Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC456846 1 SC456846 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home offers support, education and care for up to three children who may have experienced neglect, abuse or trauma which has left them vulnerable. The manager was recruited in October 2018 but is not registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

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

At the last inspection, four requirements and three recommendations were raised. One requirement and one recommendation have not been fully met and have been raised again. Overall, seven requirements and four recommendations have been raised at this inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has been without a registered manager since October 2017. Lack of effective leadership has had an impact on the home, resulting in important safeguarding risks not being responded to appropriately.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two children have applied ligatures to their necks, and another child displays other self- harming behaviours. Despite this, necessary training in responding to self-injurious behaviours and removal of ligatures has not been provided to the staff. This failure to Inspection report children’s home: SC456846 2 provide appropriate training puts children at risk.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A child recently said that they had taken an overdose of medication, which they claimed to have secreted about their person. The child received appropriate medical attention and was not hurt. However, despite the severity of this incident, Ofsted was not notified until the oversight was spotted 10 days later. Lack of timely notification of significant events affects Ofsted’s ability to monitor safeguarding concerns.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff at the home de-escalate unwanted and challenging behaviours. Interventions are used as a last resort, and there have been 18 since the last inspection. However, the recording of such incidents is inconsistent. Times, duration of restraints and other important information are missing. The records lack management oversight and analysis. Failure to ensure that accurate information about physical interventions is recorded and reviewed places children and staff at risk.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The experiences of children moving into and out of the home are mixed. Both of the children who were resident at the last inspection have moved. One child moved in an emergency due to being missing from care and taking excessive risks. Another child moved after her placing authority ended the placement. Although the move was planned, it was ultimately due to a failure of the home to keep her safe. The records of the children’s admission and discharge to the home did not contain the required information. Failure to keep accurate information about children can lead to problems with information sharing and accountability.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The three children who live at the home had well-assessed admissions. The children are making progress at different levels. One child attends school full time and is settled and doing well. Another child receives education at the home while staff work to identify a long-term school placement. The third child refuses to attend school. The staff offer alternatives with varying success. Failure to provide the child with a structured alternative to school leads to him spending a lot of time alone in his bedroom. This lack of stimulated learning is detrimental to his well-being and future ability to achieve academically.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not receive practice-led supervisions in line with organisational policy. One member of staff had one recorded supervision despite working at the home for over 12 months. Staff do not have enough formal opportunities to have documented discussions about their practice and to identify any needs or issues that they require support with.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The statement of purpose was recently updated but was not submitted to Ofsted by the manager. This fails to provide Ofsted with a current view of the home’s operation and arrangements. This shortfall was also raised at the last inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

An independent person conducts monthly external monitoring visits. The reports do not reflect the opinions of the children’s parents and families. This does not give a rounded picture of the quality of care that the home provides.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff have good relationships with the children, and the children feel safe. The Inspection report children’s home: SC456846 3 children have regular one-to-one sessions with staff and house meetings in which they can express their views and opinions. Positive relationships mean that children are willing to raise issues with staff. However, the avenues to make a complaint are not all made available to the children. This limits the children’s options if they want to complain about the quality of their care. This shortfall was raised at the last inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has undergone some improvements and has been well decorated throughout. However, the bathroom that the children use requires attention. Exposed pipes and chipped and peeling paintwork detract from what is otherwise a well-presented property. The fire doors were all working correctly, and a homely feeling prevailed. However, a water butt with no lid on presented an unnecessary risk to children in the rear garden. Immediate plans were made to have it emptied of water and removed from the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has made some improvements to internal processes and recording. Ongoing medication training and weekly medication audits reduce the chance of medication errors being made. The home’s location risk assessment has been updated and assesses and mitigates risk in the local area. Missing-from-care records are signed and dated and clearly demonstrate whether a return interview was requested for a child and whether it took place.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/03/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/06/2017 Full Good 14/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the 29/03/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC456846 4 registered person to ensure— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, improve staff’s knowledge of and responses to self-injurious behaviours and the use of ligatures. The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the grounds of the home are made safe and hazards are removed or repaired. 01/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 08/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c)) 22/03/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (‘the behaviour management policy’) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be 29/03/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC456846 5 used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration; and

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b)(3)(a)(iii)(iv)(vii)(c)) The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, maintain a register of children who live at the home and include where they lived prior to living at the home and where they move to. 08/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 08/02/2019

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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)  When children placed in a home are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some other reason, the registered person and staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide Inspection report children’s home: SC456846 6 to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)  Homes should encourage children to understand that they can speak to an

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Recommendations

independent advocate, Independent Reviewing Officers (IROs), Ofsted inspectors or other relevant persons if they have concerns about their safety. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.11)  Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5) In particular, gain the views of children’s families about the care that their child receives.

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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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Inspection report children’s home: SC456846 7 Registered provider address: 4th Floor, Waterfront Manbre Wharf, Manbre Road, Hammersmith, London W6 9RH

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Inspector

Ricky D’Arcy, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC456846 8 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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