Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Shropshire

Inspection report children’s home: 1159385 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned home registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people. It provides a minimum 12-month, full-time treatment programme for children and young people who have experienced or are at risk of sexual exploitation. No registered manager has been in post since October 2018. The current manager has recently had her registration interview with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 24 to 25 September 2019

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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: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

During the last full inspection on 15 and 16 May 2019, the home was judged inadequate in all areas. A restriction of accommodation and one compliance notice relating to leadership and management were issued by Ofsted on 22 May 2019. The restriction of accommodation was lifted and the compliance notice was judged to be met following a monitoring visit on 26 June 2019. Inspection report children’s home: 1159385 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/05/2019 Full Inadequate 02/10/2018 Full Good 27/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 27/07/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1159385 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 recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. (Regulation 32 (1)) 28/10/2019

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Recommendations

 Provide care which meets each child’s needs and promotes their welfare, taking into account the child’s gender, religion, ethnicity, cultural and linguistic background, sexual identity, mental health, any disability, their assessed needs, previous experiences and any relevant plans. (Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.2) In particular, be aware of all documented historical information relating to young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last full inspection in May 2019, leaders and managers have made good progress in all areas, and have systematically addressed the shortfalls. During a monitoring visit in June 2019, it was evident that significant progress had already been made. This progress has been sustained. Staff support the young person currently living at the home to make sustained, positive progress. This includes improving her health, with staff encouraging physical activity and healthy eating and discouraging smoking. Staff support the young person to attend education and they keep clear records of her achievements and progress. Staff support the young person to make friends with peers in and outside school. This allows the young person to engage in the local community in a positive way. Staff encourage a range of activities relevant to the young person’s needs and interests, including football, cadets, work experience and baking.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager has maintained a core staff team, to promote consistency and positive relationships between the young person and staff. The manager has a plan to increase staffing levels prior to new young people living in the home. This has been well considered and will ensure that the staff team is diverse, with differing skills and experience. Inspection report children’s home: 1159385 4 Staff appropriately support the young person to develop her independence skills, teaching her to budget, shop for food and cook healthy meals. The young person is fully involved in her independence planning and is motivated to develop her self-care skills. The manager and staff support the young person to see her family. Arrangements are clear and in line with the local authority’s plans. The manager has supported staff to facilitate and supervise family visits, by delivering workshops to staff to ensure that they are fully prepared and aware of the manager’s expectations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff keep the young person’s records up to date. Staff actively request relevant documents from professionals to support them to understand the young person’s past experiences. Overall, staff have a good understanding of the young person’s needs and are proud when she makes progress. However, on one occasion, staff were unaware of some key information until the young person shared the information with staff. The information was documented in the local authority paperwork, and therefore staff should have been aware of it. The impact on the young person was minimal because staff acted appropriately on hearing the information.

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

No restraints or incidents have taken place since the last full inspection in May 2019. The manager has continued to develop staff and improve their knowledge. Consequently, staff are well prepared should an incident happen and are confident in the action that they need to take. Staff carry out regular key-work sessions with the young person. These are well recorded and provide the young person with the knowledge that she will need to keep herself safe in the future. Planned key-work sessions utilise tools which are overseen by the provider’s clinical psychologist. There is a monthly overview sheet of sessions (planned and unplanned), which allows the manager and staff to spot themes during the month and address emerging issues in a proactive way. The manager and staff take effective action when needed to keep the young person safe. The manager has made appropriate referrals to the local authority and addressed

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

former safeguarding shortfalls from the last full inspection to ensure that all previous concerns have been managed appropriately. The risk assessments used by staff are detailed, relevant and take into account the young person’s specific needs. There are also clear protocols about how to work with the police should the young person go missing. This gives staff the information that they need. The manager generally ensures that staff are safely recruited. However, recruitment checks need to be improved when employing staff who have lived and worked overseas. For example, on one occasion an international criminal check was not completed during the recruitment process for one member of staff. The manager is addressing this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has made good progress in improving the quality of care provided to the young person and ensuring that they are safe from harm. The home has gone from being judged ‘inadequate’ to ‘good’ in a four-month period. The manager has been well Inspection report children’s home: 1159385 5 supported by the responsible individual and both have addressed the concerns that had been raised relating to incidents, poor matching and safeguarding when the home was managed by a different manager. Managers made the commendable decision not to admit any young people when the notice restricting accommodation was lifted in June 2019. The manager focused on providing training to staff to ensure that they now have the skills and abilities to confidently care for young people living in the home. The manager is not planning to admit another young person soon. This is because she wants transitions into and out of the home to be positive and successful.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has spent time reflecting on past concerns and has identified learning points, which have been shared with staff through supervisions, training and team meetings. As such, the progress within the home has been a team effort. The manager has listened to staff and supported them through the changes that have taken place. Staff spoke positively about the manager and recognised the progress that has been made. Staff are committed to helping the young person to achieve the best outcomes. A social worker was equally positive about the manager and the progress that the young person has made. The manager provides staff with regular supervision. Sessions discuss practice, safeguarding and well-being. The manager is developing a supportive staff culture where staff achievements are celebrated, and staff are listened to. The manager now looks at young people’s outcomes after they leave the home. This

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

allows managers to reflect on young people’s longer-term outcomes and look at the impact that the home has had on young people’s futures.

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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: 1159385 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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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

Lisa O’Donovan, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1159385 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 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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