Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Manchester

Inspection report children’s home: SC043972 1 SC043972 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 children’s home is one of a number of children’s homes run by a large private organisation. It is registered to offer care and accommodation for up to five young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 23 September 2019

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC043972 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 time of this inspection, four young people are living at the home. One young person has been discharged since the last inspection. This young person was supported over a prolonged period of time to return to the care of his family.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two young people have been admitted since the last inspection. Both young people have quickly settled at the home. One young person was already known to some staff, having been cared for previously in one of the organisation’s other homes. As a result, he has some established relationships.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s assessments and plans are good, regularly updated and followed in practice. All relevant local authority information is on young people’s case records. This was a recommendation of the last inspection. However, plans and assessments are not routinely being signed by all staff. As a result, it is not clear who has read the plans. In addition, one young person’s health plan contained inaccurate information. This had not been identified as an error by the wider staff team.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In response to a recommendation from the last inspection, recording of the regular one-to-one work between young people and staff has been improved. Recording is now young-person focused. As a result, young people can see more clearly how the work is supporting them to make progress.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is a mixed picture in terms of the progress of young people in education and training. This is because engagement with education is variable. Two young people with places in secondary school are currently not managing to attend full-time. One young person is attending college part-time. One young person, who has recently been admitted to the home, has no education or training in place. As a result, young people are not making sufficient progress. Staff work proactively with education professionals and placing authorities to try to promote young people’s attendance and participation in their education.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, young people have been safeguarded effectively. There have been no incidents of physical intervention in the home. There is no bullying. There have been two incidents of unauthorised absence from the home, which have received an appropriate response. The home remains a calm and stable place for young people. Young people who have been at the home for a longer period of time have established a sense of permanence and belonging.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Most young people in the home smoke. They keep cigarettes and lighters in their rooms. There is no risk assessment in place for this practice. There are no young- person focused policies or procedures. Some young people have been referred to Inspection report children’s home: SC043972 3 smoking-cessation services, although there has been little engagement with this. There is a lack of robust challenge and support to young people, which would promote an active non-smoking culture in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One requirement was made at the last inspection in respect of the safety of the home. In response to this, new gates have been fitted and a new kitchen installed. This requirement is met. Recommended improvements to young people’s bedrooms have also been completed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In response to a recommendation made at the last inspection, the home is now developing its practice in respect of life-story work. While some progress has been made in this area, this is still in its infancy.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The performance of the home is scrutinised effectively by an independent person who visits the home each month. The reports prepared for the home are well written and provide an impartial assessment about the quality of young people’s care and the effectiveness of the home’s safeguarding arrangements. This system complements the registered manager’s internal monitoring activities and means that there are effective systems for reviewing and improving the performance of the home. Young people benefit from a home that is managed efficiently and effectively. Inspection report children’s home: SC043972 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/09/2019 Full Good 12/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC043972 5

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of clear and objective recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way which is helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) This is with particular reference to the accuracy of information.  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations

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Recommendations

including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) This is with particular reference to risk assessments and plans being signed and dated by the author and, when read, by the wider staff team.  The registered person is responsible for ensuring that each child’s day to day health and well-being needs are met. Staff should work to make the children’s home an environment that supports children’s physical, mental and emotional health, in line with the approach set out in the home’s Statement of Purpose. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3) Specifically, the registered person should provide written guidance which details the home’s approach to the use and storage of cigarettes, e-cigarettes and related equipment by young people, and smoking-cessation should be consistently promoted. Inspection report children’s home: SC043972 6

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Information about this inspection

Ofsted is aware of the challenges that Covid-19 is currently posing to those we inspect. During this visit, the inspector took into consideration the impact of any measures being taken to slow the spread of Coronavirus by the home. This has included the effect these have had on staffing arrangements.

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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: SC043972 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

Dawn Parton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC043972 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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