Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Dudley

Inspection report children’s home: SC472465 1 SC472465 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home’s statement of purpose indicates that it provides care and accommodation for up to five young people who have complex needs. Staff, including the organisation’s clinical team, focus on building therapeutic relationships with young people and the promotion of positive behaviours. The home offers planned or emergency placements.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in December 2016. The registered manager is appropriately qualified and experienced. She has an NVQ level 4 qualification in leadership and management.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 6 December 2017

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

p.1

Enforcement action since last inspection:

The home was subject to a notice restricting accommodation from 13 December 2017 until 7 March 2018. This followed a judgement of inadequate following an inspection on 6 December 2017. A monitoring visit took place on 22 January 2018 to evaluate the provider’s response to the requirements made in December. Inspection report children’s home: SC472465 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/12/2017 Full Inadequate 21/11/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/07/2016 Full Good 11/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC472465 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.3

Requirement Due date

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 (1)(2)(b))

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the paths around the garden are uneven, and there are holes in the patio area. These pose a trip hazard to young people. 31/05/2018

p.3

Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

p.3

Recommendations

In particular, ensure that staff have read, signed and fully completed all documentation.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, managers and staff have continued to make improvements to the home’s environment. The house has been redecorated and there is now a new sensory room. The staff have worked hard to introduce homely touches. For instance, photographs and pictures are now displayed around the house. These improvements are helping young people to be increasingly proud of their home. Young people feel that the manager and staff listen to what they want and act upon their wishes. One young person told the inspector, ‘The staff are nice. It is better here now, and there is always Inspection report children’s home: SC472465 4 someone to talk to and I like it here.’ However, the garden area is uneven and has loose slabs. In addition, some areas of the concrete patio are damaged. These hazards pose a health and safety risk to young people who may choice to use the garden.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people regularly attend college or school. One young person has made significant progress and is now on track to complete her GCSEs this summer. One teacher told the inspector, ‘We have regular communication with the manager and staff. This is important and helps us all have a joined-up response and approach.’

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people enjoy their key-work sessions with staff, and say that these sessions are helpful and that they learn from them. Topics include talking about relationships, education, family, and looking after their health.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make progress in many areas of their lives. For example, staff help young people to organise their time, eat healthily and to make decisions about their future. Staff also help young people to develop independence skills. For instance, staff help young people to learn to budget their money, to cook and travel independently. One social worker told the inspector, ‘My young person feels that staff support her decisions and give her good advice.’

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people enjoy their day-to-day lives and have a variety of activities. These include sports, visiting local parks and other facilities, and day trips.

p.4

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

The home has a calm and peaceful atmosphere. The staff ethos is one of reward and encouragement. Since the last inspection, the number of incidents has reduced and there have not been any incidents of physical intervention or young people going missing from home.

p.4

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

Managers and staff focus on young people’s emotional well-being. Staff are skilled in behaviour management, and can confidently redirect young people’s attention if they become anxious or distressed. For example, incidents of self-harming have significantly decreased. Staff remind young people about the progress they have made, reinforcing their self-confidence and self-respect.

p.4

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

Staff conduct workshops with young people to help educate them about subjects such as bullying, internet safety and the risk of child sexual exploitation. These workshops help to give young people additional protection.

p.4

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

Managers and staff take swift and effective action if there are any concerns about a young person’s welfare. A social worker commented to the inspector that her young person was settled, happier and her behaviour was much better.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inspection report children’s home: SC472465 5 The registered manager is committed to continuing to sustain improvements of the service for young people’s benefit. Staff are complimentary about the support they receive from managers.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff are committed to helping young people to make progress in all areas of their lives. Team meetings and supervision sessions are effective forums for staff to share up-to-date information about young people’s progress.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager works well with families and professionals. This approach is central to practice in the home and ensures that the service meets the aims and objectives contained in the statement of purpose.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a realistic development plan. She continues to consolidate staff practice and train and support new members of staff through their induction. Despite this progress, there are a number of shortfalls in staff recording, specifically in recording young people’s views when rewards and consequences are used.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

At the monitoring visit in January 2018, one requirement was made, repeated from an inspection in December 2017. This concerned monitoring of the service by the registered manager. This has improved, and the registered manager has reviewed information gained from young people’s meetings.

p.5

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.

p.5

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: SC472465 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Cambian Group, 4th Floor Waterfront Building, Chancellors Road, Hammersmith Embankment, London W6 9RU

p.6

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Alison Blyth-Bishop

p.6

Inspector

Julia Wright, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC472465 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7