Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Halton

Inspection report children’s home: SC456964 1 SC456964 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

The home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for two young people 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 February 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 Inspection report children’s home: SC456964 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/06/2018 Full Good 18/07/2017 Full Good 01/03/2017 Full Outstanding 24/11/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC456964 3

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Statutory requirement

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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being;

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically in relation to ensuring that the young people’s health plans clearly identify specific health needs and the action the home has taken to address these. 08/07/2019

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Recommendations

 Each home must have clear arrangements in place to maintain effective management when the manager is absent, off duty or on leave (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20). This is specifically in relation to the manager identifying herself on the rota.  The specific responsibilities of the home towards supporting the health and well- being of each child should be agreed with the placing authority and recorded in the child’s placement plan (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.7). This is specifically in relation to ensuring that the local authority has signed the consent to medical treatment in the young people’s placement plan. Inspection report children’s home: SC456964 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make good progress in most areas of their lives. In particular, the young people have made significant progress in their education, relationships and behaviour. Professionals said that the excellent transitions into this home have made all the difference to their young people’s lives. One young person viewed two homes and chose this one. He was able to visit the home on several occasions, and staff from the home visited him at his placement. A social worker said, ‘The transition into this home was excellent, and I believe that is why he has settled so well.’ Further to this, the manager ensured that she had all the necessary documentation to make an informed decision as to whether the staff could meet the young person’s needs. As a result of this care, the young people are thriving at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people benefit from good routines that support their attendance and engagement in education. The young people are doing well, and staff help them with their homework. One young person has sat her exams and has applied to a college to undertake a course in animal welfare, and she has the dream of becoming a vet. The other young person wants to be a doctor when he is older. This shows that the young people have aspirations for their futures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Generally, the young people are in good health and the staff have a good understanding of the young people’s health and development needs. The young people are encouraged and supported to engage in social and recreational activities that promote a healthier lifestyle. However, the manager must ensure that all required information is in place, such as any outstanding paediatric assessments or confirmation of medical consent signed by the local authority.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people live a significant distance away from their parents, families and friends. The manager and staff work hard to promote contact and make it a pleasant experience for everyone. Staff take the young people to their home towns, and on alternative visits parents visit the home. These visits are important to young people, and they appreciate the effort that staff make for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Initially, one young person struggled to interact socially. He preferred to remain in the home and liked to play on his console. The manager, social worker and young person made a contract regarding the number of hours he could have on his console. He now likes to go to the cinema and to the beach. The other young person likes beauty treatments and bowling and has tried gymnastics. Both young people help at a farm, grooming the horses. In this way, young people benefit from a wide range of individual and group activities that broaden their experiences and social interaction.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people can regularly share their views about the home and their plans for their care. They have regular discussions with their key workers, other staff and the manager during young people’s meetings, key worker sessions and progress reviews. The young people could identify a member of staff or professionals that they can talk to if they have Inspection report children’s home: SC456964 5 any worries or concerns. They are confident that they are listened to and that their views are acted on, whenever possible.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One young person has recently started working towards independence. This has had an unsettling effect on the young person, and the staff have worked hard to offer reassurance. The young person’s social worker said, ‘This is a reaction to the unknown. The staff are excellent, and they are reassuring her. I am confident that they will continue to support her in every way.’ The young person said that she is enjoying shopping and cooking as part of her independence and that she makes a good spaghetti bolognaise.

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

The home’s safeguarding arrangements help to keep the young people safe and to protect them. The young people receive good levels of support and supervision. One young person said, ‘The best thing about this home is that staff make me feel safe. Over the years, they have gone through topics, such as being safe on the internet, and I feel that I know the dangers.’ Staff are trained in safeguarding and understand what actions to take if, for example, they have any concerns about a young person’s welfare. This means that young people are effectively safeguarded.

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

Young people have good risk assessments and behaviour management plans that clearly outline their individual risks and their improving behaviour. Staff and the young people work well together to identify strategies to reduce and manage any risk. Young people can take age-appropriate risks, such as shopping independently, to increase their independence and ability to keep themselves safe.

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

There are clear expectations and boundaries in the home. Positive behaviour of the young people is continually promoted, recognised and rewarded. For example, one young person received additional clothing money for a good school report. When the young people’s behaviour is not what is expected, a sanction is imposed. However, they can make things right through restorative options, such as apologising or cleaning and repairing damaged items. This gives the young people the opportunity to reflect on their behaviour.

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

Previous young people had a high level of being missing from the home. Staff worked with the police, safeguarding professionals, the local authority and the young people to reduce these incidents. The current young people have only been reported missing on one occasion each. Staff followed the missing from home protocol, and both were found quickly. A professional said that the home is diligent and takes the necessary action to safeguard the young people. Return interviews are completed by an independent service. This means that any issues can be discussed and shared with all parties.

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

Physical intervention is rarely used at the home and only ever to keep a young person or others safe from harm. The recording of physical intervention is good and shows how the views of the young person involved are sought. This helps the manager to evaluate Inspection report children’s home: SC456964 6 the incidents.

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

Safe recruitment and health and safety practices at the home mean that only the most suitable staff work at the home and that the home is a safe place in which to live. Young people and staff regularly participate in emergency drills to ensure that they know what to do in the event of a fire. All visitors to the home require identification and are supervised inside the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An experienced and suitably qualified manager manages the home. The manager and senior staff divide areas of responsibility to make sure that there is good oversight of the home’s records, managerial tasks and support to the young people and staff. The manager also manages another children’s home in the local area. Currently, the manager does not identify herself on the home’s rota. This does not show how her time is spent in supporting both homes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Good levels of staffing mean that young people’s needs are met. Staff show a strong commitment to their roles and spoke proudly of the young people’s achievements and progress. One member of staff said, ‘It is a pleasure to spend time with them, and we can see the difference we are making.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and said that this helps them with their practice and development. Staff said that they enjoy team meetings and that there is an open environment where their views and opinions matter. Staff talked about recent topics discussed in staff meetings, such as how excessive use of online games can affect young people’s emotional health, behaviour and sense of the world. One member of staff said that they often revisit policies and procedures that they do not use much, such as health and safety. This means that the staff knowledge is kept refreshed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most of the staff team hold a relevant childcare qualification. Two members of staff are at different stages of completion. All staff complete mandatory training as part of their probation period. This is refreshed regularly. Staff continue to broaden their knowledge through other training, on issues such as the impact of gang culture, county lines and attachment theory. As these are not mandatory courses, newer staff have not completed these, but are waiting for dates to be set by the company. In the interim, the manager has used the staff’s knowledge and her expertise to give an overview to the new staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff have established excellent working relationships with a range of agencies and professionals who are involved in the young people’s care. Staff work closely with schools, colleges, social workers, health professionals and leading child protection agencies. Feedback from all stakeholders is positive, praising staff’s commitment, young people’s progress and the effective communication with the manager and her team. A professional wrote, ‘In my 20 years of experience in working in children’s services, I have never met such a dedicated, committed and caring manager. It has been a pleasure to work with you.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC456964 7 Monitoring and review systems in the home help the manager to show the strengths and weaknesses of the home and the staff team. Action is taken quickly to attend to any shortfall and to celebrate strengths. As part of this monitoring, there is consultation with

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

the young people, professionals, staff and stakeholders in order that an all-round view is collated about the care given at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has addressed the requirement and recommendations that were made at the last inspection. For example, contact plans now show the arrangements for breaks on long journeys and the staff’s responsibilities when supervising contact, staff have liaised with parents about young people’s immunisations and childhood diseases and all the records viewed were signed and dated.

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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: SC456964 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: 4th Floor, Waterfront, Manbre Wharf, Manbre Road, Hammersmith, Middlesex W6 9RU

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Inspector

Pam Nuckley, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC456964 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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