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

Inspection report children’s home: 1235818 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd Interim 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. The home is for girls only, who have been at risk or subject to child sexual exploitation.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1235818 2

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection the manager, deputy and other staff have left the home. This significant level of staff turnover has had a negative impact on the experiences of young people and seen a decline in safeguarding practice. During this period, there has been poor oversight from the registered provider despite a senior homes manager being responsible. A new manager took up post a week before this inspection. There have been some improvements in practice, with further plans to progress shortfalls. The weaknesses highlighted in this report are a recurring theme from previous inspections and there is no evidence of sustainable improvements.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been no registered manager in day-to-day charge of the home since the beginning of February 2017 and inspection outcomes since that time have been less than good. The senior homes manager blames the previous manager’s leadership style for the identified weaknesses in practice.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Poor staff practice has led to two serious incidents. One involved a missing from home incident when young people got in an unknown car. Staff failed to prevent this, nor did they obtain sufficient information about the car to share with police. This lack of information has prevented the police taking further action to identify the driver and reduce future risks. On the second occasion, a lack of supervision of the young people allowed two of them to go missing and travel to Birmingham before they were found. Debriefs with the staff involved in these incidents have not been formally recorded. This compromises the ability to learn lessons and improve practice. This demonstrates weak leadership practice. Furthermore, this practice is not good enough for a specialist home that is supporting girls subject to child sexual exploitation.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been several incidents of threatening behaviour between young people. Staff do not keep a bullying log that could assist in identifying patterns of behaviour and therefore identifying approaches to address the bullying and threats. There is little evidence of staff completing any anti-bullying work with young people. Support work for victims of bullying is not recorded. This leaves young people at risk of bullying in their home. It also fails to support young people who bully to understand the impact of their actions.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although staff undertake key-work sessions with young people, these do not always cover significant incidents that have happened. There is little evidence of support and follow-up work with young people following a complaint or allegation. The senior homes manager could not find records of an allegation made by a young person. This is poor staff practice and poor leadership and management. Such practice does not ensure the adequate support and safeguarding of young people. The new manager proposed a Inspection report children’s home: 1235818 3 better system for tracking and overseeing incidents as well as starting a bullying log.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Information sharing with partner agencies has on occasions been poor. Despite local area agreements, the registered provider has not provided the police authority with the required level of information about young people admitted to the home. This was evident when the police only found out about a young person when staff reported her as missing from the home. Even then, staff did not share basic information such as a photograph and details about her background and needs. Staff do not routinely share missing from home risk assessments and histories of previous missing incidents with the police. This is poor partnership working and does not help to keep young people safe. A paper copy of a missing from home risk assessment was not up to date; however, an electronic copy provided the following day was. This can leave staff unclear about where to look for the most up-to-date version and about what action to take. The manager

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

plans to improve recording systems so that staff have read and understood which documents are in current use. Similarly, there was poor information sharing and communication with a placing authority. Despite frequent attempts, the placing authority was unable to obtain up-to-date information about a young person’s placement, which was needed for a court hearing. Staff were not fully aware of a young person’s health needs and requested advice from the placing authority about administering paracetamol when the necessary consents were already agreed and on file. These deficiencies could jeopardise important court proceedings and fail to meet a young person’s basic health needs.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff turnover and shift patterns have led to staff being tired and worn out. This has not been good for young people who have not experienced a consistently stable and positive staff team. At the time of the inspection, staffing levels had improved and there is an ongoing recruitment process, with more staff due to start throughout the month. The new manager has improved staff shift patterns and staff are feeling positive about their work.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The new manager has implemented a system of staff supervision and she is supervised by her line manager, the senior homes manager. They are taking action to improve the standards of care. These processes need time to be embedded before judging whether they have a positive impact.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager is empowering young people to enjoy positive experiences. This includes a birthday trip to Alton Towers and arranging to stable a young person’s horse nearby. There is better inclusion of young people, giving them more ownership of care planning and decision-making.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are benefiting from a life coach working alongside and supporting staff. This is having a positive impact on building good relationships between young people and staff. The number of incidents of challenging behaviour, police involvement, missing from home and use of physical intervention have all declined.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The relationship with a placing authority has improved and the social worker commented positively about better levels of communication. The placement is viewed as positive: Inspection report children’s home: 1235818 4 ‘She [young person] may not want to be there, but she looks healthy and settled. Staff encourage her to take part in activities, her attendance at school is good, and there is better mediation after any incidents.’

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/02/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 01/12/2016 Full Good

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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 meeting the quality standards, the registered person must seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate, having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure there is effective communication and information sharing with the police and placing authorities. 19/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

* The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 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. 19/11/2017 Inspection report children’s home: 1235818 5 (Regulation 12 (2) (a) (i))

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Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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— take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (2) (a) (vi)) 19/11/2017

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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 helps children aspire to their potential, and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 13 (1) & (2) (a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular ensure there is sufficient oversight of the home and supervision of staff, and maintain effective recording systems so that young people have positive experiences and outcomes. 19/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it, and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3) (a) & (b)) 19/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: 1235818 6 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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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’.

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

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Inspector

Simon Morley, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1235818 7 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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