Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Walsall

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC476270 1 SC476270 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 19 December 2017

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Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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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 the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness. This inspection was undertaken due to concerns raised to Ofsted in respect of staff practice within the home. Children are not safe and they do not feel safe living in this home. Children are being cared for by a high number of different staff members, many of whom the children do not know or have a relationship with. Managers do not ensure that they have full pre- employment checks for agency staff who are used. The agency staff do not have the skills and experience required to care for children. Furthermore, staff rosters do not accurately record the names of staff working in the home. Children are placed at risk of emotional and physical harm and do not know which staff are working and when. This demonstrates poor leadership and management.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not provide nurturing and supportive parenting to children. Although children Interim inspection report children’s home: SC476270 2 are encouraged to express their views, managers do not take action. For example, on one occasion, children expressed that they had had a ‘rubbish week’, that they felt ‘sad’ and were worried about a friend. Managers have failed to act in response to these concerns. The registered manager does not address bullying and has minimised a concern raised by a staff member. A children’s meeting record states, ‘I [member of staff] feel like there is bullying and ganging up (all the boys) at [child].’ This means that children do not feel supported and are at risk of harm living in the home. The registered manager has failed to effectively assess and take action to ensure that children feel safe, risks are reduced and children understand that bullying is unacceptable. Children live in an environment that is detrimental to their emotional and physical well-

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

being. For example, there were broken windows, offensive language was written on a communal wall, dried urine was on the dining room window, there was a broken radiator in a child’s bedroom and there were holes in some of the walls. Issues relating to the environment of the home were identified at the last inspection. The condition of the home has deteriorated further since the last inspection. This means that children are living in a home that continues to have a negative impact on their health and well-bring. Incidents of restraint are not appropriately recorded or reviewed to ascertain that they are proportionate and necessary. One child has been restrained using unreasonable force. There are no de-escalation techniques recorded. Managers have reviewed these physical restraints as acceptable. This demonstrates a significant failure to appropriately review restraints and to take effective action in order to safeguard children. Children’s

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

behaviour management plans are not updated with strategies for staff to follow to de- escalate incidents. Poor recording of physical interventions was identified at the last inspection. As a result of the failure to meet the requirement made, children remain at risk of harm. Effective action has not been taken in addressing risks of sexualised behaviour between children. The registered manager failed to see any risks and minimised the concerns that have been raised by staff and the clinical team. Follow-up key-work sessions have not been undertaken to discuss children’s feelings and behaviour. The registered manager has failed to make arrangements to reduce such risks for children. As a result, children remain at risk of harm. Medication remains an area of concern. Staff do not ensure that children receive their medication as prescribed. Medication that is not administered is not disposed of safely by

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

staff. Records for controlled medication are poorly written, for example medication that is ‘damaged by [child]’. There is no understanding as to how the medication was damaged or indeed if, where and when it was disposed of. This means that children’s health needs are not being promoted and that there is a risk of overdose. Notifications of serious events have not been sent to Ofsted. This reduces the oversight that the regulator has. Children’s educational needs are not being met. Children are spending considerable time away from education. Staff do not help children to achieve their educational potential. When children are excluded from school, staff do not encourage their learning and development. As a result, children do not benefit from a structured environment that Interim inspection report children’s home: SC476270 3 affords them educational and social opportunities. The requirements made at the last inspection have not been met.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/12/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/07/2016 Full Good 03/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who ensure that they help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. (Regulation 7 (2) (iii)) 31/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. (Regulation 8 (1)) 31/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. (Regulation 11 (1) and (2) (xiii)) 31/03/2018

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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. 31/03/2018 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC476270 4 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; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1)

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Requirement Due date

and (2) (a) (i)* (iii) (v) (vi) (d)) 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 fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child and ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1) and (2) (d) (e)) 31/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1)) 31/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). The requirements are that— the individual is of integrity and good character; the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2) (a) and (3) (a) (b) (c) (d)) 31/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to 31/03/2018 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC476270 5 a child in the home, a record is made which includes the name of the child, the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used, and within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person") has spoken to the user about the measure and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35 (3) (a) (i) (vi) (b) (i) (ii)) Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4 and ensure that the records are kept up to date with

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Requirement Due date

particular reference to staff rosters. (Regulation 37 (1) and (2) (a) (b)) 31/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4) (b)) 31/03/2018

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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 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’. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC476270 6

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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

Sandra King, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: SC476270 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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