Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Tameside

Inspection report children’s home: SC430239 1 SC430239 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is run by a private organisation. It is registered to accommodate up to five children who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is managed by a qualified and experienced registered manager.

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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: 10 January 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

An interim inspection was conducted on 10 January 2018. The home received a judgement of declined in effectiveness and a compliance notice was served as a result of significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice. A monitoring visit took place on 22 February 2018. This visit deemed that suitable action had been taken to address the shortfalls as identified within the compliance notice. Inspection report children’s home: SC430239 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/01/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 06/06/2017 Full Good 23/03/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 27/09/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC430239 3

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the behaviour management policy, including individual behaviour management plans, is understood and applied at all times by staff, and that plans are recorded and kept under review and revised where appropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34). With specific regard to recording where incentives have not been earned as a result of negative behaviours.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that young people are consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, and the work undertaken with them, in order to support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that records are kept of the administration of medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is refused. The home should ensure that the reason for the prescribed medication, including contraindications, is also fully recorded. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all records are kept up-to-date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3) Inspection report children’s home: SC430239 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last interim inspection on 10 January 2018, two young people have left the service. Both young people had complex needs, and due to the instability of staffing in the home they could not be effectively managed and were subsequently discharged. Since the last inspection a more stable staff team has been established, and there has been one new admission. At the time of the inspection, three young people were accommodated in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite a recent period of instability, young people say they are happy and settled in the home. One young person said, ‘This has been my family. I could not have made it without them.’ A social worker commented, ‘My young person has made a great deal of progress in this home.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships between young people and staff are based on mutual regard and respect. Staff listen to young people and are consistent in engaging at a level young people understand and respond to. Likewise, young people confirm that they are consulted with about how the home runs. Key-work sessions, young people’s meetings and feedback forms are used to provide opportunities for young people to express their views and opinions. However, records highlight that the process of gathering feedback from young people does not take place on a consistent basis. In order for this to be improved a recommendation is made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Residential care planning is good. Clear and realistic placement goals are developed and reviewed by young people and their key worker. Young people engage well with staff and attend regular key-work sessions to review the care they receive. Consequently, young people are on target to achieve their individual goals. One young person is preparing for transition into independent living, while two other young people are preparing to return to their home community or family home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have a history of educational disruption and non-attendance. From their initial starting points, individual educational needs are well met. For example, staff work with a range of external providers to ensure that each young person can achieve educationally in a variety of settings. This means that young people have a range of innovative opportunities to help them in their educational journey. Since residing at the home, young people have improved their educational attendance from 25% to 79%. As a result, young people grow in self-esteem and confidence and develop personal goals and aspirations for their futures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

On the whole, healthcare planning is good. Young people attend routine appointments and check-ups with support from the staff team. Where additional support is required, staff link with a range of external agencies in order that young people receive the specialist advice they need. Likewise, regular visits from the looked after children’s nurse enable young people and staff to discuss any health concerns or raise any queries. However, some prescribed medication records are not clear. For example, records for Inspection report children’s home: SC430239 5 prescribed allergy medication do not state how often the medication should be used. Consequently, records are at risk of misinterpretation. A recommendation is made to address this matter.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Contact with family and friends is suitably supported. Young people are helped to maintain contact with important people in their lives through visits, telephone contact and attendance on occasional family activities. A social worker said, ‘The staff work really hard to make sure young people have regular safe contact.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Planned and unplanned activities take place on a regular basis. Individual interests are well supported. Young people are provided with support and encouragement to venture out and try out new activities and hobbies. Young people attend the gym, horse riding, theme parks, cinema and bowling.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people also help out in the local community. For example, they have regular fund- raising events to raise money for the community. They have developed very caring relationships with their elderly neighbours, and take their dogs for a walk or bake them cupcakes. Some young people also volunteer at the local charity shops and stables. A young person said, ‘We want to give back. This is something we talk about a lot. People have helped us so we want to help those who need it too.’ The registered manager says, ‘We encourage the young people to try as many new experiences as possible. We want them to move on with positive and happy memories.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people who have a plan of independence are supported to develop the skills necessary to live independently. Young people learn to budget, shop and prepare food, and they are supported to make more decisions about their lives. On the whole, transition planning is good. The staff work closely with the young people to prepare them for their move on to independent or other living accommodation. A young person said, ‘I love it here. I don’t want to move. I will be coming back every day. They are my family. They have helped me so much.’

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

The registered manager and staff work hard to ensure that young people are safeguarded and protected on a consistent basis.

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

Since the last interim inspection on 10 January 2018, there has been a significant decrease in young people being reported as absent or missing from the home. On the one occasion this has occurred, staff took effective action to secure the safe return of the young person and ensured that a return home interview was conducted by an independent person. A young person commented, ‘It is settled now. We don’t have lots of different staff all the time and it is a nice place to be.’

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

Young people’s progress is acknowledged and rewarded on a regular basis. For example, young people receive certificates, incentives and recognition for their achievements. This system is part of the home’s behaviour management programme, which focuses on Inspection report children’s home: SC430239 6 praise and reward. However, when a young person presents with negative or challenging behaviour, they lose their daily incentive. Records of ‘failed to earn’ incentives are not held in the home. Therefore, it is difficult to assess triggers for behaviour or patterns and trends. In order to make the behaviour management system transparent, a recommendation is made.

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

Risk assessments are further developed. Staff work collectively to create bespoke assessments in order to identify potential risks and the steps to be taken to reduce such risks. Young people review their risk assessments and say, ‘I think they are good. It has helped me to look back on when I first arrived and the things I did and where I am now. I think this home has done so much for me. It is the best.’

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

Since the last inspection, when the home had experienced a period of significant disruption, there have been no incidents where physical intervention has been necessary. Likewise, there has been no police involvement or damage to the home, and there have been no complaints from neighbours.

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

Ofsted has received two complaints from young people. These were managed through a provider response. The complaints were independently investigated and no further action was required. A young person said, ‘We have complaints forms and contact numbers. We can talk to staff, social workers, family or child lines and Ofsted. Now we have a more regular staff team, we can talk to them about anything that is bothering us.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a suitably qualified registered manager who has been in post since April 2017. She is qualified at NVQ level 5 and has a substantial number of years’ experience working with children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

At the time of the interim inspection, the home had experienced a significant number of staff departures, resulting in the lack of a stable and consistent staff team. The registered manager has successfully recruited four experienced and qualified staff to join the remaining members of the team. A staff member said, ‘It has been a difficult time but we have all pulled together to keep it as consistent as possible for the young people. We do not intend to have more than three young people living here at any one time.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

On the whole, young people live in a home that is managed in their best interests. The home meets the aims and objectives of the statement of purpose, and young people, social workers and families are clear about the service and support the home provides.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Internal and external monitoring systems provide the home with a good approach to the overall monitoring of care. Detailed information highlights areas for development, and the manager’s action plan details the methods used to enhance the service. Staff state that they receive good support from the manager. Records of supervision demonstrate that staff meet with the registered manager regularly and that training and personal Inspection report children’s home: SC430239 7 development targets are addressed. An annual training package ensures that staff receive up-to-date training, tailored to meeting the needs of the young people accommodated in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff demonstrate good overall child-centred practice closely linked to the individual and personal needs of young people. The effectiveness of this approach is measurable in the progress young people make, particularly in education, building relationships and social integration.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Overall, placement plans are clear and realistic and work together with key-work sessions and training packs for specific areas for development. However, not all records are signed by the registered manager, staff or young people. Therefore, it is not clear when they have been updated or reviewed. A recommendation is made to address this matter.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is aware of the procedures for notifying Ofsted of all incidents under regulation 40. Since the last inspection there have been a number of suitable notifications made. Providing these notifications ensures that information is shared with the regulatory agency in order that actions and outcomes for young people can be suitably assessed.

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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

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: SC430239 8

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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, Waterfront, Hammersmith Embankment, Chancellors Road, London, Middlesex W6 9RU

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Inspectors

Maria McGranaghan, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC430239 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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