Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Walsall

Inspection report children’s home: SC476270 1 SC476270 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 children’s home provides therapeutic care to boys and girls who have suffered significant harm. There is a school on site.

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Information about this children’s home

Ofsted registered the manager in 2015. She is temporarily off work, and a previous manager is in post who has applied to Ofsted for registration.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 30 April to 1 May 2018

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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: 2 February 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Following the last full inspection in December 2017, Ofsted conducted an interim inspection that identified that the service had declined in effectiveness. Ofsted imposed a restriction on admissions and issued one compliance notice in relation to safeguarding. At a monitoring visit in March, Ofsted found that the company had addressed the shortfalls and that children were safe. The restriction was lifted. Inspection report children’s home: SC476270 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/02/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 19/12/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/07/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC476270 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A high level of consultation between children and staff means that children understand what is happening about day-to-day issues and more significant events affecting their care. Consequently, they feel engaged in the running of the home, listened to and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from a range of activities and new opportunities. For example, two boys chose to visit to Rome at Easter. This experience prompted conversations about their Roman Catholic backgrounds which helped them to understand more about their identity. Children integrate well into their local community, and this helps them to develop a sense of belonging. They develop friendships locally, and attend groups and events.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff implement the therapeutic aims of the service, and this helps most new children to settle well. Children make good progress in various aspects of their development. For example, older children gradually improve their independence skills with the support of staff. This helps them to prepare for adulthood. Staff are helping one young man to prepare to leave the home in the near future. Robust plans are in place and he has many new opportunities to look forward to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children attend the adjacent school. The vast majority show clear progress from their starting points and more recently. The headteacher and manager challenge other professionals when their lack of action delays children’s progress. For example, one child is waiting to go to a larger school with more pupils and greater opportunities, and the delay has blunted his enthusiasm. Nevertheless, children’s rates of attendance and engagement are extremely good. Another has succeeded in a mainstream school and will soon take examinations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children from distant authorities receive the services that they need. All children receive specialist advice, if it is required. This alleviates children’s concerns and provides them with the most accurate advice and support.

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

Children feel safe in the home and develop trusting relationships with the staff. Bullying was once a concern, but is no longer. Children understand the boundaries, because staff discuss them repeatedly in day-to-day activities and in one-to-one meetings.

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

New children settle in quickly and staff carefully assess any risks that are present. There are very few serious incidents and children do not go missing. No child is at undue risk of radicalisation. One child required more help than the staff could provide to keep her safe. This led to her social worker finding a more appropriate home for her.

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

Staff have undertaken refresher training about keeping children safe. They show a high Inspection report children’s home: SC476270 4 degree of inquisitiveness about children’s activities. For example, they know whom children socialise with and have assessed their suitability. They engage children in conversations about these matters to help them to understand how to protect themselves. This has benefited children. One child has gained a mobile telephone with internet access and another child travels independently.

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

Staff address challenging incidents appropriately and debrief the children afterwards. This helps children to understand their own behaviour and avoids any repetition of unwanted behaviour. A social worker said, ‘My (child) presented them with a lot of challenges, and throughout this (the staff) have shown their commitment to what is best for her… Staff have gone above and beyond to support her.’ The manager has plans in place to improve the debriefing of staff so that they derive as much as possible from the process.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in post since the end of March 2018 and has improved the home substantially. This is reflected in the positive interactions between staff and children, and between individual children, and also in the pleasant atmosphere in the home. She gives staff clear and firm leadership, and challenges them and other professionals. Consequently, staff and children feel safe, supported and happy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff are all developing their skills in line with the statement of purpose. The organisation has acted promptly to stabilise the staff team. The recruitment of permanent staff is almost complete. This has substantially reduced the number of adults who care for the children and provides them with greater consistency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new manager has completed a thorough analysis of her service and has compiled a detailed development plan. Managers and staff have addressed the shortfalls identified in previous inspections. Consequently, staff now take individual responsibility for undertaking care and administrative tasks in the correct way. This means that the service has no major shortfalls.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children, staff and visitors have noticed these improvements. Several external professionals commented on how ‘settled’ the children are now. One described the home as ‘wonderful!’ Another noted the recent difficulties, yet said that the team had recovered well. He said, ‘It’s a different home now.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff record information in children’s files clearly, and children know what is written about them. The information in children’s records helps staff to provide individualised care to children and support them to make progress in reaching their targets. The manager is considering how to make certain documents more suitable for very young children, and is striving for excellence in all areas. Inspection report children’s home: SC476270 5

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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: SC476270 6

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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

David Morgan, social care inspector 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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