Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in East Riding of Yorkshire

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC460063 1 SC460063 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

A large private company operates the home, which is registered to provide care for up to five children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. There is also a school on-site.

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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.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

None of the requirements and only one of the recommendations raised at the last inspection have been met. Two young people have left the home since that time, but these were not positive transitions. One young person had his placement terminated by the home because of his violent behaviour towards the other young people. The other young person was removed by his placing authority because it did not feel that the home could keep him safe. Nevertheless, the termination of these placements resulted in an improvement in behaviours and well-being for the remaining young people. They were engaging with care and making progress. The introduction of a third young person in September 2017, which took place without the organisation fully exploring all of the implications of his impact on the home, has led to a breakdown in relationships between the young people, and between the young people and staff. As a result, this has compromised the safety

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC460063 2 and well-being of all the young people. The new young person was placed from another company home after being moved between homes due to his behaviour. The acting manager, deputy manager and some staff members stated their opposition to this placement as they felt that the admission would have a negative impact on the resident young people. Their views were disregarded and the admission went ahead. The matching processes did not take into account the risk of the new young person bringing sensitive information about a young person already in the home. There has been significant aggression and bullying of both a racist and sexually inappropriate nature between residents. This culminated in one young person having to be moved out and cared for elsewhere, as he could not be protected in the home. Notice has now been given on his placement. Records evidence that there has been a significant increase in violence and the need for

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

physical intervention to protect the young people and staff since the admission of the new resident. This demonstrates that the young person has yet to engage with the care in the home and form any meaningful attachments or relationships with staff. It is concerning to note that the behaviour of another young person has deteriorated badly, particularly when compared with the good progress he had previously made. One of the young people complained that, during the time that he has been living in the home, staff have had him arrested twice. The young people are at risk of becoming criminalised and having their future life chances negatively affected. A staff member said, ‘[Name] has just reverted back to what he was when he first came, which is sad to see.’ The positive use of sanctions had been used to some good effect with the young people to enable them to address their negative behaviours. The young people are involved in

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

negotiating their sanctions. An example of this is the young people having a free-time ban rather than a travel ban, which is going some way to helping the young people understand consequences. However, the level of aggressive behaviours and damage in the home has yet to abate to an acceptable level. This means that the home is not a welcoming place and needs a number of improvements to make it homely, for example door handles to be put on doors, and curtains to be hung at the windows. The young people have not developed the skills to take responsibility for their actions. The young people do have the confidence to express their views and opinions clearly. The complaints system is utilised well and managers ensure that they respond in detail to each complaint, to most of the young people’s satisfaction. However, not all of the young people feel listened to or valued. The young people had been involved in the use of inappropriate sexualised language

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

with each other, both verbally and in telephone text messages. This culminated in the involvement of the police, who conducted an investigation but decided not to press charges against any of the young people. The decision was then made to give notice on the placement for one of the young people because of the perceived sexual threat he posed to the other young people. The young person denies that he acted alone and states that the words used were just part of the ‘chat’ that the young people enjoyed with each other. This young person had seen the children’s home very much as his home and stated clearly that he would like to return to live there with the staff members he trusted. He cannot understand why he has to leave. He stated, ‘I’m the victim in all Interim inspection report children’s home: SC460063 3 this and I’m the one being pushed out.’ As a result of the extreme violence and the threats by two residents to kill one of the

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

other young people, staff were unable to protect the young person without moving him out of the home. Prior to this taking place, the young person was subject to racist abuse and actions, for example having his food spat in and bacon pushed under his door. Staff were placed in the position of having to stand outside the young person’s door to prevent further assaults on him. The young person was initially moved to a hotel but, after the other residents were able to ascertain not only which hotel, but which room, he was staying in, he was moved around a number of further hotels before moving into a rented holiday cottage. This has had a detrimental effect on the young person’s emotional and psychological well-being, leading to incidents of self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Staff and professionals spoken with are very disappointed at recent events that have led to a young person being moved out of the home for his safety, and then notice being

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

given on his placement. They state that he had been making good progress and they are concerned at the potential implications this loss of placement could have for him. There is no registered manager in the home at present. Management arrangements have been in place, but the consistency of support for the staff team, and the oversight to ensure that all matters are appropriately addressed, have not been of a good enough standard. This has culminated in staff receiving mixed messages, and discussions with staff members not being recorded as they should. This confusion places staff members at risk and impacts negatively on the care for the young people. Notifications regarding a number of concerning incidents have not been made to Ofsted as they should. This does not provide the regulator with the opportunity to hold a clear overview of care. A committed and loyal core staff team has worked extremely hard to maintain

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

relationships with the young people and protect them. This has included working long hours on a one-to-one basis in a setting away from the main home. Inadequate risk assessments and lone working policies do not provide the staff with the support that they need. There has been an area of improvement since the last inspection. A positive emphasis placed on staff understanding the importance of good recording on the young people’s files is evident in the better quality of the young people’s records.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/05/2017 Full Requires improvement 06/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/11/2016 Full Good 29/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Interim inspection report children’s home: SC460063 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, 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

*In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding and help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone. (Regulation 11(2)(a)(iii)(iv)) 03/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

*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. That risk assessments are updated regularly with regard to specific risk and made readily available to staff and that the Lone Working Policy is fit for purpose. That the registered person ensures that staff manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other and that the registered person ensures 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)(a)(i)(iv)(b)) 03/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

*In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. In particular, review matching and admission processes and document any revisions as a result of that review. (Regulation 14(2)(a)) 03/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

*The standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child. (Regulation 13(2)(f)) 03/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person must notify the HMCI and each other person without delay if an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious and there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. For example and in particular, moving a child out of the home to 03/12/2017 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC460063 5 a hotel if they are not safe within the home. (Regulation 40(4)(b)) Ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child. In particular, that there are door handles on the doors; that the curtains are put in place and there is sufficient crockery to meet the requirements of all people using the home. (Regulation 12(c)(i)(ii)) 03/12/2017

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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: SC460063 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

Ann-Marie Born, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: SC460063 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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