Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1280629 1 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 is a privately owned children’s home that is registered to provide care and accommodation for three young people who have experienced adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and presenting complex behaviours and social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 16 to 17 December 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: 15 October 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/10/2019 Full Inadequate 29/01/2019 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1280629 2

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

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; and help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)) 02/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)) 02/02/2020

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers have taken swift and effective action to address shortfalls identified in the last full inspection. This swift action now means that the safety and the quality of care of the young people has significantly improved. Inspection report children’s home: 1280629 3 Since the last inspection, one young person has left the home and moved on to a different placement. No further young people have been admitted since the last inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff now ensure that young people are involved in day-to-day decisions. This is achieved by holding regular house meetings, carrying out key-work sessions and having daily interaction with the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are good links with specialist health services, such as mental health. This means that young people receive specialist input that is tailored to meet their individual needs. Young people’s medication is stored and administered safely by trained and competent staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Suitable education arrangements are now in place for all young people. These are tailored to their needs and consider their previous educational circumstances.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have clear plans in place to ensure that they retain positive links with family members and carers. Staff clearly understand the importance of these links and, if required, support these arrangements. This ensures that young people continue to build relationships and attachments with those significant to them.

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

Since the home’s last inspection, the home has become more settled and there have been less incidents. The use of physical restraint has now reduced. This is because staff are now focused on using more de-escalation techniques and apply a more restorative practice approach to care. Missing from care episodes have also reduced. All incidents are now monitored and evaluated effectively by the manager.

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

Young people’s risks are adequately identified. However, some of the assessment of risk levels posed by young people is incorrect. For example, some young people’s behaviour has been scored as low when recent information would suggest it should be medium. This means that staff are working with documents that do not reflect the accurate status of the young people’s presenting risks.

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

Staff make sure that the home is safe. This includes carrying out regular health and safety checks and making sure that equipment is serviced. Staff and the young people practise the home’s fire evacuation procedure.

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

Young people are protected by the organisation’s recruitment practice. Staff are vetted and assessed as suitable before any appointment is confirmed. These procedures promote the safety of the young people by preventing unsuitable adults from working with them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has left the company without notice. Inspection report children’s home: 1280629 4 Leaders and managers have acted swiftly and redeployed an experienced manager to support the staff and to oversee improvements in the home. Leaders and managers have identified development areas for the staff team and have ensured that young people are happy and settled.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager sets high expectations of the staff. She uses staff meetings and supervision well to communicate messages and expectations. The manager is developing a supportive staff culture where staff achievements are celebrated and staff are listened to.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Records show that improvements in training and induction are taking place. However, some staff still lack the necessary skills to manage the needs of the young people who live in the home. For example, staff have not received training around internet safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are either qualified to a level 3 diploma in residential childcare or are working towards gaining the qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Strong working relationships exist with other professionals such as the police, teachers and social workers. As a result, young people benefit from a holistic approach to their care. Effective communication ensures that information is shared quickly, which helps to keep young people safe.

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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: 1280629 5

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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

Dave Carrigan: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1280629 6 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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