Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Devon

Inspection report children’s home: SC458352 1 SC458352 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 three 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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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Declined in effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children’s home: SC458352 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home requires improvement to be good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 There has not been a registered manager in post for almost 10 months. During this period, a manager was appointed and she submitted an application to Ofsted, but subsequently withdrew her application. Since then, another manager has been appointed and an application to become the registered manager has been submitted to Ofsted.  Since the registered manager left in August 2016, the home has experienced an unsettled time and was judged declined in effectiveness at the interim inspection in March 2017. Concerns identified at the time related to shortfalls in the management of the home and effective care of children. Subsequently, a safeguarding incident that occurred in early April was initially not responded to appropriately. In mid-April, a new manager was appointed and several improvements are now being put in place.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The new manager is very enthusiastic and committed to raising standards in this children’s home. She has a positive ethos and is aspirational for children and staff alike.  Since being in post, the manager has reviewed safeguarding procedures and ensured that staff are clear about their responsibilities. She has secured training in many areas and improved practice-related supervision.  The staff team has a better understanding of the diverse and complex needs of children and how these needs can be met in a positive and nurturing way.  There is clear evidence of the manager’s commitment to working effectively with a wide range of professionals to ensure that the holistic needs of children are successfully met.  The physical environment is homely and welcoming. Very good use is made of the available space. This includes children having the opportunity to have a drum kit and a home gym.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/03/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 09/06/2016 Full Good 24/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/12/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC458352 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

Appointment of manager The registered person must appoint a person to manage the children’s home and, in particular, ensure that the home is not without a registered manager for more than 26 weeks. (Regulation 27) 30/09/2017

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) and (2)(a)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)) In particular, all staff must demonstrate their knowledge and competence to fulfil their safeguarding role and responsibility before being left to work on their own or left in charge of the

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 28/07/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC458352 4 each child. (Regulation 13 (1) and (2)(c)(e)). In particular, all staff must receive a comprehensive induction before being expected to assume the full range of their responsibilities and ongoing training in specialist areas and clinical support to improve their practice. Statement of purpose The registered person must compile in relation to children’s homes a statement (the statement of purpose) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1 and keep it under review and,

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Requirement Due date

where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 16 (1)) In particular, the name and details of the responsible individual must be accurate. 16/06/2017

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improvement to be good

The instability of the management team during the past 10 months has had an impact on the overall experiences and progress of children. Staff have also been affected by changes in the management of the home. For example, not enough focus has been given to training staff and supporting new and existing staff to develop their skills to benefit children in their care. One child who has lived in the home for more than a year has not benefited from carers improving their knowledge and skills to specifically meet his needs. The child’s social worker feels that staff are ‘positive and well-meaning’ but have not, for example, used the benefits of in-house clinical support. This has resulted in staff not developing their understanding of the child’s background and experiences in order to manage behaviour more positively. With the exception of the new manager, staff have not had comprehensive training in attachment. They are aware of attachment models for caring

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improvement to be good

for children, but this knowledge has not been put into practice. Further training is planned in July. In other respects, children are doing well in this home. Since being appointed, the new manager has admitted a second child to the home. She made careful and considered decisions and ensured that both children were supported positively throughout this period. A social worker and independent reviewing officer said how impressed they were with how thorough and enthusiastic the new manager had been and how effectively she is continuing to communicate with them in the best interests of the child. Care plans are detailed and regularly reviewed. Each child has targets and their records evidence outcomes and progress. Staff encourage children to have a healthy lifestyle. Children attend health appointments and they are provided with nutritional meals and regular opportunities to enjoy sporting activities. Inspection report children’s home: SC458352 5

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improvement to be good

Relationships between staff and children are good. Staff are developing a good insight into the different needs of the children in their care. The manager has introduced emotional and self-soothe toolboxes that she has used to good effect with other children. This approach is taking better account of the child’s psychological needs and is supporting them to manage their own emotions. Both children are benefiting from a wide range of opportunities to see their families regularly. The manager and staff advocate well for children and liaise with social workers to agree arrangements. Staff also encourage children to see their friends outside of school and welcome them to the home. Children have a wide range of leisure experiences, from gymnastics to learning to play the drums. Children are doing well in their education. One child attends a mainstream senior school and there are plans for the other child to start at a mainstream school in the near future.

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improvement to be good

Staff are enthusiastic about the children’s education and are aspirational about their futures. They act as good parents would and are in regular contact with the children’s schools and have a good knowledge of the academic progress the children are making.

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improvement to be good

A recent safeguarding issue was not responded to effectively. This exposed unsatisfactory management and staffing arrangements and placed a child at risk of potential harm. The action taken since this incident was robust and lessons have been learned, including the importance of staff feeling prepared to fulfil their responsibilities. A new manager has also been appointed. She has focused her attention on ensuring that staff are knowledgeable and competent in their safeguarding roles and responsibilities. Following the interim inspection, the behavioural management approach has improved. For example, incentives are better considered and there has been a significant reduction in the use of sanctions. Positive consequences are used and children are responding well to these. The police have not been used to manage difficult behaviour and the number of physical interventions has reduced. The manager has also provided a more thorough

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improvement to be good

oversight of serious incidents. She intends to use the company’s clinical team to help staff reflect on ways they can further improve their practice. There has been one missing from care incident. The child was missing for a short time and staff had some sight of him while they were searching the local area. An independent return home interview was carried out over the telephone. The manager has challenged this and agreed that, in future, a face-to-face interview will be offered. Children can identify a range of adults who they can talk to if they feel unsafe or worried about something. As well as their families, children can ring their social workers and the home is sourcing independent advocates. Children have access to a house phone and have been supplied with several relevant telephone numbers. The manager has prioritised staff training. All staff have had, or are booked to have, refresher training on how to manage behaviour and a range of safeguarding topics. As

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improvement to be good

well as in-house training, external training opportunities have been sourced, including face-to-face and distance learning courses. The manager has attended advanced Inspection report children’s home: SC458352 6 safeguarding training and is trained to deliver level 2 training to staff within the company. Regular team meetings and supervisions are in place. Better emphasis is now placed on testing out the impact and effectiveness of training and identifying where gaps in knowledge remain.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers is judged inadequate because there has not been a registered manager in post for almost 10 months. During this time, two managers have been appointed by the company. The first manager withdrew her application to be the registered manager following concerns about her management competence, and a second manager has recently submitted an application to Ofsted. The absence of an effective manager throughout most of this time has had a negative impact on children and staff. This is now being addressed since a new manager was appointed in mid-April. The manager is mindful of the importance of providing a stable management and staff team for children in their care. The staff team feels well supported and acknowledges the positive ethos and enthusiasm the new manager has brought to the home. The new manager has appropriate experience and has benefited from attending a wide

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

range of training opportunities. She intends to commence a level 5 diploma in leadership and management for residential childcare by September 2017. The manager is highly motivated to raise standards in the home. She has sourced a range of training for staff and has provided regular supervision. As soon as the company finalises the recruitment of replacement clinical therapists, the manager intends to utilise them to enhance staff knowledge and skills to provide a better quality of personalised care to each child. Three staff are due to commence their level 3 diploma in residential childcare, and the remaining three staff have already achieved this. For these staff, the manager is identifying additional qualifications they can pursue as part of their personal professional development. There is good evidence that the manager is effective in working in partnership with other professionals. Social workers from both placing authorities confirmed this. The local

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

missing from home police liaison officer has stated that he found the manager to be very professional in her conduct and their work together to keep a child safe had ‘probably been the best example I have come across so far’. Several records have been reviewed and improved since the manager was appointed. Children’s records are clear, accessible and up to date. The statement of purpose has been reviewed and updated, but the name and details of the responsible individual are incorrect and require amending.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC458352 7 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: SC458352 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: Cambian, Waterfront, Hammersmith Embankment, Chancellors Road, London W6 9RU

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Inspector(s)

Norma Welsby, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC458352 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 children looked after, 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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