Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: SC478468 1 SC478468 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for five children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is currently working with five children, aged between 11 and 16. The home forms part of a large social care company.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has a manager who was registered by Ofsted on 20 March 2018 but is currently on maternity leave. The deputy manager has stepped up into the position of manager in the interim and has been registered with Ofsted.

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Inspection date: 6 February 2020

Date of last inspection: 3 September 2019

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Inspection date: 6 February 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC478468 2

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children 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 sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, requirements were raised relating to the monitoring of the home by the manager and the failure to notify Ofsted when the police are called to the home. The manager has addressed these shortfalls, and both requirements from the last inspection have been complied with. A recommendation encouraging children to have some in-house education during periods of exclusion or a reduced timetable has also been addressed, with the manager producing an excellent file of resources and ideas that staff can use to make education fun in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, no children have left the home and one child has moved into the home. The child has started to settle well, after a significant period of missing, prior to and over the Christmas period. Relationships are now starting to form, and there has been some progress since the child came to the home. There have been significant difficulties in securing the child a purposeful educational placement, but the provider is working with the local authority to achieve this. The child has an education plan in place which they are encouraged to follow.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children who have lived in the home for some time have generally engaged well with it’s routines and activities. They enjoy positive relationships with the staff, and these relationships were noted to be used effectively and in the children’s best interests. One professional spoke of the work the home had done around getting education in place for a child, commenting, ‘Staff at [the home] worked with the local authority and school to formulate a transition plan and integrated at a pace right for him.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are making positive progress towards moving on, and one child has started to take part in an independence programme. Currently they are not attending education. However, the manager is working hard to find alternative education placements, such as car mechanic courses, to engage the child in. The child is also actively looking for work.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children do periodically present significant challenges. The managers and staff were noted to have a good understanding of when difficulties were likely to arise and to plan very thoughtfully how to support children through these. The staff are confident in their relationships with children, treat them maturely, and seek to be understanding, not controlling. Children appreciate this.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Records and analysis demonstrated that restraints and sanctions are used relatively infrequently and are subject to careful scrutiny. They are always proportionate to the event, and the children are encouraged to reflect on and record their views about them. Inspection report children’s home: SC478468 3 Episodes of missing from care are well managed. Children’s risks and habits are well known and planned for. Since the last inspection, there have been children missing from the home. Some missing episodes are for long periods, from an overnight absence to over a week at a time. All are carefully recorded, because of the vulnerability of some children. Staff will follow children and, if they judge it practical, persuade them to return. The manager attends multi-agency strategy meetings to work together with other professionals to come up with solutions that will bring the children back into the care of the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The leadership and management of this home are effective. The registered manager has created a clear ethos in which the needs of the children come first, and this is clearly impressed on the staff. The manager leads by example, but also trusts the skills that her staff have developed. This was evident in the management of children during some challenging exchanges on the day of the inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are no requirements or recommendations arising as a result of this inspection. Inspection report children’s home: SC478468 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/09/2019 Full Good 05/03/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 22/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC478468 5

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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 Darkes Road, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Elaine Clare, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC478468 6 to 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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