Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Torbay

Inspection report children’s home: SC457318 1 SC457318 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a large national organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for two young people who have emotional and behavioural needs and/or learning disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 17 to 18 December 2019

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 10 December 2018

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC457318 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/12/2018 Full Outstanding 17/10/2017 Full Good 24/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 08/09/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC457318 3

p.2

Recommendations

 For homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  Children’s homes’ staff should encourage children to take a proactive role in looking after their day-to-day health and well-being. Where children have specific health needs or conditions, they should be supported to manage these, subject to their age and understanding. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.10)

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people have lived at this home for a number of years and consider this to be their home. They make good progress as a result of the good-quality, nurturing care provided by the manager and the staff.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make progress with their education from their starting points. One young person is thriving at mainstream school and was recently awarded the school’s ‘student of the month’ award. The manager and the staff actively challenge professionals if a young person is not receiving the educational provision that they need and deserve.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The healthcare needs of the young people are fully met at the home. The staff ensure that regular reviews of young people’s medication take place. As a result, young people no longer need to take prescription medication. The staff research any diagnosed medical conditions the young people may have so that their healthcare plans are fully informed and give clear directions about how best to support them.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff carefully and sensitively prepare young people when it is time for them to move to an adult home. The young people are expected to budget, plan their meals and cook for themselves, as well as undertaking their own laundry and personal care tasks. The staff do not always use creative strategies to ensure that young people are completing tasks such as planning and cooking healthy meals, and getting up on time to attend education.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff ensure that the young people enjoy a range of leisure and social activities. The young people are encouraged to participate in school clubs and visit friends. In the summer, one young person enjoyed a trip to London with the staff. Inspection report children’s home: SC457318 4 Professionals commented positively on the quality of the care provided for their young person, and how much progress their young person has made since arriving at the home.

p.3

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

A strength of the home is how well the young people are kept safe by the staff and learn to keep themselves safe. The young people reported that they feel very safe living at the home.

p.4

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

The young people came to live at the home following multiple moves, as previous carers found it hard to manage their behaviour and keep them safe. From their starting points, the behaviour of the young people has significantly improved. Restraint and sanctions are not used by the staff and the young people do not go missing from the home.

p.4

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

The staff are very vigilant. They know the young people very well and quickly notice if a young person’s behaviour has changed, or if a young person is worried about something. Any safeguarding concerns are promptly followed up and investigated, helping to ensure the safety of the young people.

p.4

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

The manager and the staff learn from any incidents. They fully involve the young people in discussions about how incidents could be managed differently in the future, and support the young people to learn from their mistakes. Positive behaviour and achievements are praised and rewarded.

p.4

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

The young people benefit from being given the opportunity to take managed risks that help them to learn and develop. For example, one young person will soon be leaving the home to live semi-independently. The staff go out and leave the young person alone in the home for short periods of time. This is so that the young person can experience what it is like to be on their own in the house.

p.4

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

The assessment of risk is comprehensive and effective. Clear guidance is in place to manage identified risks. A location risk assessment includes details of any identified risks around the location of the home and how these risks can be minimised.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An experienced, well-trained and qualified manager competently manages this home. She provides strong leadership and management in the home, and is well respected by the staff. She succeeds in creating a culture in the home of high expectations and aspirations for the young people. The young people benefit from the positive and enthusiastic atmosphere in the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and the staff clearly enjoy caring for the young people and supporting Inspection report children’s home: SC457318 5 them to succeed and make progress. The staff team is very consistent and stable. There have not been any changes in the staff team since the previous inspection. Many of the staff have worked at the home for a number of years.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff reported that they are very well trained and supervised. Training is provided in all essential topics, such as safeguarding, first aid and restraint. Staff can request additional training as required or when it is identified through supervision. The manager is proactive in sourcing any training that the staff need in order to meet the specialist care needs of the young people.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some areas of the home have an ‘institutional’ appearance. Downstairs, the flooring has recently been replaced with a practical, but ‘institutional’, type of flooring. During the inspection, locks on internal doors were replaced with domestic-type locks and excessive fire signage was removed by the manager.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is aware of the strengths of the home and the areas for improvement. The home’s development plan is informed by inspections and monthly visits carried out by an independent person. Prompt action is taken to address any areas for improvement. The recommendation made at the previous inspection is fully met.

p.5

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.

p.5

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: SC457318 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

p.6

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Victoria Elworthy

p.6

Inspector

Tina Maddison: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC457318 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7