Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Herefordshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC457923 1 SC457923 Registered provider: The Cambian Group Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately-operated children’s home. It provides care and accommodation for four young people up to the age of 18 who have a variety of challenging behaviours and complex needs. The manager was registered with Ofsted in December 2017 and has completed his level 5 qualification.

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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: 29 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: SC457923 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/11/2017 Full Good 08/12/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/08/2016 Full Good 10/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC457923 3

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Recommendations

 All records must be stored securely while they remain in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress in the home. This is because they are receiving high- quality care from staff who fully understand their individual needs. Children regularly attend school and are engaging well in their education. As a result, children’s self- confidence significantly improves, and they are beginning to gain academically.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to engage in activities in the local community. Consequently, children develop new interests and skills. For example, one child has recently become interested in golf.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have developed excellent relationships with the manager and staff and are happy living in the home. One child, when asked to rate the home out of 10, stated, ‘I would give them 11 if I could. The home and staff are amazing. I love it here. They have helped me so much. I have improved in confidence. I can speak to people and go out more.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work well to support children who move to alternative placements. This ensures that they have a smooth transition into their new homes. One child who has left the home wrote to the manager and staff, ‘Thank you all for helping me progress to be an independent young person.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to have good-quality contact with family and friends. Staff facilitate this well, often travelling considerable distances to ensure that children maintain contact with those who are important to them.

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

Children are safe living in the home. This is because staff have a good awareness of children’s challenging behaviours and risks. Staff receive a range of training to enable them to keep children safe. The manager supplements this with discussions in staff meetings and supervisions.

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

Staff set and implement consistent routines and boundaries for children. This helps Inspection report children’s home: SC457923 4 children to feel secure and to know what is expected of them. There is a high use of rewards to encourage positive behaviour. There have been no incidents of physical intervention since the last inspection.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home and any incidents of going missing are for short durations. Staff respond appropriately when children go missing from home and act swiftly to ensure their safe return.

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

Safe recruitment practice ensures that everyone employed in the home is safe to work with children .

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a clear understanding of the progress that children are making. He is child-focused and advocates strongly on behalf of the children in his care. This has been particularly apparent in the support that he has given to children in education. The manager and staff team are fully aware of children’s needs and plans for their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The quality of relationships between staff, children and external professionals is particularly strong. One placing social worker stated, ‘We have a good working relationship with (the manager) and the home. We all give children the same message and work together closely.’ This helps to ensure that staff provide the best possible support to children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. He provides a high level of monitoring and managerial oversight. This means that the home and the quality of care towards children continue to develop.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are adequate staff to safely provide care for the existing numbers of children in the home. Staff feel very supported by the manager. Staff receive a good level of training to help them prepare for their roles. The manager supplements this in team meetings and supervision sessions to ensure that staff are fully up to date with current issues.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although children’s day-to-day records are stored securely, historical information regarding children is not appropriately stored at the home. Historical records are stored in a spare bedroom, in boxes, rather than in secure cabinets to ensure confidentiality.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC457923 5 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: SC457923 6

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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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Inspector

Sue Young: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC457923 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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