Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Herefordshire

Inspection report children's home: SC457923 1 SC457923 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

This is a privately operated children’s home. It provides care and accommodation for four children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties up to the age of 18 years old.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 29 to 30 November 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

Date of last inspection: 8 December 2016

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people are making good progress in all areas of their development. Inspection report children's home: SC457923 2  Young people receive good care and support from staff who know them well.  Staff and young people enjoy positive and caring relationships.  Young people are supported well when they move on from the home.  Staff are consistent in their behaviour management approach. They use rewards and praise to good effect to encourage young people’s positive behaviour.  Staff work in partnership with parents and other professionals.  Staff have a good understanding of the risks that young people face and are clear about the measures needed to safeguard young people.  The manager develops the staff’s understanding of young people’s behaviour and works with them to develop their knowledge of therapeutic approaches.

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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

 A shortfall exists in staff supervision.  Not all staff fully understand the status of one young person’s prescribed medication, which is a controlled drug.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/12/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/08/2016 Full Good 10/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/11/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children's home: SC457923 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

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(b)) 30/12/2017

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Recommendations

 Medicines must be administered in line with a medically approved protocol. (Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards, page 35, paragraph 7.15)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are receiving good, individual care from staff at the home. Relationships between staff and young people are positive. Young people say that they feel able to talk to staff and that they are listened to. This has had a positive influence on the progress and experiences of children. Young people’s behaviour has improved significantly. This is due to the guidance and trusting relationships that they have built with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are making good progress in all areas of their development. Young people who have struggled in the past in education are now attending and enjoying school. Staff support young people well, and use creative and imaginative ways to help them to manage their feelings and emotions. As a result, young people are making good progress in their emotional well-being. One independent reviewing officer commented that a young person’s progress is ‘impressive… I am really pleased, seeing the progress she had made… seeing her confidence grow and seeing her engage in education.’ Young people are supported to be healthy. They attend routine and specialist health appointments when needed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work well with parents and other professionals to improve the outcomes and experiences of young people. Staff work well in partnership with schools, and transport young people considerable distances to ensure that they maintain consistency in their education. Young people are also supported, when possible, to have time at home with Inspection report children's home: SC457923 4 their families. As a result, young people are able to have contact with friends and families who may live at some distance from the home. One parent said that she is very happy with the home and the structure that the staff are giving her daughter.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff listen to young people and help them to make appropriate choices. Young people’s views are gained through everyday discussions and through high-quality, individual work between staff and young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are supported well when they leave the home to move to alternative placements. Young people benefit from structured planning and support to help them to settle into their new homes. Young people are encouraged to develop their independence skills at a pace that suits their needs and abilities. They help in day-to-day activities such as cooking and doing their laundry. These activities enable them to develop the essential life skills that they will need as adults.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the risks that young people face and are clear about the measures needed to safeguard young people. Staff work well with young people to ensure their safety. The quality of young people’s risk assessments is good and this is enhanced by strong managerial oversight. Staff are proactive in reporting and recording incidents. When young people go missing, the staff and manager are swift to respond to ensure that young people return as soon as possible. The manager works closely with partner agencies to manage this behaviour and help to reduce any concerns.

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

Staff support young people to help them to express their feelings and develop the skills that they need to keep themselves safe. They are consistent in their approach and de- escalate challenging situations well. Staff adopt a therapeutic approach, adhering to boundaries and routines, which the young people respond well to. They use rewards and praise to good effect to encourage young people’s positive behaviour. As a result, young people are not restrained and there is little use of sanctions to manage their behaviour.

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

The home environment is safe and secure. Fire drills and safety checks are conducted completed on a regular basis.

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

The manager ensures that the recruitment procedures for new staff are thorough. This helps to prevent unsuitable adults from working with young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager holds a level 5 qualification in leadership and is currently in the process of applying for his registration. His interview for registration has been conducted as part of this inspection. He understands the home’s strengths and areas for the development of the service. He has created good development plans to further improve the quality of care for young people. The home meets the aims and objectives of the statement of purpose. This document is made available to placing authorities and other stakeholders. It accurately reflects the current staffing arrangements and the services provided by the Inspection report children's home: SC457923 5 home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been significant staff changes within the last 12 months, and this has led to a high level of new and unqualified staff working at the home. The manager ensures that all new staff are registered on the level 3 qualification in residential childcare as soon as possible. The home does not use agency staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has high aspirations for the young people in his care and has a good understanding of their needs and requirements. He helps staff to understand young people’s challenging behaviour by developing their knowledge of therapeutic approaches. As a result, staff have a better understanding of young people’s differences. Staff are motivated and feel supported. One member of staff said, ‘I am always given new jobs to learn more. I am reading through the children’s home’s quality standards at the moment, and he will go through this in my next supervision. The manager has spoken to us about attachment and has given us books to read.’ Although the vast majority of staff receive regular supervision, the manager has not received any formal supervision since June 2017. Also, a new member of staff has not been supervised in line with the home’s policy and procedures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive training to administer medication to young people. Medication is safely stored and generally its administration is recorded well. However, the staff were not clear about the controlled status of the medication that is prescribed to one young person. The manager has sought to provide clarity from medical professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers and staff advocate well for the young people in their care. They challenge others when their responses are not seen to be in their best interests. The manager, in particular, has been swift to challenge decisions to ensure the safety of young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff work effectively with a range of professionals. Placing social working are positive about the home. One placing social worker commented, ‘I am very impressed about how they are working with us.’ Another said, ‘I am happy with the home. The management is understanding and good at communicating with us.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is well maintained and furnished to a high standard. Young people are able to personalise their bedrooms to their own taste. They are able to contribute to the running of the home. They have regular discussions about the activities that they want to do and the items that they wish the home to buy. Inspection report children's home: SC457923 6

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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 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: SC457923 7

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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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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Post vacant/Ian Knight

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Inspector

Sue Young, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children's home: SC457923 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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