Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Halton

Inspection report children’s home: SC457433 1 SC457433 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns the home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for one young person who may have social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager was registered with Ofsted in April 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: 8 November 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC457433 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/11/2017 Full Good 16/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 21/06/2016 Full Good 28/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC457433 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(e)) 30/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (1)(3)) 30/09/2018

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Recommendations

 The registered person should actively seek independently scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24) In particular, the registered person should evaluate the information provided to look for trends and patterns and use consultation with young people, their parents, and professionals to develop the service.

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) This is specifically in relation to ensuring that the bathroom is in good order. Inspection report children’s home: SC457433 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person has lived in this home for two years. He is making good progress in all areas of his life. A professional said, ‘He is slowly but steadily improving, and he has matured over the years.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff work closely with the young person’s school and other educational professionals. For example, the young person is due to move up a year in school. He will have a new headteacher. The manager has had a meeting with the headteacher to ensure that there is a smooth transition. Initially, the young person was on a reduced timetable, but he now attends full-time. His attendance has improved, and he has sat some exams. The young person does not know what he wants to do as a career, but these improvements will provide more opportunity to apply for further education courses or to secure employment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person is in good health because the manager and staff work closely with healthcare professionals. The young person receives additional support for his emotional health. He engages with staff well and he is learning to use coping strategies to control his emotions. Staff have received training in administering medication. This means that the young person receives his medication in line with his prescription.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Improvements have been made in the young person’s diet. Staff have undertaken work with the young person around healthy eating and exercise. In addition to this, the young person has been working on his independence skills. When he goes shopping, he is encouraged to buy low fat and low sugar items and to make meals and snacks from fresh products. As a result, he has lost weight and is learning about the nutritional value of a range of food items, while also learning about budgeting and how to save money.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person’s views, wishes and feelings are gathered informally through daily chats and formally through structured meetings. At the more structured meetings the young person has repeatedly expressed his unhappiness about staff being moved to other homes. The manager has not formally addressed this as a complaint. This does not show that the young person’s voice is heard or that action is taken in response to issues that he raises.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person enjoys spending time with his friends in the community. He enjoys films about superheroes and the posters around the home show this. In recognition of the progress he has made, he has attended several Comicon events. The young person would eventually like to go to America to attend a big Comicon event.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have helped the young person to keep a friendship that he had before moving to this home. His friend regularly comes for tea and they spend time together. The young person sees several people from his extended family. He stays overnight with one of them at the weekend. This means that he can see and maintain relationships that are important to him. Inspection report children’s home: SC457433 5 Records and plans for the young person are detailed and set out his needs and the progress that he has made. Staff now routinely read and sign these documents. This means that everyone is aware of any changes in the young person’s care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is warm and welcoming. However, the bathroom needs some attention. The sealant around the bath has some mould on it and the bath has come away from the floor.

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

The young person said that he felt safe at this home. He was confident that he could talk to staff if he was worried or felt unsafe. The young person likes to use his games console to chat and take part in interactive online games with his friends. Staff have undertaken key-worker sessions with him to ensure that he understands the risks when using the internet.

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

Known or emerging risks are identified in the young person’s care plans. Therefore, staff have a clear understanding of the young person’s vulnerabilities and clear strategies guide staff in supporting the young person in a safe way. This effective planning minimises the risks to the young person’s safety and well-being.

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

Since the last inspection in November 2017, there have been no episodes of the young person going missing from the home; physical intervention; or safeguarding concerns. Staff receive regular training in these areas and can show their knowledge and what action they would take if an incident were to occur.

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

There is a positive approach to behaviour management. The young person is involved in choosing his sanctions and rewards. For example, the young person likes to be given an amount of time to calm down and staff time this for him. He has a trampoline which he uses to de-stress when he is anxious. These strategies have reduced the number of incidents at the home, as has the focus on rewarding positive behaviour. The young person has attended Comicon, has had meals out and has earned extra pocket money in recognition of his progress. Daily incentives encourage the young person to be ready for and attend school and to also be involved in the day-to-day running of the home.

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

The young person lives in a physically safe environment where good health and safety procedures protect them. Staff carry out regular health and safety checks around the home and the young person and staff regularly practice how to leave the home safely in case of a fire. All visitors must give identification and sign in and out of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An experienced manager manages this home. He is currently completing his leadership and management qualification. A deputy manager supports him. There is now a full staff team at the home and this usually offers good continuity of care. However, the young person is supposed to be supported on a two to one staffing ratio. There have been several occasions when one member of staff has been moved to another home in the Inspection report children’s home: SC457433 6 company to cover shortfalls in staffing. This means that one member of staff has been left to care for the young person. This is not in line with the local authorities care plan.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff either hold or are working towards a relevant childcare qualification. They have regular supervision. This means that they have regular opportunities to reflect on their practice and discuss their development or identify new training courses for their future. Staff regularly discuss research, practice, and social trends during staff meetings. For example, staff have recently discussed county lines and a shooting incident in a town close to the home. This gives staff an opportunity to discuss how these matters may affect them and the outcomes for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager confidently challenges professionals and other services to ensure that he has all the information he needs to ensure that the placement is suitable and that the young person receives the services that they need quickly. For example, the currently placed young person did not have an allocated social worker and the young person’s personal education plan had not been sent to the home. The manager did not get a response from the local authority, so he escalated these matters with the independent reviewing officer (IRO). The paperwork has now been received and a social worker has been identified. The IRO said that the manager and staff are very good at keeping him informed and that communication is good between them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External monitoring of the home is good. Although the manager uses the points of improvement, raised by the independent visitor, to improve and develop the service, he does not take these findings through to his monitoring and review report. Further to this, the manager’s report lacks evaluation and does not include consultation with young people, parents, professionals, and stakeholders to have an overall view of the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

At the last inspection, the manager was asked to ensure that there was a full staff team to give continuity of care to the young person. This has been partially met because there is a full staff team, but some staff have been moved to other homes. Therefore, this requirement has been repeated. Records are now well kept because the young person’s files are in good order and staff regularly sign the records.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC457433 7 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: SC457433 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Cambian, Waterfront, Hammersmith Embankment, Chancellors Road, London, Middlesex W6 9RU

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Christopher Parkinson

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Inspector

Pam Nuckley, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC457433 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 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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