Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Halton

Inspection report children's home: SC456729 1 SC456729 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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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 home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is part of a large private organisation that also offers specialist educational provision, fostering services and adult residential care services.

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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 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: 9 February 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Good

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children's home: SC456729 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people engage well and have developed trusted relationships with staff.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Transitions are very well planned and managed. Young people are supported and prepared for moving into or leaving the home.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff have aspirations for young people to reach their full potential. Educational attendance and attainment are excellent.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Consultation and involving young people is at the centre of practice. Young people are supported to have a say in their day-to-day care arrangements.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Independence work is well co-ordinated. Young people are taught a range of skills to enhance their experiences in early adulthood.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Physical intervention is rarely used to manage behaviour. Staff are trained to de-escalate challenging behaviour effectively.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff benefit from a wide range of training opportunities which equips them with the skills and knowledge to care for young people with challenging behaviour and complex needs.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The service is well-managed by a competent and child-focused leader.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The physical environment in the home is spacious, homely, and well- maintained.

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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

 Staff recruitment files must contain a recent photograph as required in regulation.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The manager’s review of the quality of care should include any actions that she considers necessary to maintain or improve the standard of provision at the home.

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Key findings from this inspection

 A risk assessment with a specific review date should be agreed with placing authorities when a young person is likely to be the subject of high supervision levels.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Some minor typing errors in record-keeping practices were identified. Staff could take more care in ensuring absolute clarity of the information recorded. Inspection report children's home: SC456729 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/02/2017 Full Good 27/10/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 02/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/11/2015 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC456729 4

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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

The registered person must ensure that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in schedule 2. (Regulation 32,(3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there is proof of identity for all staff, which includes a recent photograph. (Regulation 32,(3)(d)) 31/08/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45(2)(c)) 31/01/2018

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff are familiar with the home's policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report children's home: SC456729 5

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one young person has left the home. He was well-supported by staff to move into a planned semi-independent living arrangement. One young person was unavoidably admitted to the home on an unplanned basis. The manager did appropriately assess the impact on other young people at the home. This young person has settled in extremely well and has been supported by staff and the other young people, who showed him around and helped to explain the procedures at the home and gave him emotional and practical advice. The young person said, ‘I like it here. My key- worker is a good laugh. I am happy.’ This home is welcoming, homely, modern, and well-maintained. It is spacious which provides young people with the privacy and personal space they need to relax.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are achieving good outcomes in their education. Two young people are progressing well in their chosen further education pathways. One young person has returned to mainstream education despite a history of non-engagement prior to arriving at the home. This is excellent progress. One young person is undertaking voluntary work at a local youth centre. He has also recently taken part in a charity fundraising effort at a local supermarket. Staff teach young people that education and involvement in the community is important and this enables them to develop personal goals and aspirations for their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Healthcare planning is very good. Young people are registered with local services and attend routine appointments as necessary. Where young people have required additional support, staff have sought advice, resources and appointments from specialist services. One young person is being supported through a pregnancy. She has attended all routine examinations and scans and has also been provided with a dedicated family nurse, diet and nutrition interventions, and is attending pregnancy yoga with the support of staff. Young people are encouraged to have an active lifestyle and the staff promote healthy eating on a regular basis.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people attend regular house meetings and make decisions about key aspects of their day-to-day care arrangements. Their views are central to the care planning process. Staff ensure that young people know their rights and entitlements, and how to make a complaint. One young person has previously participated in a youth politics and advocacy service for young people in care. Another young person has accessed formal advocacy services and is able to do so again if she feels this is necessary.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Preparation for independence is a strength of this service. Young people are supported to learn about budgeting, how to cook and shop, and how to maintain their own home. One young person has recently built some flat pack furniture. Staff promote and encourage young people to develop interests and hobbies. One young person has tried boxing club and is now going on trampoline activities. Another attends a youth group on a regular basis. Staff have taken young people on day trips and outings and are currently arranging holidays for the summer. Young people are provided with Inspection report children's home: SC456729 6 opportunities to broaden their experiences and help to develop their social skills and self- esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have promoted and facilitated contact in accordance with agreed plans. When one young person moved in recently, staff went above and beyond the expectations of the placing authority in travelling to his previous address and collecting all of his personal possessions.

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

Since the last inspection, there has been two allegations made in respect of the conduct of two separate members of staff. On both occasions, the manager has taken appropriate action to safeguard young people. She has notified all external agencies required and has fully supported any investigations into their conduct and the young person concerned. The manager has undertaken a full review of the relevant policies and procedures and has made some changes to procedures to ensure that the welfare of staff and young people is prioritised. These changes are in the process of being fed-back to senior leaders in the organisation to consider implementing them across other homes.

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

Young people have comprehensive risk management plans that do identify all known risks to their safety. The plans provide staff with detailed actions to take to respond to risk and minimise the impact on the safety of young people. Some young people placed at the home have been subject to high levels of staff supervision, in particular when they have first arrived at the home. This was agreed in partnership with the local authority and in all cases young people have developed trusting relationships and enjoyed more freedom to socialise outside of the home as a result. A best-practice recommendation is made to ensure that such arrangements are the subject of a formalised assessment of risk and have an agreed time-scale with review dates that are clear to all parties including the young people themselves.

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

Physical intervention is rare in the home as staff focus on de-escalating any challenging behaviour. There have been no instances of restraint since the last inspection. There have also been no incidents of self-harm or young people being missing from home. On one occasion, one young person used social media inappropriately. Staff are working intensely with her to help her to understand e-safety and how to keep herself safe while using the internet. All staff have had mandatory safeguarding training and are aware of the procedures to report a concern about a young person. They have recently had refresher training on the importance of whistle-blowing practice. The organisation’s policy meets all aspects of safe recruitment required in regulation. There was one deficiency identified where a staff file was missing a recent photograph. A requirement is made to address this. Young people at the home report that they feel safe and well-

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

cared for. Inspection report children's home: SC456729 7

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a suitably qualified manager who has worked in this setting for over 10 years. She demonstrates a high level of knowledge about the care needs of the young people at the home. Staff report that the setting is well managed and say they feel supported and happy in their roles. The manager has worked hard to build a stable, well-trained team who are efficiently supervised and supported to deliver a high standard of care for the young people at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular training opportunities which provides them with the necessary skills to care for young people with complex behavioural needs. The manager conducts regular, effective supervision and holds team meetings that enable staff to contribute their views in care planning and behaviour management for young people. Care planning processes are comprehensive and subject to regular review. There is evidence of good standards of monitoring and evaluation of practice standards in the home, all of which has secured good developmental progress for the young people at the home. On occasions there are minor errors in record-keeping practice and a recommendation is made to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and staff work positively with placing authorities and other services. One social worker said, ‘They are meeting all of the young person’s needs. I am really pleased with his progress.’ Regular internal monitoring takes place. The manager completes a review of the quality of service provided at the home. This review does not contain the actions that the manager needs to take in order to positively maintain or improve the level of service offered to young people, a requirement is made to address this shortfall. The service is meeting the aims and objectives as outlined in the statement of purpose. Inspection report children's home: SC456729 8

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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: SC456729 9

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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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

Nicola Thomas, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC456729 10 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

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Inspector

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Inspector

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