Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Stockport

Inspection report children’s home: SC456798 1 SC456798 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 operated by a private provider. The home is a solo placement for young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The registered manager has been in post since 2018. The young person was spoken to as part of the inspection.

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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: declined in effectiveness

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Good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC456798 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/03/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 12/12/2018 Full Good 15/11/2017 Full Good 23/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC456798 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 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; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)(c)) 30/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children. The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39(3)) 30/08/2019

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Recommendations

 Where the placing authority or another relevant person does not provide the input and services needed to meet a child’s needs during their time in the home or in preparation for leaving the home, the home must challenge them to meet the child’s needs (see regulations 5(c)). Staff should act as champions for their children, expecting nothing less than a good parent on a consistent basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page, paragraph 2.8)  The registered person must ensure the necessary support is given to children to enable them to access their education or training (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page, paragraph 5.13)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are supported to make progress while living in this safe, friendly and supportive home. Individualised plans identify the needs of the young person and the support in place to enable him to reach his full potential. Inspection report children’s home: SC456798 4 Since the last inspection, one young person has moved out of the home and another young person has moved in. Transition plans for both young people show the detail that the manager carefully considered before supporting the young people to move in and out of the home. The young person has only lived in the home for a short period of time, but the registered manager and staff have already gained a good understanding of his interests, background, and family circumstances, and are making very good progress in meeting the priorities set out in his local authority care plan. Staff support young people to make progress in relation to their health, education, and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

emotional, social and psychological well-being. Staff work hard to try new strategies with each young person and recognise that plans need to be individualised and based on needs. The manager and staff could further support the learning of the young person by developing plans that consistently encourage education and learning with clear strategies for all staff to follow. The young person is encouraged to express his views about the care he receives and the environment he lives in. Managers and staff show genuine interest in what changes the young person would like to make in the home to ensure that it is a safe and comfortable environment. This provides young people with a sense of belonging. Staff have established positive working relationships with the young person’s family and friends. When issues arise around contact, staff liaise with the local authority and look at how contact could be more enjoyable, for example by facilitating activities in the

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

community with friends. This ensures that the young person maintains positive relationships with important people in his life. Social workers and family members confirm that communication is good, and that managers and staff provide regular updates. This ensures that those involved are fully informed and updated and are working together to ensure that the young person’s needs are met.

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

The young person living in the home is receiving a good standard of care that is keeping him safe from harm. He feels safe and able to talk to some staff if he is worried or he feels unsure. He knows that they will listen to him, take him seriously and help him sort things out. A recent example of this is when the young person raised concerns about his own safety at the home from youths in the local community. Staff worked closely with the placing authority and the police to devise a strategy to keep the young person safe. After a break away with the staff, the young person returned to the home when the risk had reduced. Staff have positive relationships with the young person. They generate a culture of openness to encourage the young person to take appropriate risks as part of growing up. For example, they support the young person to go out with friends in the community and use the internet safely. Clear risk assessments are regularly reviewed and

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

monitored. These capture changing circumstances and help ensure that the young person’s safety is promoted. However, staff do not consistently sign and date these Inspection report children’s home: SC456798 5 documents. This is requirement is repeated. The young person is provided with a copy of the children’s guide and understands how to make a complaint through an easily accessible and child-focused procedure. The young person confirmed that he has used the complaints process. However, the registered manager had not updated the complaint record to include relevant and up-to- date information. While this does not directly affect the young person, it does not provide a full detailed history of the complaints, including the outcomes and whether further action was required. The registered manager and staff show a good understanding of the risks to the young person’s safety, including risks associated with self-harming behaviour and the use of

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

the internet and social media. They have the skills to identify and understand risk and use suitable and proportionate protective measures to handle situations safely. Staff practice is reinforced by good links with external safeguarding agencies and professionals, who have been appropriately involved when the need has arisen. The managers and the staff team have a clear understanding of risks to the young person associated with going missing from care, and they are proactive in their approach, assessing the risks and putting arrangements in place to protect the young person. When the young person goes missing, staff and the managers act appropriately in a timely manner to notify the police and placing authority and find the young person. When the young person has returned to the home, he confirmed that staff check on his welfare and warmly welcome him back home. A return interview by the responsible

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

authority is carried out. The management team and staff use a restorative approach to address negative behaviour displayed by the young person. This approach encourages the young person to reflect on any concerning or risky behaviours and take responsibility for his actions. For example, staff have encouraged the young person to complete repairs to the home when he had caused damage. This promotes a sense of personal responsibility for the young person regarding his actions. Staff have attended training on the use of physical restraint and have developed techniques of de-escalation and appropriate holds. Since the last inspection, there has been one incident of physical intervention. This was in line with government guidance and was appropriately recorded. The young person and the staff involved have the opportunity to discuss the restraint with a relevant adult. The registered manager reviews the information to find out whether any trends, patterns or issues emerge. This

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

information is reflected on, and any learning gained is used to inform future practice

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a good understanding of the young person’s needs and is fully involved in the implementation of his care. She is well supported by her deputy managers who share her motivation for achieving good outcomes for the young person. Together, they lead a stable staff team, which has had high aspirations for the young person and provides him with positive experiences that help him to achieve good outcomes. Inspection report children’s home: SC456798 6 Staff say that they are supported well by the managers, who they say are always available when needed. Staff attend regular team meetings that are inclusive, and staff said that they are able to ‘discuss any new ideas’, ‘raise any concerns’ or ‘identify any changes required in practice’. The introduction of properly scheduled handover meetings each day has improved communication and the sharing of information between members of staff. These

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

meetings now take place for longer and include information about the young person’s care that help staff to plan for the day ahead. This provides a clear and consistent structure to the day and makes sure that everyone, including the young person, know what is happening and who is carrying out each task. This includes information such as who is contacting a social worker, going shopping with a young person, arranging a health appointment, or attending a meeting. The registered manager has not challenged the placing authority when they have failed to provide the input and services needed to meet the young person’s needs. The manager accepted that this was an area for improvement and had already taken appropriate steps before the inspection had concluded. The registered manager has improved her monitoring of practice over the last three months. This provides her with a realistic understanding of the quality of care and

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

support that the young person receives. She can clearly show and measure where things have improved and identify the right priorities for further development. The quality of the monitoring means that she has a detailed understanding of the progress that the young person is making and the priorities for his care.

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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: SC456798 7

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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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Inspectors

Michelle Edge, social care inspection manager Sarah Oldham, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC456798 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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