Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 2496625 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for two children and/or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The registered manager has been in post since the home was registered in 2018 and has a recognised qualification in leadership and management.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people live in a home that is warm and welcoming and where they have good relationships with members of staff. Children and young people feel that this home is their home and spoke positively about the care they receive.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people make some progress with their education, particularly when they have a full timetable. However, the educational attainment of some children and young people has been poor, due to a lack of school placement. This affects their confidence in their academic abilities and makes it harder for them to return to school or college.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One child’s experience of moving on from the home was poor. The planning and risk assessments lacked rigour, and the engagement with the placing authorities was poor. Inspection report children’s home: 2496625 2 As a result, the move was chaotic and a negative experience for the child.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The ability of staff to manage the behaviour of children and young people is mixed. On occasion, incidents have been managed by the police attending the home. This undermines the position of staff members and could result in the criminalisation of children and young people. The staff team has had some additional training in managing behaviour, but the impact of this is not clear.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Members of staff speak to children and young people about important issues. The effectiveness of these conversations is mixed. There is no review of the approach that members of staff use, even when children and young people continue to engage in risk- taking behaviour. As a result, the progress that children and young people make is limited.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

When children and young people are missing from home, members of staff follow the home’s procedures closely. This offers the best chance of children and young people being found and returned home quickly. Children and young people know that their carers worry about them and act to ensure their safety.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people continue to be involved in the running of the home. They know their views are important to their carers and they expect to be consulted about key events.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager ensures that supervision of staff members takes place regularly. Team meetings are well attended. There has been improvement in some aspects of monitoring, particularly file audits. Members of staff reported that the registered manager is approachable and is generally available for support.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has not ensured that staff receive training on the risks from ligatures. This was a requirement at the last inspection. Although the inspector was told that this training will take place shortly, the requirement is repeated.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home continues to have insufficient numbers of staff to care for the children and young people. As a result, the registered manager has continued to be part of the sleep- in rota. This has reduced her oversight of the home, including the overall progress of children and young people. This was an issue at the last inspection and a requirement made then is repeated.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The case files do not show consistent evidence for decision-making. Children and young people will struggle to understand the decisions made by members of staff and other professionals, if they want to read their files now or in the future.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Members of staff contact professionals about the care planning for children and young people. However, there is insufficient challenge when requests for additional support or services go unmet. Leaders and managers do not escalate concerns with senior members of the professional network. This leads to the needs of some children and young people being ignored for too long. Inspection report children’s home: 2496625 3 The registered manager has not ensured that notifications of serious incidents have been made appropriately to the regulator. There has been unacceptable delay despite the inspector previously giving advice.

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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, the 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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement; help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(vi) and (viii)) In particular, staff must escalate any issues with children and young people returning to an appropriate form of education, as soon as those issues are identified. 31/10/2019

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the 31/10/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 2496625 4 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; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii) and (vi)) In particular, staff should be provided with training on the risks associated with self-harm, including specific training on ligatures. The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the

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Requirement Due date

children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; 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)(a)(b)(c)(d) and (f)) In particular, the registered provider should ensure that the home has enough suitably qualified staff, who have the skills to

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of children and young people. 31/10/2019

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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 31/10/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 2496625 5 have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) and (b)) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; 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); or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40

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Requirement Due date

(4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii) and (e)) 30/09/2019

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Recommendations

 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)

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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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and Inspection report children’s home: 2496625 6 experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Metropolitan House, 3 Drakes Road, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Inspector:

Jane Titley, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2496625 7 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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