Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report children’s home: SC424851 1 SC424851 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to six young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is owned by a private provider.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

 Young people receive individualised care from a committed staff team.  Young people receive help and support to promote their well-being at each stage of their placement. Inspection report children’s home: SC424851 2  Staff develop nurturing, sensitive and caring relationships with young people.  Staff act as positive role models to help young people to develop self-care and independence skills.  Young people enjoy a range of activities that meet their needs.  Young people are treated with dignity and respect.  Staff recognise risk and make appropriate safeguarding referrals. Young people say that they feel safe.  The manager and the staff work in partnership with placing authorities and other agencies to promote the progress and well-being of young people in their care.  The manager works hard to improve and develop the service.

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 The manager does not challenge ineffective responses from other services.  Staff do not always keep a record of young people’s use of the internet.

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18/10/2016 Full Good 14/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/10/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC424851 3

p.2

Statutory requirements

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 timescales.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, ensure that staff seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs; if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans (Regulation 5(b)(c)). 02/11/2017

p.3

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that uses monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(2)(h)). 02/11/2017

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people live in a safe and caring environment that enables them to make good progress in many aspects of their lives. There are notable improvements in young peoples’ outcomes, especially in their safety and school attendance. A headteacher told the inspector, ‘Our student’s punctuality has improved, despite the distance travelled to school. His attitude to learning has improved significantly this academic year and he is making much better progress. The home manager came into school for a personal education plan (PEP) and we had an excellent exchange of information. We now feel that both school and [name of home] are now more equipped to support our student more effectively.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to get to know young people and understand how best to support them. Young people feel valued and develop a sense of belonging to the home. One young person told the inspector, ‘I feel better, safer and happier. I really trust the staff and get on well with them. All the staff are nice and they look after me well.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s placement plans take account of their assessed and individual needs. Plans are prepared with the involvement of the young people. The staff ensure that the Inspection report children’s home: SC424851 4 plan stays focused on young people’s needs. Regular key-working sessions take place. These sessions help young people to reflect on their progress and consider their future needs.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has a dedicated education officer. This support means that most young people access appropriate education. Staff are proactive in helping young people to address any issues that arise in school. Consequently, any disruption in young people’s education is managed well. This collaborative approach helps young people to overcome barriers to their learning so that academic success can be achieved.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager considers all potential new admissions and ensures that the staff team can meet the identified needs of young people. This results in good placement stability. A social worker told the inspector, ‘My young person is complex and challenging, and staff have worked very hard with him and offered fantastic support. He has engaged with the staff more than he has done in previous placements. The manager in particular has been fantastic at dealing with my young person. Despite the complexities of the young person and the language barrier, the placement is meeting my young person’s needs.’

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When it is appropriate, young people are encouraged to prepare for their move to adulthood. Young people successfully learn the skills that they need to be independent adults. When appropriate, young people are supported to do their own laundry, prepare meals and travel independently. This ensures that young people have the necessary life skills ready for adulthood.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people get involved in a range of activities, such as attending theme parks, having ‘bake off’ competitions and going on trips to the cinema. This helps to develop young people’s hobbies and interests.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s meetings are vibrant and engaging. Young people feel confident in identifying issues and discussing things that are important to them.

p.4

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

The manager and staff understand the support that young people need to keep them safe. Individual risk assessments and placement plans reflect the support required to reduce the risk of harm to young people. Staff know young people’s plans and risk assessments. This means that staff understand young people’s individual needs and risks.

p.4

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

Staff ensure that boundaries and expectations are clear for young people to follow. Socially acceptable behaviour is actively encouraged both inside the home and in the community. Staff model positive behaviour and they are skilful in defusing situations when necessary. There have been no incidents of restraint since the last inspection.

p.4

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

There are detailed missing from home plans in place. When young people go missing from the home, these plans are put into action. A police officer told the inspector, ‘The Inspection report children’s home: SC424851 5 home is always proactive in their dealing with vulnerable missing young people, and ensure early notification to the police so we can calculate risk and vulnerability.’ Return home interviews are consistently available to young people. This integrated approach to protecting young people means that young people become increasingly safe.

p.4

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

Staff understand the risks to young people of child sexual exploitation and radicalisation. Those young people who have historically been highly vulnerable to exploitation are protected from harm. Staff have completed training to raise their individual knowledge base. Staff proactively monitor all young people at the home. This means that young people are safe.

p.5

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

The manager notifies key partners and parents about significant events in a timely manner. This makes sure that any action required to keep young people safe is suitable and appropriate. There are good relationships with key partners. Staff work with the local police to promote the safety of young people. Staff are well trained, which enables them to fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities.

p.5

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

Regular safety checks are completed on gas, electrical and fire safety systems to ensure that they all remain in good working order. A fire risk assessment is undertaken annually.

p.5

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

Potential employees are subject to an assessment of their suitability to work with young people. Safe recruitment and vetting practices mean that young people are protected from adults who may wish to harm them.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A new manager has been in post since July 2017. He has submitted his application to Ofsted to become the registered manager. The new manager has completed his level 5 diploma in leadership and management.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Of the 11 staff, three staff hold their level 3 diploma in residential childcare or have a suitably equivalent qualification. All staff completing their award are within the regulatory timeframe for completion.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff work hard to ensure that all young people make progress while living at the home. As a result, all young people have an individualised care plan. Managerial oversight and review mean that young people continue to progress from their starting points. Managers and staff discuss young people’s progress in team meetings. This means that staff can prioritise the needs of the young people.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is child-focused. He understands young people’s individual needs. Staff say that they feel very well supported and they speak highly of the manager. Regular supervision provides the opportunity for staff to explore their professional development and to reflect on their individual practice.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have not taken significant action to address the recommendation from the last Inspection report children’s home: SC424851 6 inspection. Although members of staff stay close to young people when they are on the internet, the staff do not keep an up-to-date record of each time a young person is online. This means that the manager’s monitoring does not go far enough to assess online safety.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good-quality professional relationships with other professionals. Partnership working with other agencies remains vital in helping young people to make good levels of progress educationally, socially and emotionally. The manager has recognised concerns relating to the effectiveness of one key partner in respect of driving the healthcare plan of one young person. Despite recognising this, the manager has not sufficiently challenged and escalated these concerns.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The six-monthly self-evaluation report is routinely completed. The manager works closely with the independent visitor, who visits the home monthly, and addresses shortfalls identified at the visits in order to improve the quality of care for young people. The manager has an understanding of the strengths of the home and the areas for development.

p.6

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.

p.6

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: SC424851 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Cambian Group, 4th Floor Waterfront Building, Chancellors Road, Hammersmith Embankment, London W6 9RU

p.7

Inspector

Lisa Walsh, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC424851 8 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8