Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: SC483846 1 SC483846 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 large private organisation and it is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a suitably qualified registered manager.

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Inspection date: 9 March 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC483846 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.

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children and young people since the most recent 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

Since the last inspection, the home has been through an unsettled period. There has been an increase in incidents at the home. This has coincided with changes in the management team. This unsettled period has had an impact on children’s previously positive experiences. Damage to the home is evident, and the property does not currently present as homely and nurturing, although the home remains welcoming.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite these challenges, most children continue to make progress. Children have positive relationships with staff. The staff speak warmly about the children. They increasingly understand the triggers for children’s behaviour and benefit from consultation with the in-house psychologist. This consultation gives staff the space to reflect and supports the home’s preferred model of practice. Staff are attuned to the particular vulnerabilities of the children whom they care for.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is evidence of staff carrying out direct work with children. This consists of helpful discussions, often in response to incidents or concerns. Although specific key-work sessions are planned, they are seldom implemented in full. More purposeful direct work is required to support and accelerate children’s progress. It is difficult to see how children get involved in contributing their views or having a say in how they are cared for.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff understand the value of education for children. They recognise both the academic and the social benefits of formal education. Children’s progress in accessing full-time education is slow, but in order to help them to reach their potential the staff support children to keep trying.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Risks to children are well known and understood. Staff work with children to support them in reducing their risk-taking behaviours. Staff have managed difficult dynamics between the children, and this has proven very challenging for staff, at times. Some staff have been hurt in the process of setting and maintaining boundaries and/or keeping children safe. At the point when the home was particularly unsettled, the staff were not being adequately supported through supervision. This situation has now improved.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has good oversight of how the home is run. Incident reports are evaluated and any needs identified as arising from these incidents are responded to. When children go missing from the home, staff follow the home’s procedures well. Records are detailed, and staff do what they can to expedite children’s safe return to the home. There are sometimes delays in children receiving an independent return- Inspection report children’s home: SC483846 3 home interview. Sometimes, multiple requests are made of placing authorities, along with requests for strategy meetings to discuss multiple missing-from-care incidents. While persistence in requesting independent return home interviews is evident, there is a lack of escalation to more senior local authority staff when these requests are not responded to in a timely manner. A requirement has been made to ensure that staff advocate for children more purposefully.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Inspection report children’s home: SC483846 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/06/2019 Full Good 23/01/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 03/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/01/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC483846 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff–

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the need to escalate concerns when requests for independent return-home interviews and/or strategy meetings in response to children going missing from the home are not responded to in a timely manner by placing local authorities. 01/05/2020

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home’s regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  Children must be consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Due consideration should be given to the child’s cognitive ability in the development and implementation of any consultation processes. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home’s regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22,

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Recommendations

paragraph 4.11) This specifically relates to the need to use key-work sessions more effectively and ensure that planned, good quality direct work is carried out which helps to shape the care being provided. Inspection report children’s home: SC483846 6

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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: SC483846 7

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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

Corrinne Barker, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC483846 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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