Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC456911 1 SC456911 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private organisation. The home offers mental health support, education and care for up to six children who may have experienced trauma that has left them vulnerable. The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2018.

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Inspection date: 10 February 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC456911 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

One child displays some potentially self-harmful behaviours, but the staff have not received relevant training to equip them to manage these incidents.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has addressed four of the five requirements and the one recommendation that were raised at the last inspection. The manager has added information to the children’s guide on how to complain, monitored restraint records effectively, ensured that damages at the home have been repaired, and updated the behaviour management plans to reflect the risks associated with the children. The manager has had an appraisal. However, one staff member has not achieved a relevant level 3 diploma in the required timescale.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

External monitoring visits result in challenge to the home to improve practice. However, the visits have not always taken place when the children are at home. This reduces the children’s opportunities to speak about their experiences with someone who is separate from the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children have made good academic progress. The children, who were not attending school at the last inspection, are now attending and engaging well. One child is working towards taking his GCSEs and has already secured a sixth-form place for the next academic year. The staff have created a structured revision timetable to support this child’s exam preparation. This provides the child with increased opportunities to improve his GCSE grades.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Another child has improved his social skills and social understanding by attending school. Previously, this child had been reluctant to enter environments that he is not familiar with and engage with adults whom he does not know well. The staff have sensitively encouraged him to attend school, which he now does, independent of staff support. This is a marked achievement that is recognised by the child’s social worker and the wider staff team.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Both of the children’s social workers have noted academic progress and improvements in the children’s capacity to socialise appropriately with others. One social worker said, ‘His behaviour from the point of admission has massively improved.’ The staff successfully support the children to work towards the targets and objectives that are set out in their care plans.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff support the children’s hobbies and interests well. They provide the children with opportunities to engage locally, doing the things that they enjoy. These activities include scootering, visiting bike parks and playing pool in the local area. Inspection report children’s home: SC456911 3 The staff recognise that bullying can be an issue at the home. The staff supervise the children effectively. This minimises opportunities for bullying to arise. When bullying is encountered, the staff discuss with the children the reasons and feelings behind their behaviours. Display boards in the home provide anti-bullying information and the subject is explored in the children’s house meetings.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children feel happy at this home. One child refused to move to a foster placement as he wished to continue living at the home. This is a strong indicator that this child’s experience of living at the home has been positive.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager undertakes monitoring activities that evaluate and review the provision of care well. She identifies strengths and areas for improvement. The manager uses a variety of data to make an informed view about the strengths and weaknesses of the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager attends community meetings with the police, social workers and other children’s home managers. The meetings involve information sharing and discussion. They increase the manager’s awareness of issues affecting the local area and enable her to put effective safeguards in place when there are concerns that could affect the children. Inspection report children’s home: SC456911 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/07/2019 Full Good 17/12/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 17/04/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/10/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC456911 5

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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 that staff—

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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;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, train the staff in safe ligature removal. 28/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (‘the Level 3 Diploma’); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1 April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1 April 2014, 1 April 2016. (Regulation 32(4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)) 02/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC456911 6

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Recommendations

 Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5) In particular, ensure that the independent visitor gains the children’s views.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC456911 7

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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

Lianne Bradford, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC456911 8 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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