Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Halton

Inspection report children’s home: SC456729 1 SC456729 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A private company owns this home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s position is currently vacant.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC456729 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/04/2019 Full Inadequate 02/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/06/2017 Full Good 09/02/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC456729 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.3

Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

p.3

Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 01/07/2019

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.3

Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(a)(iii)(2)(b)) 01/07/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC456729 4

p.3

improvement to be good

The acting manager and staff have taken effective action to address the shortfalls raised at the last inspection. However, these actions have yet to be firmly embedded into care practice to ensure that the young person’s improved outcomes are sustained.

p.4

improvement to be good

Since the last inspection two young people have left the home because the staff identified that they could not keep them safe. The young people’s transition plans highlight the concerns, the arrangements for moving on and the support they required. Staff have remained in touch with the young people and they have settled into their new placements. One young person is still living at the home.

p.4

improvement to be good

The young person spoke briefly with the inspectors at this inspection, but declined to have a more in-depth discussion. However, he was observed throughout the day interacting well with staff, smiling and laughing, and taking part in his daily routines. Further to this, he has spoken with the independent visitor and completed consultation forms stating that he likes living at this home and that he is happy here.

p.4

improvement to be good

The young person has made some progress, especially in education and in building relationships with staff. The young person is beginning to engage with a new male tutor. There is a clear education timetable that supports staff to offer educational activities. In addition to this, the young person has completed a reading assessment. Therefore, staff are aware of his current reading level and comprehension ability, so that they can support him well. The acting manager has been proactive in liaising with the young person’s school and has received additional educational work for him to complete. Also, enquires have been made to identify an appropriate school that would meet the young person’s needs. Several options are presently being explored.

p.4

improvement to be good

At the last inspection, the consistency of the staff team and the poor management oversight of the home were having an impact on the young people’s relationships with staff. There is now clear leadership and a full staff team. There is evidence of more structure and nurturing in the care that the young person receives. Relationships have improved, and this has allowed the staff to get to know the young person. As a result, he is spending longer times out of his bedroom, he is having meaningful conversations with staff and has started to go out with staff. Staff are now starting to recognise the young person’s anxieties and what triggers them so that they can respond appropriately.

p.4

improvement to be good

The acting manager has taken appropriate action to address the young person’s health needs. The young person has been reluctant to attend any health assessments, or doctor or dentist appointments. Therefore, the children looked after nurse is scheduled to visit the young person to undertake some sessions about his anxieties. This is to identify any extra support required from healthcare professionals so that a health assessment can be completed. Inspection report children’s home: SC456729 5 At the last inspection, the staff were asked to listen and to respond to the young people’s views, wishes and feelings. The current young person has several opportunities to express himself, through key-worker sessions, young people’s meetings and through informal chats. He has recently engaged in having his bedroom decorated and has chosen a science fiction fantasy theme. Previously, the young person was playing age-

p.4

improvement to be good

inappropriate console games. The staff have undertaken work with him about why games are censored and age-restricted and how this is important to avoid any potential impact on his emotional health. However, a previous young person had raised a concern about her bedroom to the independent visitor. The acting manager had not responded to this concern. This does not show that young people’s voices are heard and consistently responded to.

p.5

improvement to be good

Help and protection is not yet good because staff have failed to supervise young people effectively when in the home. One young person was able to allow another young person, who was not a resident at the home, into her bedroom and this went unnoticed for a few days. A fact-finding meeting took place with several safeguarding professionals and an internal investigation is under way. The staff’s roles and responsibilities with regard to safeguarding practices have been revisited in a team meeting and through individual supervisions.

p.5

improvement to be good

Staff have been challenged in recent months by young people’s behaviour. As a result, behaviour management strategies have not always been effective. However, staff have spent time discussing their practice and how they apply boundaries. This has led to a more consistent approach. Therefore, the young person is now more settled in the home. As things have stabilised in the home, there is a noticeable reduction in incidents and restraints. Further to this, the young person currently living at the home is beginning to reflect on his behaviour and consider other ways of expressing himself.

p.5

improvement to be good

Young people who previously lived at the home had continued to put themselves at risk by going missing from the home. Staff followed the agreed missing from home protocol and strategy meetings were held appropriately. Although the staff have a close working relationship with safeguarding professionals and return interviews were completed, these were ineffective in reducing the number of times that young people went missing from the home. As a result, the acting manager gave notice on their placements.

p.5

improvement to be good

The home is suitably decorated. Improvements have been made to the interior and to the external gardens. Therefore, the home presents as a welcoming, homely environment that is maintained well. All health and safety checks are completed in a timely way.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager has recently resigned from this home. There is a suitably experienced and qualified person overseeing the home. A deputy manager supports her Inspection report children’s home: SC456729 6 and the staff team. The company is currently undertaking a full review of its residential services, and there are plans for an experienced manager to become the registered manager here.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The acting manager has ensured that there is a stable staff team. They have been supported through this period with regular supervision and staff meetings. Staff report that they have been given ample opportunities to discuss the concerns raised at the last inspection, to discuss their practice and to work together as a team. One member of staff said, ‘It has been good. We have had time to reflect and I feel confident to be able to challenge staff or management if I am unhappy.’

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, the staff have received good training opportunities. The staff spoken with said that training and learning opportunities have been helpful. For example, one member of staff said that the recent training about self-injurious behaviour was insightful. She said, ‘Understanding the emotions beneath the behaviour has made things clearer for me.’ Further training has been scheduled to cover behaviour management and bereavement.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The independent visitor, who monitors the quality of care, has identified most of the concerns raised at the last inspection in her recent reports. Independent monitoring of the home allows the acting manager to have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The acting manager has challenged the local authority and other professionals for documentation that had not been previously provided. As a result, they now have a copy of the young person’s care order, personal education plan and education, health and care plan. This means that staff can consider and respond to any changes in the young person’s care. In addition to this, the acting manager has ensured that all paperwork is signed and dated by the author.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home has the appropriate systems in place to notify Ofsted and other relevant bodies of significant events that occur at the home or with young people. This ensures that the appropriate people are informed about the young person’s welfare.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

At the last inspection, 13 requirements were made, of which 12 requirements have been met. One requirement around listening to young people’s wishes and feelings has been repeated.

p.6

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: SC456729 7 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.

p.6

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: SC456729 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4th Floor, Waterfront, Manbre Wharf, Manbre Road, Hammersmith, Middlesex W6 9RU

p.8

Inspector

Pam Nuckley, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC456729 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9