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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1235818 1

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Cambian Childcare Ltd

Monitoring visit 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 this home.

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This monitoring visit

The registered provider has taken action to address most of the requirements of the compliance notice served after the last inspection. Not all aspects of the notice are met and further compliance notices are served as a result of this inspection.

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This monitoring visit

There is significant staff turnover since the last inspection on 3 October 2017. Almost 75% of the staff team is new within the last seven weeks. On some shifts, staff from other homes owned by the registered provider cover for sickness and absence. This severely limits the opportunity for young people to build secure and positive relationships with staff. It has caused inconsistency in care practice and put the welfare of young people at potential risk. For young people who have additional needs, such as autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), it does not provide them with the safe, secure and stable environment they need.

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This monitoring visit

Staff receive initial training about child sexual exploitation as part of their induction. Although further training is planned for the near future, this had not yet been delivered to staff by the time of this monitoring inspection. Combined with the level of staff turnover, the team as a whole lacks the experience and skills to support young people at risk of child sexual exploitation. This is evident in the mistakes in care practice that have put young people at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not receive formal training to support young people who have ASD needs. There is some discussion about young people’s individual needs in team around the child meetings. This is not sufficient on its own to promote good care practice when Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1235818 2 young people have specific additional needs. Care planning and practice in the home do not account for how the support for young people who have ASD will be sufficiently provided. This is impacted by the leadership of the home, which does not fully recognise the needs of a young person who has ASD.

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This monitoring visit

There have been a number of aggressive incidents towards staff, including young people forcing their way into the office. On these occasions, young people have been able to access Facebook and took a mobile telephone. These opportunities to contact people external to the home present additional risks of child sexual exploitation. The pattern of missing from home incidents has increased since the last inspection and the current mix of young people is having a negative impact on each other.

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This monitoring visit

There is a new anti-bullying log in place, this has not been used as the staff and manager have not identified any bullying incidents. One young person did inform the independent visitor (IV) that she felt bullied in September. The manager has not been able to address this as she is not in receipt of the IV’s written reports. It is not clear within the organisation who receives the completed reports but they are not being received by the manager. She is therefore unable to respond to comments made by young people and any recommendations the IV has made to improve practice.

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This monitoring visit

Correspondence between a young person’s relative and the senior homes’ manager has not been shared with the manager. This is poor communication and weak management. Consequently, the manager is failing to use monitoring and review processes to inform her understanding of the care of young people. This seriously compromises how well she can act as an effective leader and make the required improvements to the setting.

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This monitoring visit

The home’s copy of the placing authority’s care plan for a young person was out of date and pre-dated the young person’s admission several months ago. The manager did not have a copy of a psychology report, produced by the placing authority, containing pertinent details about a young person’s care and her support needs. The young person’s in-house care plan did not reflect all her needs, in particular, there were gaps about her ASD and sexual health needs. The placing authority is concerned about the levels of communication from the home and how planned outcomes for a young person will be met. One of the home’s aims set out in the statement of purpose is, ‘To meet the needs of children across the continuum of care and provide a range of specialist services that support this ambition providing where possible every child the care, therapy and learning they need to ensure they achieve their personal best. We focus on delivering clear outcomes for each person

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This monitoring visit

in our services.’ The shortfalls in care planning and partnership working are falling far short of this aim and are in fact jeopardising the potential of young people to achieve their best.

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This monitoring visit

The management team has taken steps to improve staff practice and strengthen Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1235818 3 how well staff safeguard young people. In particular, there is a strong emphasis on making missing from home practice more robust. However, there are still errors occurring in practice, the most recent one, only three days before this inspection. A young person was allowed to receive a telephone call from an unknown male. Due to the risks of child sexual exploitation, this is poor practice and does not safeguard young people.

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This monitoring visit

The manager is receiving additional support from the organisation to improve standards of care and develop strong leadership arrangements. She has been in post since the last inspection and intends to apply to Ofsted for registration.

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This monitoring visit

The manager talks to young people and staff about serious incidents, such as when young people have forced their way into the office, or go missing from the home, and errors in practice. She ensures that the relevant risk assessments for each young person are reviewed and that all staff are aware of any changes. She reflects with staff about sustaining good and effective practice to keep young people safe.

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This monitoring visit

Updated missing from home action plans are now being shared with the police as good practice. The manager is developing working relationships with the local police and plans to provide them with training about child sexual exploitation. This is intended to improve the response from the police when young people are reported missing.

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This monitoring visit

The manager advocates for young people and in one particular case this has had a very recent positive impact in the last week. There are improvements in young people’s behaviour and a reduction in missing from home incidents. Given the recent track record of the home, there is no certainty that this will be sustained.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has also set up a new system of key-working sessions with young people. This requires further oversight on her part to ensure that it is making a difference.

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This monitoring visit

Young people’s attendance at school is variable and inconsistent. Some weeks, it is very good. At other times, staff struggle to motivate young people to attend. This is impacting on the young people’s education.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 03/10/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 26/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/02/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 01/12/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1235818 4

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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, the 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 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, 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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff are in close enough proximity to young people, in the event that they are attempting to go missing, whether inside the children’s home or community so that they can take effective action to protect them. Also, ensure that young people’s contact including telephone contact with their relatives and friends is in line with their care plan and agreed with their placing authority. 07/01/2018

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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, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12(2)(b)) 07/01/2018

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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)) 07/01/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1235818 5 In particular, ensure there are appropriate assessments and care plans as described in the statement of purpose and that care practice promotes young people’s diverse needs, including sexual health and autistic spectrum disorder.

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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— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(1)(2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure staff have the appropriate training in autistic spectrum disorder and child sexual exploitation to meet the needs of young people. 07/01/2018

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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— ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13(1)(2)(e)) 07/01/2018

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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— understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(2)(f)) 7 January 2018

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1235818 6

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Recommendations

 Children should be in full-time education whilst they are of compulsory school age, unless their personal education plan contained within the care plan or other relevant plan states otherwise. The home must aim to support full-time attendance at school unless the child’s relevant plan indicates this is not in their best interests. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14) In particular, support children to improve and maintain good attendance at school.  Children should be supported to develop understanding and empathy towards each other. Positive behaviour and relationships should be reinforced, praised and encouraged; poor behaviour should be challenged and discussed. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.11).

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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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(s)

Simon Morley, social care inspector Angela Norrie, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1235818 7 to 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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