Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Shropshire

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC476292 1 SC476292 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 home is operated by a private company and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Date of last inspection: 24 October 2017

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

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

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s experiences in this home are unacceptably poor. Children do not make progress due to the high levels of staff turnover in the home. Children were cared for during a one-month period by 21 different staff. Members of staff who are due on shift are moved at short notice by senior managers to other homes owned by the same provider. This does not allow children to form attachments and relationships with their carers. This demonstrates poor leadership and management, and has a harmful effect on children’s emotional health.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has been covering shifts himself to try and provide some consistency for the children. However, this has had a negative impact on the monitoring of staff practice and the quality of care provided. As a result, children’s behaviours have Interim inspection report children’s home: SC476292 2 regressed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not follow safeguarding procedures or use the whistle-blowing policy promptly. When whistle-blowing procedures are invoked they are not effectively managed. Ofsted has not been notified about serious allegations that have been made in the home. This does not ensure that all necessary professionals are involved in the safeguarding of children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers do not make sure that work is undertaken with children when they have been assaulted by staff. As a result, children do not have their emotional and physical well- being promoted.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Behaviour management strategies are poor. Physical restraints of children are not reviewed robustly by the manager, who signs them off as acceptable. For example, times are not always recorded, signatures of staff undertaking the restraint are not always included and no details are given about the de-escalation techniques used prior to a restraint. This means that children are at risk of unnecessary physical restraints.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not always ensure that children are given their prescribed medication. When medication is missed staff do not seek medical advice swiftly. This means that children’s health needs are not being met. Children do not live in a nice, comfortable home. For example, there are damp and mould on the walls, water patches on ceilings, broken door frames and damaged walls in children’s bedrooms.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s educational needs are not being met. A decision has been made between the registered manager and headteacher that one child will not be going to school for one month. The reason is that the school cannot meet the child’s needs. This decision has been made in isolation from the placing social worker. The education work set by the school is paltry, and is further hindered due to a lack of staff being able to help the child with it. As a result, some children are not benefiting from any form of educational work, or the structure and social opportunities that school affords them.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/10/2017 Full Good 01/12/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 25/05/2016 Full Requires improvement 23/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Interim inspection report children’s home: SC476292 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. (Regulation 8 (1)) 18/03/2018

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff 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) and (2) (a)(v)(vi)(d)) 18/03/2018

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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 ensures that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child and that the registered person understands the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and uses this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1) and (2)(e)(f)) 18/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child. (Requirement 23 (2)(b)) 18/03/2018

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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 a child in the home, a record is made which includes the date, time and location of the use of the measure and details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure. (Requirement 35 (3)(a)(iii)(v)) 18/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Requirement 40 (4)(c)) 18/03/2018 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC476292 4

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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’.

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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

Sandra King, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: SC476292 5 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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