Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Middlesbrough

Inspection report children’s home: SC454266 1 SC454266 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

This private children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children or young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since May 2018, and registered with Ofsted in February 2019. The manager is completing the appropriate qualification.

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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

Date of last inspection: 10 January 2019

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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: SC454266 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/01/2019 Full Good 27/09/2018 Full Inadequate 19/12/2017 Full Good 15/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC454266 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people make good progress from their starting points. They said that they are happy and would not wish to move from their home. Those who have moved on since the last inspection keep in touch with their former carers. This is an indication of the strength of the relationships they developed with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people move into this home following a well-planned induction that is individualised according to their needs. One previous carer commended the approach of the staff team, noting that the child’s needs are always at the centre of the process. The registered manager assesses the impact on children and young people of someone new coming into the home. On one occasion, key information was not clearly emphasised. Although there has been no adverse impact as a result of this lapse on children and young people, these assessments must include all pertinent factors, along with strategies for addressing any potential issues.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Members of staff are passionate about the children and young people, and build positive, loving relationships with them. Children and young people trust their carers and respond well to their efforts to keep them safe and meet their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people go to school every day. For some, this is evidence of significant progress. They benefit from having a clear structure and routine as well as improving their educational attainment. Children and young people know that members of staff and other key people are proud of their achievements. This is good for their self- esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Members of staff ensure that the physical and emotional health needs of children and young people are met. Staff prepare detailed individualised health plans and liaise with local health professionals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Members of staff encourage children and young people to develop links in the local community. They take part in activities such as swimming and horse riding. Children and young people make friends, improve their social skills and enjoy new experiences. This is beneficial to their overall development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people discuss the issues that are most important to them with their carers. Members of staff reinforce positive behaviour and examine incidents that have happened. Children and young people respond well to these discussions and are developing appropriate levels of socially aware behaviour.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Members of staff ask children and young people for their views on living in the home. Children and young people help to plan activities and holidays, as well as any changes that are being made to the decor of the home. Children and young people learn that their views matter, and that they can influence their world. Inspection report children’s home: SC454266 4 Children and young people are helped to maintain contact with their families. Members of staff understand the importance to children and young people of family relationships, even when these are complex. Ongoing contact with family supports children and young people’s sense of identity.

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

Children and young people are safe in this home, and said so. Most children and young people are not involved in risk-taking behaviours. If there are concerns about safeguarding issues, members of staff help children and young people to make appropriate choices. Children and young people are increasingly safe because of the care they receive.

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

If children and young people are missing, staff always follow the home’s procedures, regardless of how long they have been away from the home. This approach ensures the immediate safety of children and young people. It also gives them a powerful message that members of staff care and worry about them, and will act in their best interests.

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

Members of staff use their positive relationships with children and young people to encourage appropriate behaviour. Children and young people respond well to the consistent boundaries provided by their carers. This shows that they make significant progress from their starting points.

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

Members of staff encourage children and young people to attend support services if they are involved in substance misuse. Some children and young people have accepted this support when they would not have done so previously. This is evidence of significant progress.

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

On a small number of occasions, police community support officers have been used to help manage behaviour in the home. This is not appropriate. It risks undoing the otherwise positive work carried out by the staff team. In addition, children and young people will develop an unhelpful view of the police.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has ensured that the progress made following the full inspection in September 2018 has been sustained and improved on. The home is now a settled and happy environment for the children and young people who live in it, because of the efforts made by the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager asked the local authority to review the placements of children and young people who had needs that the staff were unable to meet. As a result, those children and young people were moved to more appropriate placements. Members of staff have the skills required to care for the children and young people who have since moved into the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC454266 5 The registered manager has effective monitoring systems and knows the progress that children and young people make. This approach means that any concerns about the care provided for children and young people can be addressed quickly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Members of staff are supervised by appropriately skilled senior staff. Supervisors encourage staff to be reflective about their practice. Any issues are addressed quickly. All staff, including leaders and managers, undertake training to improve their knowledge. As a result, children and young people are looked after by staff who have the skills to meet their needs well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has good relationships with professionals, who usually respond quickly to requests for support. If services are not provided in appropriate timescales, the registered manager escalates concerns. This means that children and young people do not have to wait for the help they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has developed links with the local community. Children and young people enjoy some contact with their neighbours. They are learning the importance of positive social behaviour, and that they have a role in wider society. This is good for their self-esteem and general development.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that, in line with their individual health plans and the ethos of the home, children are offered advice, support and guidance on health and well-being to enhance and supplement that provided by their school through Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE). Staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children understand, and where necessary work to change negative behaviours in key areas of health and well- being such as, but not limited to, nutrition and healthy diet, exercise, mental health, sexual relationships, sexual health, contraception and use of legal highs, drugs, alcohol and tobacco. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18) In particular, staff should support children and young people not to smoke cigarettes. In addition, staff should support work undertaken by specialist

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Recommendations

agencies around drug use with children and young people.  The registered person should agree with their local police force, procedures and guidance on police involvement with the home to reduce unnecessary police involvement in managing behaviour and criminalisation of behaviours. Children should not be charged with offences resulting from behaviour within a children’s home that would not similarly lead to police involvement if it occurred in a family home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.40) In particular, the home should not use local police community support officers to Inspection report children’s home: SC454266 6 help manage the behaviour of children and young people in the home.  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as

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Recommendations

recorded in the child’s relevant plans, and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. The Statement of Purpose is an important document in the process of care planning, as it sets out the needs of children the home is set up and equipped to care for. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4) In particular, assessments undertaken before a child or young person moves into the home must include the impact of key factors in a child’s or young person’s history on those already living in the home.

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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: SC454266 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 W6 9RU

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Inspector

Jane Titley: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC454266 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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