Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 2544803 1 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

This privately owned home provides care for up to four children aged 11 to 18. The children and most of the staff moved from a registered children’s home, operated by the same organisation, that is now closed. The manager has been registered for this home since it opened, in September 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 28 to 29 November 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

Date of last inspection: This is the first inspection.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2544803 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

This is the home’s first inspection. Inspection report children’s home: 2544803 3

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Recommendations

 Any home using monitoring equipment should have a written policy describing how this will support the safeguarding and well-being of those living and working in the home in accordance with regulation 24. Homes must gain consent to any monitoring or surveillance by the placing authority in writing at the time of placement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.16) In particular, obtain consent in writing from the child’s placing authority for the use of door alarms and ensure that the suitability of these measures is kept under review.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy living at this home. They benefit from good-quality care in comfortable surroundings. Staff are trusted by the children, which helps to create a safe and relaxed living environment. A calm home life means that the children make progress and achieve good outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The move to new premises was a smooth transition for all. Decisions on the renovation and design of the property were made in full consultation with the children. This has given the children a strong sense of investment in their new home. The children take good care of the home, which is presented and maintained to an excellent standard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that the children feel nurtured. One child is supported to care for her pet guinea pigs. Children enjoy dog walks in the surrounding countryside. Games nights and parties enable the children to socialise and enjoy family time together. These everyday experiences mean that children develop a sense of normality in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Activities are tailored around the children’s individual interests. A child who has a passion for horses goes riding twice a week. One child has built up an online community through ‘vlogging’. This child went with staff to a ‘Winter in the city’ event that involved workshops and discussion panels about online content creation, diversity and mental health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is valued. The staff motivate the children to do well and plan for their future. Staff use their local knowledge and relationships with other professionals to provide educational support. The manager is persistent in escalating challenge when there are delays in sourcing education provision for children who live away from their local area. Staff understand that some children find school difficult and they listen to the children’s Inspection report children’s home: 2544803 4 views about their education. This helps children to feel understood.

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

The manager ensures that the staff have the information that they need to keep children safe. The staff have a good understanding of their responsibility for safeguarding and how to respond to incidents. Risk management strategies are reviewed and discussed in team meetings. These discussions help to achieve consistency in staff practice.

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

The children spoke about the good relationships that they have with the staff. They said that there is no bullying or aggression at this home. Staff talk openly with the children during key-work sessions about risks. They listen to the children’s views so that the children have a stake in their own safety planning. Strong, trusting relationships and open and honest discussions between staff and children contribute to children’s understanding and management of risks.

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

Staff think carefully about the impact that trauma has on some behaviours. Restraint is not used. Staff understand the individual children and their histories well, which means that they know how to prevent behaviour from escalating.

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

There has been learning from a recent incident in which a child went missing. Strong relationships with the police and social workers enabled the child to be returned quickly. Staff training has been arranged in understanding exploitation to support the staff to respond to these risks effectively.

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

Staff give high levels of emotional support to a child who self-harms. Room searches are undertaken sensitively, and professional guidance is followed to reduce these risks.

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

Clear boundaries and expectations are understood by the staff and children. Disagreements are talked through sensitively, and restorative work repairs relationships. Children said that everyone gets along with each other. The children have a calm home life, which creates space for them to do well in other areas of their lives.

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

Door alarms are used at the home. The children have been consulted and agreed to the use of door alarms. However, social workers have not provided written consent, and these restrictive measures are not regularly reviewed to ensure that the ongoing use is necessary and proportionate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A highly competent manager leads the home. The manager was commended for creating a strong team spirit and positive ethos by a visiting professional. She said that the manager provides ‘an incredibly supportive and understanding environment’. Staff recently presented the manager with an engraved trophy of appreciation, and he was nominated for an external award. Children benefit from the harmonious relationships Inspection report children’s home: 2544803 5 between the adults who care for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a strong advocate for the children and builds good relationships with them. He has a good understanding of the children’s progress and drives forward plans to ensure that the children receive the best possible care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff morale and retention rates are high. A new staff member talked about a close-knit team and a carefully planned induction. She said, ‘I feel blown away by the support here and the passion that the staff have for caring for children.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Relationships with neighbours and the local community are positive. Effective networking has helped the children settle into the new location and to feel a sense of community. The children feel a strong sense of belonging at their new home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management systems for monitoring the home are well organised and effective. A detailed development plan gives a clear overview of the strengths and weaknesses. New resources are made available in response to the changing needs. Staff are encouraged to access resources that give information on developing resilience. The high levels of support for the staff mean that the children benefit from high standards of individualised care from a competent staff team.

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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: 2544803 6

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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 Darkes Road, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Angela Weston: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2544803 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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