Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Middlesbrough

Inspection report children's home: 1229417 1 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

The home is operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for one child or young person who has 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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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 9 February 2017

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children's home: 1229417 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home is outstanding because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people make excellent progress in all aspects of their care and well- being.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The experienced staff provide high quality individualised care.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The staff team consistently focuses on positive outcomes for young people.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people fully contribute to their care plans and have increased opportunities because of their progress.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people have made significant and impressive progress in their education.

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Key findings from this inspection

 There is a strong safeguarding culture within the team, ensuring that young people are kept safe.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people are empowered to understand risk and keep themselves safe.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff are enthusiastic and have high aspirations for young people.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people’s contact with family members has significantly improved because of restorative work completed by staff.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The manager provides excellent leadership, supported by a strong and experienced team leader.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people feel safe and valued. They do not go missing, and there has been no need for physical intervention.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 06/09/2016 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 1229417 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people feel happy, safe and settled in their home. They like the local area and they are close to friends and family members. This allows them to develop solid friendships and have support to see their families regularly. The location allows young people to thrive in a local community setting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is warm and welcoming. Photographs of young people and their families are on display, and young people are able to personalise their own space. One young person did not like a notice board as it made their home feel like a ‘children’s home’. Staff listened to this and made changes. A digital photo frame now displays necessary information.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Consistent gathering of young people’s views ensures that they are actively involved in the home. This involvement includes decoration of the home and food choices. Because of this, young people feel valued and settled. They take pride in their home, which enhances their well-being and sense of security. A young person said: ‘I like it here. I feel settled, I feel safe. The main difference from here to other homes is I know they genuinely care about me. They have my best interests, they talk to me and listen, I feel they really listen and don’t just nod.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

High quality care planning ensures that young people’s needs are identified and fully met. Thorough review of plans means that care is adapted to young people’s changing needs. Outcomes are continuously improving and young people are making excellent progress in all aspects of their lives. A staff member said, ‘The progress [Name] has made since being here is fantastic! [Name] now goes to school, enjoys it and has aspirations for her future.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people have access to a wide variety of activities. They work with their key workers to develop their plans, and are empowered to try new experiences and activities. As a result, they grow in confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The dedicated manager and the staff team show genuine care and warmth for young people. Relationships between them are exceptionally good, resulting in young people fully investing in their home, in comparison to their previous placements. Staff are supportive, and motivate young people to achieve excellent outcomes using effective incentives that work for each individual. Because of this, young people have trusting relationships that empower them to accept care and boundaries. A parent said: ‘Since [Name] has been there I’ve seen a massive improvement. [Name] is going to school. Her behaviour has changed. She’s completely different. I’m so happy with her progress. Staff are amazing and they genuinely care about her. I can now rest at night because I know she’s safe.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Close partnership working with other agencies and specialist health professionals provide young people with consistent care. Staff work hard for young people and get them the Inspection report children's home: 1229417 4 support they need. They are dynamic in their approach to gaining support, and take advice when young people do not want to engage in one-to-one sessions with unfamiliar people. One young person did not trust mental health services, but with support and nurturing from the staff, she is now accessing the right help.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The excellent relationships the home builds and maintains with family members allows young people to restore familial bonds. Because of this, previously fractured relationships are repaired and good quality regular contact is now happening. Staff are proactive and tenacious in promoting the views of young people to other professionals, and consequently young people are advocated for. An independent reviewing officer stated, ‘Staff have worked with [Name] to resurrect and maintain contact with her mother and with friends. This has included mother staying over at the home.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Progress for young people in education is excellent. Staff work hard to forge links with the school and develop a programme that works for young people. One young person was at risk of permanent exclusion prior to coming to the home, and had poor attendance and behaviour. The improvement has been exceptional. The young person now attends three days a week with home-based learning for two days. There is full engagement and a willingness to do well. A young person said, ‘I like school now. I enjoy it. I’m doing well. I’m encouraged to try new things. I want to work in beauty when I leave school and they are helping me to do this.’ A teacher said, ‘[Name] really struggled to begin with but is now making fantastic progress. [Name] now follows rules and boundaries; the restorative work done with staff has helped her to achieve this.’

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

A comprehensive and up-to-date locality risk assessment ensures that the manager and staff are fully aware of potential risks in the local area. The manager works collaboratively with partner agencies and the police to help identify any new issues; he also consults with young people regarding the known risks. This local knowledge helps to protect young people, as information remains current and relevant to the home.

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

Comprehensive risk assessments are individualised to address young people’s changing needs. They are reviewed regularly and young people are encouraged to provide their own views. Young people feel protected and safe; they have an excellent knowledge and understanding of their risks, and regularly reflect on this during their key-worker sessions. This empowers young people to take some control of their own well-being and safety.

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

Currently there are no young people known to be subject to child sexual exploitation. Staff are trained and aware of risk factors and signs should any issues arise. They have an excellent understanding of young people’s history, and are able to identify and minimise risk. They recognise vulnerability and resilience in young people, while also acknowledging the need for some exposure to risk in order for young people to develop and identify risk themselves. Inspection report children's home: 1229417 5 The staff team constantly prioritises the safety and well-being of young people. Staff are proactive and forward-thinking in their approach. This enables them to manage risk safely and alert necessary agencies swiftly. Staff immediately protected a young person who required support with an issue relating to unwanted contact. The young person said, ‘The issues I had with my phone and unwanted contact, staff were brilliant. I felt a

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

bit stupid telling them but they helped me and made me feel safe.’

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

The enthusiastic members of the staff team are excellent role models. Young people are settled at the home, and difficulties are managed in a positive way. This works exceptionally well. There has been no need for physical intervention, and no incidents of young people going missing since the last inspection. Young people have learned to discuss their worries and anxieties; this helps them to regulate their conduct. The impact for young people is outstanding as they make consistent progress with positive behaviour.

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

Complaints information is readily available and accessible to all. Young people have access to independent advocates and know how to make a formal complaint, receiving support to do this. There was one complaint from a parent during this inspection period. This has been dealt with thoroughly and reached a good outcome, with all parties satisfied with the conclusion.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has extensive experience in residential care settings. He has been registered manager at this home since it opened and is responsible for another home within the organisation. The manager, supported by a strong senior team whose members deputise in his absence, makes effective use of his time between the homes and ensures that he is visible or available.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is skilled, qualified and capable of leading two staff teams across the locations. He is aspirational for best outcomes, believing that all young people should have the same opportunities, regardless of their situation. Because of this, he supports young people to achieve their best and leads his team to do the same. Outcomes for young people are much improved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The recruitment and induction process for staff is rigorous. This ensures that the right staff for young people are employed. The organisation do not use agency staff to fill shortfalls in staffing, preferring to use staff from other homes, whom young people already know. Because of this, young people enjoy a stable and consistent staff team, ensuring that they feel safe and secure all the time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A comprehensive and innovative training programme is available for all staff, which highlights any gaps or training needs. The manager is proactive in identifying new training to support young people. Staff benefit from a high level of reflective supervision and training. This supports their growth as a team and results in young people receiving Inspection report children's home: 1229417 6 consistently outstanding care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

External monitoring visits contribute to the care of young people. The manager uses these visits to inform the team’s practice, and to increase the staff’s learning and development. Effective internal monitoring systems are a result of the skilled manager’s ability to evaluate practice and identify new opportunities to improve practice and outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home’s statement of purpose says, ‘We treat every young person with unconditional positive regard and the team foster the attitude that every day is a new day.’ This ethos is demonstrated naturally throughout the team. Young people are safe, secure and thriving in the team’s care.

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report children's home: 1229417 7 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: 1229417 8

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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)

Abby Maspero, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: 1229417 9 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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