. In particular, the two members of staff who have exceeded the two-year timescale must complete their Level 3 diploma by the agreed deadline. (Regulation 31 (1) (4)) 30/09/2017

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Recommendations

 Ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. Children’s missing from home agreed protocols with local authorities should be reviewed regularly and be scrutinised by the local safeguarding children board (LSCB) when the above is not happening. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 45, paragraphs 9.23 to 9.30)  Ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate that a child is in any way at risk of harm. The registered person should ensure that skills in safeguarding are gained, refreshed and

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Recommendations

recorded in the home’s workforce plan. In particular, staff should benefit from face-to-face training and not only e-learning or distance learning. ('Guide to the children's home regulations including the quality standards', page 43, paragraph 9.12) Inspection report children's home: SC467704 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This children’s home is having a good impact on the experiences and progress of the children who live there. The stability of their placement, combined with personalised and nurturing care, means that children have made excellent progress educationally, emotionally and socially. Families and professionals are equally pleased with how well children are doing. Comments included: ‘a very positive placement’, ‘excellent communication’, ‘massive progress’, and ‘I can’t praise them enough’. Children also recognise that they are doing well and enjoy living in the home. One child is working towards returning to the care of her family, and both the social worker and the child’s family recognise that this is due to the progress that she has made since living in this children’s home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships with staff, including keyworkers, are excellent. Children are treated as individuals and with respect and dignity. Staff listen to children and value their views. They provide supportive guidance in a way that helps children to make adjustments without feeling undermined. Staff are very good at providing support to children to ensure that they regularly see their family. The staff advocate well for children and work positively with them to achieve agreed targets. Independent advocates are also provided for children who wish to have access to one. Staff have a sense of fun and want children to have fun. For example, a child is being supported to fulfil his dream of visiting London attractions during the summer holidays. Sometimes staff are expected to supervise children when they see family members. One parent said, ‘We get on so well that we have fun together.’ Staff fully appreciate how much children value their families and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

want to spend time together. Staff also encourage children to learn new skills, including sporting skills, and these help children to develop confidence in their abilities. Staff take the time to read to children and help children develop their own reading skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care plans are detailed and regularly reviewed. They include smart targets and evidence of progress made in these areas. Children have their own copies and are encouraged to attend meetings. Children’s education is given high priority. Both children follow a bespoke education programme and have made excellent progress from their starting points, both in terms of attendance and achievement. One social worker described how instrumental the staff had been in supporting a child through difficulties at school. This support had contributed to the stability of the child’s education. Health needs are met, and staff have a good awareness of the importance of encouraging healthy lifestyles. Staff encourage children to take part in a range of activities, such as shopping, sports and youth clubs. An area where staff have struggled has been in discouraging a child from smoking. However, they persist in this area and have had some notable impact,

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Risks are identified and managed appropriately. Children have been supported to Inspection report children's home: SC467704 5 become increasingly safe since living in this home. For example, behaviour has improved both within school and at home, and missing from care incidents have reduced. There have been no physical restraints used since the last full inspection in October 2016.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children are responded to well when serious incidents occur. This includes staff providing additional support within school, if necessary. Staff recognise the importance of responding as good parents would, while also being mindful of their professional responsibilities. They follow correct referral and reporting procedures. Detailed records are maintained evidencing action that has been taken to keep children safe. Good communication is maintained with children’s social workers and the designated officer. In this way, information is shared appropriately so that the most effective ways are agreed about how to keep children safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The use of social media by children and young people is rightly seen as presenting a potential serious risk to their safety. Staff have all had training from a nationally recognised provider and feel confident that, as far as can be reasonably expected, they are effective in monitoring its safe use and know how to act if concerns arise.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children can identify a range of adults who they can talk to if they are concerned about something or feel unsafe. As well as staff and family members, children can speak to their social worker or advocate and have access to a range of telephone numbers.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Behaviour is managed positively. Children are clear about how they are expected to behave, as staff are consistent in their good practices and expectations. A wide range of age-appropriate incentives are used, and children engage well. Consequences are also used, mostly being positive, and if not, staff are proportionate in their response, which is monitored by the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

This inspection identified that two members of staff have not completed their Level 3 diploma in residential child care within two years of being in post. This has, in part, related to a change in training provider and confusion about the transferability of previously achieved qualifications. Appropriate action is being taken, and a revised timescale was agreed during this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

While all staff receive ongoing training in safeguarding, recently this has been through e- learning and distance learning. While these are useful additional training opportunities, they are not as valuable as face-to-face training as they do not afford the chance to reflect with colleagues and develop consistently good professional practices. The manager advised the inspector that the company is in the process of training some additional managers to deliver Level 2 training to address this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

In other respects, this home is managed effectively. The registered manager has been in post for a year and is appropriately qualified, having achieved a Level 5 diploma in leadership and management. He is well liked and respected by children and staff. His Inspection report children's home: SC467704 6 ethos is to place the interests of children at the centre of practice and decision-making. The staff team works effectively as a team. There are three team leaders, providing a team leader on shift at all times as well as another carer. Recent shortages in staffing have been well managed to reduce impact on children. The situation is being addressed and a new appointment has been made, with another planned. During the past month, the manager has been supporting another children’s home that does not have a manager in post. This is a time-limited arrangement which will need to be reviewed regularly to ensure that there is not a negative impact on the smooth running of this

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff feel that they receive good support through regular supervision, appraisal, team meetings and training. They feel that they work effectively as a team and that their views and commitment are appreciated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The physical environment of the home is maintained to a high standard and feels and looks like a family home for children. There are lots of photographs, games, books and toys, and there are plans to make a small sensory room in a spare bedroom. Children’s rooms are highly personalised and attractive. There is a large, child-friendly garden and a play area. Although the garden is maintained under a contract, the lawn was observed to be unkempt during the inspection and, as a result, a decision was made for the home to purchase its own lawn mower.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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.

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Information about this inspection

Using the 'Social care common inspection framework', this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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'. Inspection report children's home: SC467704 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Waterfront, Hammersmith Embankment, Chancellors Road, London W6 9RU

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Inspector(s)

Norma Welsby, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC467704 8 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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