Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in North Yorkshire

Inspection report children’s home: 1235818 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

This children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural needs. A private company runs it.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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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

Date of last inspection: 6 February 2017

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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

A compliance notice was issued on 6 February 2017.

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Key findings from this inspection

Inspection report children’s home: 1235818 2 This children’s home requires improvement to be good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people have caused extensive damage in the home and assaulted staff members.  There is an inconsistency in young people’s risk management protocols, and this does not ensure that all risks are properly known and planned for.  Young people have not been involved in developing their placement plans. Some inconsistencies in placement plans mean that they do not accurately reflect a young person’s history and the impact that this has had on them.  Not all notifications are being made to Ofsted as they should.

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Key findings from this inspection

 An experienced, newly appointed manager has taken proactive steps to recruit an appropriately skilled staff team to meet young people’s needs.  All staff members have completed advanced safeguarding training.  The resilient and nurturing core staff team is committed to providing the best possible care to young people and keeping them safe.  Young people are protected from child sexual exploitation as a result of the home’s location, high staffing levels and good individual missing-from-care plans.  Young people attend education daily, enhancing their future life chances.  Young people’s physical and emotional health improves as a result of collaborative work with partner agencies, and targeted support in the home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/02/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 01/12/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1235818 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

In order to meet the protection of children standard, in particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12(2)(a)(i)) 09/08/2017

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the positive relationships standard, in particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children. (Regulation 11(2)(a)(i)(ix)) 09/08/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(e)) 09/08/2017

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, in particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation (6)(2)(b)(iv)) 09/08/2017 Inspection report children’s home: 1235818 4

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improvement to be good

Young people live in a spacious detached property in a rural location. They each have their own bedroom that they can decorate to their taste. The walls in the communal rooms are bare, in line with a previous young person’s choice, but the staff are looking forward to redecorating together with the current resident group. This will provide a more homely feel to the building and encourage young people to take more pride in their home. At present, most of the windows and both of the patio doors are boarded up in the kitchen and computer room following the actions of one of the young people. Actions are being taken to repair this damage as swiftly as possible.

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improvement to be good

Young people’s care and placement plans vary in quality. Young people state that they have not been given the opportunity to contribute to their placement plans and do not know what is in them or expected of them. Some plans are detailed and provide a clear picture of the individual’s needs and how to address them; however, others do not accurately reflect a young person’s history and the impact that this has had on them. This includes, for example, how the admission of a young person from her previous placement, who was not informed she was moving, is affecting her ability to bond with staff. This could inhibit young people from taking full positive advantage of their time in the home.

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improvement to be good

Following the last inspection there was a period of calm and stability for young people, during which they were starting to make progress in their emotional well- being. This resulted in improvements in other areas in their lives, including making plans for further education placements in their home localities. However, the introduction of a new young person, although appropriately placed, disturbed the equilibrium in the home, resulting in extreme aggression towards staff and a young person being moved on earlier than planned.

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improvement to be good

For the most part young people are prepared well for transition on to further placements in their home town. The valuable life skills they have learned in the home boost their confidence and well-being, enabling them to make that move positively. However, the most recent young person to leave the home did so after assaulting members of staff and causing considerable damage in the home. She had been prepared for a move to a new placement but this had to be brought forward; this was not the ending the home would have wished for her.

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improvement to be good

Although young people report negatively about the home and their relationships with staff, the inspector observed warm and positive interactions between them. It is evident that the nurturing and enthusiastic staff team are working extremely hard to rebuild positive and trusting relationships with young people, which will allow them Inspection report children’s home: 1235818 5 to engage fully with the care provided. This in turn enables young people to participate in inclusive activities in the community, such as attending a local gym, which enhance their social skills. A young person said, ‘I’m really proud of myself because I’ve lost a stone in weight by watching what I eat and going to the gym.’

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improvement to be good

Young people do not always feel listened to, even though the calm and patient staff use positive encouragement and humour to engage with them and help them to express their wishes and feelings. Restrictions imposed by placing authorities to protect young people, for example not being able to have free time in a neighbouring city, are seen as unfair, and young people state that they are not being heard. Staff are working sensitively with young people to enable them to understand why they cannot always do what they want. A staff member said, ‘For young people doing age-appropriate things as well is encouraging a much healthier view on what life should be like.’ Young people are able to express choice in other areas of their lives, enabling them to develop social and communication skills.

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improvement to be good

Young people all attend the on-site school. For some young people this regular engagement with education is the first for a number of years, and allows them to rediscover an interest in learning. Young people’s resultant growth in confidence in their ability to gain qualifications builds self-esteem and enhances their future employment prospects. A social worker said, ‘She is getting education at her level and she has aspiration for the future.’

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improvement to be good

Collaborative working between the home and community health services enables young people to access generic health care and address specific health issues. Young people develop an understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle as a result, and start to enjoy participating in regular exercise and eating healthily. A community nurse said, ‘Staff were on board with providing healthy food.’

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improvement to be good

Young people have the additional support of the in-house psychologist to enable them to address their emotional and psychological needs. Regular ‘team around the child’ meetings between the staff and the psychologist ensure that staff members have an understanding of young people’s diverse needs, and are better able to meet them. This contributes towards improved well-being and emotional growth for young people. One young person said, ‘I’m happy.’

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improvement to be good

Young people are supported to participate in activities in the community and pursue hobbies, for example horse riding at a local stables. This encouragement has led to young people developing new interests, which broaden their horizons and provide future opportunities for building safe and positive friendships. A staff member said, ‘We are giving them positive memories and new activities, here [name] has discovered she likes going round stately homes.’

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improvement to be good

None of the young people are originally from the local area, with some being placed a considerable distance from their home town. The staff work closely with parents and family members, in line with young people’s care plans, to promote contact arrangements. This ensures that young people are able to maintain important Inspection report children’s home: 1235818 6 cultural and familial links, which will support them now and promote future life opportunities. A parent said, ‘They keep in touch with us and they are a very good team. I would recommend them.’

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improvement to be good

Young people have individual risk management protocols in order to promote their safety. However, the level of inconsistency in quality does not ensure that risks are all understood properly and planned for. Examples of inconsistent quality include information from a previous care home that has not been updated to reflect a young person’s change in circumstances.

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improvement to be good

The constructive use of positive rewards and restorative practice enables young people to learn the consequences of their actions. As a result, for the most part, young people behave appropriately and physical intervention is only used as a last resort. When restraint has been necessary, young people are provided with the opportunity to discuss the incident with an independent person and to share their feelings. This empowers them to develop more appropriate ways of expressing anger and frustration.

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improvement to be good

However, in recent weeks one young person’s actions resulted in wide-scale damage in the home and she, assisted by another young person, perpetrated serious assaults on staff members. Although this level of violence could not have been foreseen, the actions of one of the young people were learned behaviours from a previous resident who left the home in very similar circumstances. The concern is that the new young person was actively involved in this aggression and has stated that she has no respect for staff. The manager has acted swiftly to reinforce positive behaviours and introduce a new action plan to prevent a repetition. However, it will take time for these positive messages to counteract all young people’s learned aggressive behaviours.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the impact bullying has on individuals, and that it is a safeguarding issue. This has enabled them to provide specific support to both a young person and a staff member who were being bullied, as well as addressing these negative behaviours with the perpetrator. The manager said, ‘Children are safe here because we have a lot of boundaries, even just the way they are always with a member of staff. We have a lot of very open conversations about things that have happened and things they can do differently.’

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improvement to be good

All of the young people in the home have past histories of going missing and being at risk of child sexual exploitation. Good, individual missing protocols are applied, and targeted work is undertaken with young people to enable them to understand the risks they face when they are absent from the home. Consequently, once young Inspection report children’s home: 1235818 7 people settle, the number of missing episodes reduce substantially. Young people are safeguarded by these measures. A social worker said, ‘She is settled and hasn’t absconded since October, demonstrating their main outcome of reducing her absconding.’

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improvement to be good

All staff have recently attended training on advanced safeguarding for young people. This is in addition to their specific sessions on child sexual exploitation, and relevant modules on attachment and trauma and radicalisation. This specialist training contributes towards ensuring that staff meet young people’s individual vulnerabilities.

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good

Since the last inspection, an enthusiastic and proactive new manager has been appointed. She has over 23 years’ experience in residential care, many of those in a managerial position, and has the relevant qualifications to fulfil her role. She has been in post for over three months but Ofsted has yet to receive her completed application for registered manager status.

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good

The manager, along with a resilient and dedicated deputy manager, is working hard to recruit and retain a consistent staff team. The management team knows the young people in its care well and is able to identify, and therefore acknowledge, young people’s achievements as well as take remedial actions to support improved outcomes. The manager and deputy manager are ambitious for young people to receive the best possible care. Their commitment to their roles ensures that young people receive appropriate opportunities that enable them to make progress. A social worker said, ‘She has developed trust in her carers, including the home’s manager.’

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good

There have been definite identifiable improvements in the stability and practice of the home since the manager’s appointment. Shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home have diminished. However, due to the short timescale that the manager has been in post, further improvements are required and need embedding. The majority of the requirements and recommendations raised at the previous inspection have been met, and the compliance notice issued in relation to the protection of children standard has been addressed. Although this does demonstrate the provider’s capacity to improve considerably, further requirements are raised as part of this inspection under similar regulations. This demonstrates the ongoing challenge the provider is facing that warrants attention.

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good

However, although there has been an improvement in the level of notifications to Ofsted, not all relevant information is being provided appropriately, for example details of the extensive damage to the house. This does not provide the regulator with the opportunity to have a comprehensive overview of care. Inspection report children’s home: 1235818 8 There have been a number of changes in staff in the home, which have affected consistency of care in the past. The manager recognises that the young people need to be cared for by individuals who have the skills, experience and resilience to meet their needs, and has proactively recruited to address this need, rather than relying on agency staff. The majority of these new staff members are still in their probationary period, but have had the benefit of completing a new induction programme which is specifically tailored to this home. This will enhance their skills

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good

and abilities, enabling them to meet young people’s diverse needs. A staff member said, ‘From when I started in September this is the best and most consistent staff team.’

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good

The established staff members have demonstrated a remarkable commitment to the home through some very trying and difficult times. They are enthusiastic about the training they have had and the improved supervision and support they now have from managers. A staff member said, ‘I do find this job quite challenging and I absolutely wouldn’t be able to work here if I didn’t feel I got the support that is needed.’

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good

Much improved external monitoring reports from independent visitors are detailed and evaluative, and provide important guidance for the home. They now contribute to the safety and well-being of young people. The manager’s internal audit processes allow young people, staff and other interested parties to comment on and influence care in the home. This ensures that the manager has a clear picture of all practice and can take swift action if necessary.

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good

A comprehensive statement of purpose details the care provided in the home. This ensures the appropriate placement of young people, enhancing their opportunities for success.

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good

The manager and staff strive to build and maintain good working relationships with professionals involved in young people’s care. This involves consistent planning, particularly when preparing young people to return to their home locations. When necessary the manager will make appropriate representations and challenge other services if their responses or actions have not been of benefit to a young person. A social worker said, ‘Communication has been good with staff.’

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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 differences made to Inspection report children’s home: 1235818 9 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 whom 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: 1235818 10

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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)

Ann-Marie Born, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1235818 11 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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