Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report children’s home: SC456542 1 SC456542 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for one young person who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is owned by a private company.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 11 to 12 September 2017

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC456542 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 The young person lives in a home that is homely and provides him with space to grow and develop. The staff have paid attention to detail in respect of furnishings and design, which means that the young person has personalised space that they are proud of and which reflects their individuality.  The dedicated team of staff members spend time with the young person and have established excellent quality relationships with him.  The young person continues to enjoy new and positive experiences and he is making progress in all areas of his life. School attendance is good and he is achieving in line with expectations.  The young person’s views are listened to, particularly in regard to his activities, trips out and menu planning.  The young person is encouraged to develop social, life and independence skills that will form the basis of a successful progression through adolescence and into adulthood.  The staff consistently help the young person to collect memorabilia of his time

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Key findings from this inspection

in the home.  The young person’s physical, emotional and psychological health needs are being met.  The staff team works in partnership with parents to make sure that effective communication and regular contact takes place. This helps the young person to maintain his emotional well-being and family links.  The young person is safe because staff know him well and they understand his vulnerabilities. The staff understand the risks associated with the young person, while focusing on keeping him safe.  The young person has improved the management of his behaviour. This helps him to develop socially acceptable behaviour and, therefore, to integrate well into society.  The staff get good advice from the manager, the responsible individual and the organisation’s clinician about how to work with the young person.  The manager is an effective, experienced and child-focused leader. He leads by example. He and the staff team are committed to providing positive outcomes

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Key findings from this inspection

for the young person. Inspection report children’s home: SC456542 3 The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff appraisals need completing.  Recorded evidence is required to show that staff supervision is being provided in line with regulation.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 09/08/2016 Full Good 29/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 29/12/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC456542 4

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Statutory requirement

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescale.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c)) 30/11/2017

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Recommendation

 Ensure that a record of supervision is kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A long-term resident young person remains in the home. Overall, the young person is making very good progress. His health, emotional well-being and educational needs are being met. He is more confident talking to others. He takes pride and care in his personal hygiene, clothes and belongings. The young person has gained skills such as concentration and motivation and he is well organised.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff value the young person’s views and opinions. Formal and unplanned key-work sessions give the young person opportunities to express himself. More importantly, the day-to-day close contact with staff enables him to enjoy excellent relationships with the staff, who listen and respond with care. The young person’s confidence has increased and he now talks to the staff about his worries and concerns. He is also more able to listen to the guidance from the staff in relation to making and keeping positive relationships and understanding the meaning of friendship.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person enjoys activities and holidays. He is a regular team member of a local football team. He is taking part in a local fun run for a charitable event. The young person had an experience of camping with staff over the summer holidays, where he participated in outdoor activities and adventures. The young person’s activities and Inspection report children’s home: SC456542 5 interests are led by him and staff go above and beyond and listen to the young person’s interests and plan and agree weekly activity planners with him.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

These outings, activities and hobbies are discussed during key-work sessions with the young person. He also takes part in choosing healthy, home-cooked foods, which under supervision, he cooks for the staff. Therefore, the staff are supporting the young person to increase his confidence, knowledge and skills to progress through adolescence. All of the young person’s achievements are celebrated and captured and he is building up memorabilia to look back on in later life, including the progress and experiences that he achieved in the home. Education and cultural diversity are well addressed within activities. The young person is involved in projects, such as gardening, celebrating wool week and understanding the diverse world that he lives in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Initially, when the young person first moved into the home he experienced difficulties in education. The staff provided effective support to help him to integrate into school. The support given by the staff has helped to develop his self-confidence, his belief in himself and his ability to achieve. The young person’s attendance is now 100% and he enjoys school, is making progress and has made new friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and the staff team have created an environment that is extremely homely and well furnished. The recommendation from the last inspection has been met. A new bath has been fitted for the young person and the damp patch in the ceiling has now gone. The staff have created spaces in the home where the young person can play games with and socialise with the staff. The young person’s bedroom is equipped and personalised to meet all his individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff understand the young person’s physical health needs and support him to live a healthy and active lifestyle. Staff prioritise the young person’s emotional and psychological health needs, ensuring that good routines and consistent messages are in place. The young person has developed coping strategies to manage his emotions well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person continues to maintain relationships with his parents, friends and his friend’s family who are important to him. His individuality is maintained through contact arrangements that involve the staff communicating regularly with parents, professionals and family members. The staff duties include facilitating and transporting the young person and keeping him in touch with family who live a considerable distance from the home. The staff routinely follow contact plans and write up outcomes following the young person’s agreed contact arrangements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person fully contributed to the inspection when he returned home from school for lunch and after school had finished. He was happy, knowledgeable and when the inspector asked him how he was doing, he said: ‘I am doing really well, and like all of the staff. It’s fun and enjoyable.’ The inspector asked the young person if there is anything he would change to make the home better and he replied: ‘Absolutely nothing.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC456542 6

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

The young person is safe and he told the inspector that he feels safe in the home. Both high levels of supervision and consistent, positive relationships between the young person and staff are evident within the home. As a result, the young person is educated by adults and prevented from coming to harm. Risk-taking behaviour, at the time of the inspection, is not a concern of the staff in relation to the young person. Creative work in relation to social media sites, sexual exploitation and missing or being absent from the home are in place. These arrangements provide the young person with the necessary information to improve their awareness of risk and gives them strategies to understand and manage this more safely.

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

There have been no safeguarding incidents, or any allegations made since the last inspection. The home has updated policies outlining the procedures to follow, should any concerns arise. All of the staff have received mandatory safeguarding training and understand that they have a duty to safeguard the young person. The manager and staff maintain close links with the designated officer and safeguarding teams within the local authority and have the support of named police officers visiting the home.

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

The young person rarely goes missing or absent from the home. On the three occasions when this has occurred, staff have been proactive in their responses. Staff follow their missing from home protocol and report to all relevant agencies in a timely manner. Staff use key-worker sessions to help the young person reflect on their behaviour and to understand how to keep themselves safe. The staff demonstrate a good understanding of the general risks that a young person at this age may take. The records show reflective and warm responses from staff, resulting in the young person and professionals learning from the episodes of going missing.

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

There have been no incidents of physical intervention since the last inspection and the young person’s behaviour is managed well by the staff. Positive behaviour is encouraged through incentives and rewards, which the young person often achieves. Negative consequences, for inappropriate behaviour, are used appropriately and agreed with the young person. The staff continuously show that they care about the young person and are always around and available to him. Through this process and the emotional growth that the young person is making, he is managing his emotions more appropriately.

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

The manager and staff regularly check and record when health and safety measures are undertaken. Fire evacuation and equipment checks are undertaken at appropriate intervals. Visitors are required to produce identity and sign in at the home and are advised on arrival of the fire procedure and evacuation assembly point. Staff ensure that the young person has a good understanding of health and safety matters in order to keep themselves safe, now and in the future. Prior to new staff commencing employment, appropriate recruitment checks are undertaken. This helps to ensure that, as far as can be ascertained, staff are safe and suitable to work with the young person. These arrangements keep the young person, staff and visitors safe. Inspection report children’s home: SC456542 7

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been a management change since the last inspection. The new manager has been in post since August 2017. He is undertaking his qualification for the level 5 diploma in leadership and management. The manager has applied to Ofsted to be the registered manager of this home and another two homes within this organisation. His ability to be in day-to-day charge of all three homes will be assessed at his fit person interview, when all necessary checks have been returned to Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although the manager is new, he has the relevant experience and has been in a leadership role in other homes within the organisation. In this home, he has the support of a first line manager, as well as the responsible individual who visits the home regularly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The changes that the manager is proposing to make to the home are in their early stages and some have yet to be completed. For example, he is changing the administration systems to reduce paperwork, prevent duplication and provide clearer and concise evidence in relation to the young person’s time in the home. He intends to increase his staff’s knowledge in relation to regulations and guidance through research- informed practice. These changes, for improvement, will be looked at during the next inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has a consistent staff team that has worked together for some time, either in this home or other homes within the organisation. Staff are either already qualified to the appropriate level 3, undertaking their level 3 qualification or they are new staff who will be enrolled to complete this qualification once they have completed their probationary period. This will ensure that all staff are appropriately qualified in the timescale required by regulation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff told the inspector that they feel supported by the new manager, have access to the organisation’s clinician and feel that the responsible individual will, if needed, provide them with additional support. The staff confirm that the manager is hands on, leads by example and together they are providing the young person with positive outcomes and new experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A requirement is made at this inspection, as staff appraisals have yet to be completed. This is to ensure that staff have their performance assessed and that any areas for development and training can be identified. The supervision records for some staff are incomplete and lack explanation when supervision has not taken place. A recommendation is made to ensure that written evidence is available to show the reasons why some staff supervision has not taken place, and that there is evidence in the home of the manager’s supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has an accurate understanding of the strengths of the home and the areas for development. This is based on evidence within the monitoring systems, including weekly reports, file audits, independent person reports and a workforce development plan. These inform development and action plans that are working documents, used Inspection report children’s home: SC456542 8 effectively to improve the quality of care. There are good systems to ensure that the young person’s outcomes are tracked. These include behaviour management plans, incentive charts, home-to-school diaries and plans that relate to personal health and the young person’s daily care needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff implement and maintain the objectives of the home, as detailed in the home’s statement of purpose. They provide a safe and stable environment with the young person’s needs at the centre of their daily practice. The manager regularly reviews and updates the statement of purpose and keeps Ofsted updated of any changes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff maintain positive relationships with other professionals outside of the home. This has a positive impact on the young person’s review of care and their plans. There are no concerns in the home and no significant incidents have taken place since December 2016 and the home is very settled.

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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 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: SC456542 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 Group, 4th Floor Waterfront Building, Chancellors Road, Hammersmith Embankment, London W6 9RU

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Inspector

Mark Kersh: social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC456542 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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