Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Halton

Inspection report children’s home: 2542813 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

A private company owns this home. It provides care and accommodation for one young person who may have behavioural and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in September 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 requires improvement to be 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: Not applicable.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable.

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2542813 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

This is the home’s first inspection since registration. Inspection report children’s home: 2542813 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the home’s registration in September 2019, one young person has left and another young person has been admitted to the home. Good transition plans show that, prior to the young person coming to the home, staff visited the young person to provide her with all of the relevant information. A suitable impact risk assessment was completed, and consideration was given to the safer location report. This means that the manager was able to make an informed decision that the staff could meet the young person’s needs, and that the area was safe for her. The young person said, ‘The staff are great, and I love it here. I am happy, and this is because the staff listen to me and support me.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff have high aspirations for the young person. As a result, the young person is making good progress in most areas of her life. In particular, the young person has made significant progress in her education, relationships and behaviour. However, her progress is not fully recorded in her plans. Therefore, it is unclear what support the young person has received from the staff team to help her overcome barriers and past traumas. For example, the young person has been supported to remain in education and the manager was able to challenge an exclusion. Further to this, the manager was able to get the young person’s last personal education plan. However, there is little information on how these two things influenced the young person’s education. This is a recording issue, as the young person, staff and a professional all discussed the good progress that the young person is making.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The care provided by the staff is nurturing, caring and focused on helping the young person to achieve stability in her life. Change is supported step by step, and at the young person’s pace and ability. This approach allows her to develop confidence, as well as build her self-esteem and trust in appropriate adults. An independent reviewing officer said, ‘It is early days, but she has settled well, and staff have a clear understanding of her vulnerabilities and she has made good relationships with the staff.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person is in good health because the staff work closely with healthcare professionals. The young person has access to a counsellor on a regular basis. In addition to this, the staff have access to the company’s clinicians. Clinicians attend staff meetings and can give staff individual support when necessary. This consultative approach ensures that the staff have a consistent and planned approach to meeting the emotional needs of the young person.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support and nurture the young person’s relationship with her family. They facilitate and transport her to family contact visits. The young person is actively encouraged and supported to participate and be involved in making decisions about her care. The young person is asked her views through chats, direct-work sessions and house meetings and she is supported to attend her statutory reviews. As a Inspection report children’s home: 2542813 4 result, the young person said that she was confident that she was able to share her wishes, views and feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home presents as a lived-in family home. It is warm, welcoming and comfortable. The quality of the furniture and decoration is very good. The atmosphere in the home is very warm and calm.

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

The young person said that she feels happy and safe in this home. She knows that staff listen to her worries and do everything that they can to help her. The manager’s and the staff’s practice and the safeguarding arrangements help to protect the young person from harm. The young person has become increasingly safer from the risk of self-harm. Professionals acknowledge that this is a massive step forward for the young person.

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

The manager and staff take decisive action when they have concerns about the young person’s welfare, in line with safeguarding guidance. They work effectively with the placing authorities and professionals to manage risks to the young person. However, the manager did not send a safeguarding notification to Ofsted when there were serious concerns about a previous young person. This does not ensure that the regulator has a good overview of the action taken by the home.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the young person’s vulnerabilities and any concerns about her safety. Staff are vigilant and recognise signs that indicate that the young person may be at risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation. Staff continually assess the risks for the young person and take steps to make sure that the young person is protected.

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

The young person has not been reported missing from this home. However, there are clear individual protocols in place for staff to follow if young people are missing from the home or absent without permission.

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

There are good approaches to the management of behaviour in this home. Although staff have regular training in behaviour management and restraint, the young person has not been physically held while being at this home. This is because members of staff pride themselves on being able to divert or de-escalate negative or unacceptable behaviour. The home celebrates all achievements and continued good behaviour through agreed incentives and spontaneous recognition. For example, the young person has received a new fluffy blanket and make-up.

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

The young person lives in a physically safe environment where good health and safety procedures protect her. Staff carry out regular health and safety checks around the home and the young person and staff regularly practise how to leave the home safely in case of a fire. All visitors must give identification and sign in and out of the home. Inspection report children’s home: 2542813 5

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good

An experienced manager manages this home and another children’s home within the company. He has recently resigned and is working his notice period. A new acting manager has been recruited and she is working alongside the manager so that there is a smooth transition. There is an experienced deputy and a full staff team. Most of the staff have a relevant childcare qualification. One member of staff is expecting to complete this award soon. This means that the young person is cared for by a well- qualified and experienced team.

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good

The home is achieving its aims and objectives, as set out in the statement of purpose. However, the most recently revised document has not been sent to Ofsted. Staff benefit from monthly supervision sessions and annual appraisals. This provides them with the opportunity to reflect on and improve their practice. Staff meetings are regular and include discussions regarding the young person’s progress. However, the meetings do not include discussions about recent developments in research and legislation, or sharing of news items or social concerns, which would help to make sure that staff are up to date with social trends and developments. Staff complete suitable training which includes relevant subjects such as safeguarding, understanding child sexual exploitation and self-injurious behaviour. The manager is currently looking for bespoke training in suicide ideation. However, given that this information was known at the point of referral, staff would have

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good

benefited from having this training prior to, or immediately upon, this young person’s arrival, to ensure that their skills and knowledge remain current. The registered manager and staff work well within a multi-disciplinary team. Staff work in partnership with a host of professionals to ensure that the young person receives the help and support that she needs. Consequently, the young person is making steady progress and is growing in confidence and self-esteem.

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good

Records and plans for the young person are detailed and clearly set out her individual needs. However, some records do not clearly outline the young person’s journey through care, which is not helpful to the young person or staff in terms of planning for the young person’s future. Similarly, some documents are not signed by the author or the manager, such as placement plans. This does not ensure that everybody is aware of the content of the plans. Monitoring and review systems at the home help the manager to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the home and the staff team. Action is quickly taken to address any shortfalls and build on the strengths. Inspection report children’s home: 2542813 6

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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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child that the registered person considers to be serious; or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(b)(e)) 31/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 any care that is arranged or provided for a child satisfies the conditions in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

has the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver that care. (Regulation 6(1)(a)(b)(2)(d)(3)(c)(i)) 31/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— 31/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 2542813 7 research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met. (Regulation 13(1)(2)(g)(i)) The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revision and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) 31/03/2020

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5) This is specifically in relation to ensuring that the steps taken by staff, to secure good progress and outcomes, are clearly recorded within the young person’s documents.  Ensure that records kept in the children’s home are signed and dated by the author. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3) Inspection report children’s home: 2542813 8

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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: 2542813 9

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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

Pam Nuckley, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2542813 10 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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