Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Bedford

Inspection report children‟s home: 1230416 1 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

A private organisation runs this home for up to four children who have experienced trauma that has left them vulnerable. The manager of the home has been registered with Ofsted since March 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 19 to 20 September 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/05/2017 Full Good 24/08/2016 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: 1230416 2

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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 registered person must compile in relation to the children‟s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1)(3)(a)(b)) 02/11/2018

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Recommendations

 Staff should provide a nurturing and supportive environment that is homely. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 15, paragraph 3.9) In particular, make improvements to the driveway and parking at the rear of the property.  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 45, paragraph 9.30) In particular, make clear whether a return interview was offered and record a clear rationale when a return interview was not offered.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The overall experiences of children who live at and move on from the home are positive. Inspection report children‟s home: 1230416 3 Children make progress and benefit from positive relationships with staff, who communicate in an open, honest and consistent way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are skilled at re-engaging children in education at the organisation‟s school. The staff understand the importance of education, and positive incentives are used to good effect to encourage attendance. There is daily contact between the home and the school. This communication means that the home and the school are prepared to care for each child and to address any issues that they may have.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children see their families regularly. The staff take the children to see their families when this has been agreed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are involved in planning their care at weekly house meetings and through regular conversations with the staff. Answers to requests made by the children are fed back to them at the following house meeting. The children know how, and are encouraged, to complain about any issues that they may have. The children benefit from this inclusive approach in planning their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff ensure that the children‟s physical and mental health needs are met. The home has a consultant psychologist who provides advice to the staff about working with the children effectively at monthly team meetings and undertakes direct work with individual children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have a broad and healthy diet that they choose at house meetings. The children access a wide range of activities both in and out of the home that reflect their interests. Both children regularly attend a horse riding school. The home has pet guinea pigs, which help the children to learn about responsibility and care of animals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has a warm and homely feel. It is decorated to a high standard throughout. However, the grassed area of the rear garden has been damaged by vehicles and this detracts from what is otherwise a well-presented and attractive home.

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

The staff are well trained, demonstrate a clear understanding of safeguarding practice and are clear about their roles and responsibilities. Staff are skilled at de-escalating unwanted and difficult behaviours that the children sometimes display. Physical interventions are rarely used.

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

Staff use positive reinforcement well and sanctions are applied proportionately and fairly.

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

The staff understand the importance of multi-agency working to meet the needs of the children and safeguard their well-being. A child recently moved from the home into secure accommodation after an increase in going missing from care and risk-taking behaviours. The need to move on was despite the best efforts of staff at the home. External professionals involved with the child gave extremely positive feedback. A police officer said, „The staff went above and beyond to safeguard [the child]. They were Inspection report children‟s home: 1230416 4 extremely professional and communication with external agencies was excellent. Ultimately, the decision to move [the child] into secure accommodation was the correct one.‟

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

The staff respond proactively when children leave the home without permission or go missing. The staff follow the children and will search the local area for them. The children have individualised missing from home protocols, which are reviewed and updated regularly. Episodes of children going missing are infrequent, with 13 episodes since the last inspection. The quality of records of these incidents is good. However, it is not always clear whether a child was offered a return from going missing interview and the rationale if this did not happen.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has the required experience, skills and qualifications to manage the home effectively. Staff feel well supported and benefit from regular, reflective and practice-led supervisions and appraisals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff attend regular team meetings during which the children are discussed and are at the forefront of practice. Feedback from a range of professionals and a family member was positive. One child‟s mother said, „The staff give [the child] the support needed at the moment. She is thriving at the home. She has really good relationships with the staff, who always go the extra mile for her. She is able to open up to them and be honest. They treat her with dignity and respect.‟

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Records of internal monitoring and review of the quality of care are detailed and thorough. This monitoring is informed by monthly external visits that offer a good level of challenge and action plans for the manager to address.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children‟s case files are concise and updated regularly. The home‟s management has oversight of the records and the staff sign and date records to indicate that they have read them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home‟s statement of purpose gives an accurate reflection of the services that the home provides. However, the most up-to-date version from May 2018 was not submitted to Ofsted. Inspection report children‟s home: 1230416 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 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: 1230416 6

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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 W6 9RU

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Inspector

Ricky D‟Arcy: social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: 1230416 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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