Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Warwickshire

Inspection report children‟s home: SC457488 1 SC457488 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

The home provides care and accommodation for up to five young people aged between eight and 18 who have experienced childhood trauma. The home is privately owned by a large organisation. The home does not currently have a registered manager. A new manager is in post. He is suitably experienced and qualified up to level 5.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC457488 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/05/2018 Full Good 25/07/2017 Full Good 09/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 05/10/2016 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC457488 3

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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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; and promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(iv)(v)) 31/07/2019

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Requirement Due date

The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— help each child to develop the child‟s interests and hobbies; and participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child‟s interests and preferences. (Regulation 9 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)) 31/07/2019

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that the health and well- being needs of children are met, children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— help each child to achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child‟s relevant plans; understand the child‟s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child‟s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child‟s age and understanding. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)) 31/07/2019

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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. 31/07/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC457488 4 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— 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; help each child to understand how to keep safe; and have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(i)(ii)(iii)) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(f)) 31/07/2019

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children‟s home and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that arrangements are in place to manage and review the placement of each child in the home and that each child‟s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(2)(a)(b)(ii)) 31/07/2019

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (1)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure the recording of all those involved in regular fire drills. 31/07/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children‟s safety. The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children‟s home; if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(3)(d)) 31/07/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees; undertake appropriate continuing professional development; receive practice-related supervision by a person with 31/07/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC457488 5 appropriate experience; and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c)) The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the missing child policy") setting out the steps taken, and to be taken, to prevent children from being absent without permission; and the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home, in relation to a child who is, or has been, so absent (Regulation 34(4)(a)(b)) 30/7/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child and are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the date and result of any review of the placing authority‟s plan for the care of the child or of the child‟s placement plan. 31/07/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if a child protection enquiry involving a child— is instigated or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry). (Regulation 40 (4)(d)(i)(ii)) 31/07/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (4)(a)) 31/07/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children‟s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in Regulation 12 (2)(c) (the protection of children standard). (Regulation 46 (1)) 31/07/2019

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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. Children‟s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than „institutional‟ impression. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  Where there is a possibility that a child will run away or go missing from a children‟s home placement, their placement plan should include a strategy to minimise this risk. If the child is looked-after, their care plan (arranged by their Inspection report children‟s home: SC457488 6 placing authority) should include such a strategy. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 44, paragraph 9.24)

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Recommendations

 Staff should understand the system for rewarding and celebrating positive behaviour and recognising where children have managed situations well. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 47, paragraph 9.39)

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improvement to be good

Young people‟s health plans are not consistently completed or sufficiently detailed. They fail to show that previously assessed conditions are being responded to. Health needs are therefore not fully understood by the staff team and may not be fully supported. Although the administration of medication is recorded and audits are completed well, staff have not sought advice regarding regularly refused medication. Medication may therefore be less effective due to the lack of staff diligence.

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improvement to be good

Young people enjoy a limited range of activities with staff, often preferring to be more independent when they go out. Staff have not helped to organise the fixing of a young person‟s bike despite this being one of his favourite activities.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not consistently ensure that all young people are engaging with education. Staff fail to encourage those not attending school or college to be involved with any activities that may develop their academic abilities. This does not help them to improve their basic skills or return to school in a timely way. More positively, a headteacher stated that those attending school have developed improved social skills and now have friends outside school.

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improvement to be good

Individual local authority care plans show how staff should meet young people‟s needs. Reviews of these plans are completed on a regular basis, yet minutes of these meetings are unavailable. This does not support consistent care.

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improvement to be good

Despite several shortfalls in management and staff practice, young people make good progress in different aspects of their lives. For example, one young person has a part- time job working at a fish and chip shop. This increases their independence skills. Another young person has improved school attendance and their self-esteem has improved.

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improvement to be good

Young people experience positive relationships with staff. A young person states that, „[One staff member] just really gets me. She makes me laugh and makes me think about how I can develop.‟

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improvement to be good

Young people are involved in the development of the home. They attend regular house meetings, planning for the week ahead. They are supported by staff to be involved with Inspection report children‟s home: SC457488 7 their own reviews. These activities help young people to take an active part in planning for their futures.

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improvement to be good

Young people enjoy spending time with their families. Although visits sometimes change, they are fully supported by staff, who supervise and offer transport when necessary. These visits help young people to develop positive relationships with the adults who are important to them.

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improvement to be good

Staff help to develop young people‟s independence skills. They engage young people in a good range of discussions about specific topics, including travel, laundry and employment. These skills help to support young people when they leave the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not make sure that all health and safety checks are thoroughly completed. For example, records of fire drills do not contain the names of those involved and so it is unclear who is aware of the procedures. Also, some electrical items have not been tested for safety and the location risk assessment has not been updated. These shortfalls have had no direct impact on young people but could affect their well-being if not resolved.

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improvement to be good

Staff respond to some safeguarding concerns well. Young people feel safe in the home. However, poor risk assessments and a lack of strategies for when young people go missing have resulted in staff being unclear about how to respond. As a result, when young people have been missing, staff have not always supported them adequately.

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improvement to be good

Staff respond well to challenging behaviours. Restraints are only used as a last resort once other strategies to calm young people have been used. Consequences for poor behaviours are well considered. However, staff have decreased significantly the use of rewards and incentives. As a result, young people‟s successes are not seen to be celebrated.

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improvement to be good

Recruitment checks are not fully completed before some staff work at the home. For example, one staff member had a reference missing and there had been no assessment of gaps in their employment history. This could put young people‟s safety at risk.

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

The previous registered manager left in January 2019. A new, experienced manager took up the post in May 2019. During the intervening period, leadership and management in the home were weak. Since the new manager has started full time, there have been some improvements.

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

The new manager is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. He has many plans about how to improve the home, the staff training and the monitoring systems. However, these are not currently recorded well or embedded into practice. Inspection report children‟s home: SC457488 8 Necessary repairs to the decor and furnishings are not completed quickly. For example, a bedroom had no curtains and there was a broken shower door. Both issues were resolved during the inspection. However, communal areas of the home appear plain and lack personalisation. This results in the house not being sufficiently homely.

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

The home has a stable, experienced staff team. Staff say that they feel supported by the manager. However, records show that they do not consistently receive regular or practice-related supervision or appraisals. Without regular reviews of their practice, staff are not able to discuss their performance and learning needs and develop their practice.

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

The management team has responded to previous inspection requirements. Young people‟s views are now sought regularly. Contact arrangements are clearer and records are signed by staff on a more regular basis. Furnishings are now safe, although not all appliances have been checked for their safety.

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

Staff receive good-quality, regular training on mandatory subjects. These include first aid and safeguarding. Sessions are a mixture of face-to-face and online courses. However, the manager has not arranged training to respond to young people‟s specific needs, such as involvement in gangs. This lack of specific training has left some staff without the skills to support the young people.

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

The six-monthly review of the quality of care is detailed and shows the progression of the home. However, it was not sent to Ofsted. The manager is aware of the need to notify different people when significant events happen in the home. However, one safeguarding incident has not been reported in a timely way. These shortfalls prevent the regulator from having effective oversight of the service.

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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: SC457488 9

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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

Andrew Hewston: social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC457488 10 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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