Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Worcestershire

Assurance visit report: SC478134 1 SC478134

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to four children who have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager is qualified to level 4 in leadership and management, and registered with Ofsted in June 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 22 October 2019

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Requires improvement to be good

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic. Assurance visit report: SC478134 2

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit.

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The care of children

Staff are good at ensuring that children receive care and support that responds to their individual needs.

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The care of children

The registered manager ensured during lockdown that the children were able to stay in touch with their family. The registered manager has challenged placing local authorities and, where necessary, brought in advocacy services to ensure that children’s rights are upheld. As a result, children have benefited from speaking to their families by using online technology or through face-to-face contact when it has been safe to do so. This has enabled children to stay in touch with people who are important in their lives.

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The care of children

All the children have only lived at the home for a few months. Despite this short time, the staff have been proactive in supporting each child to secure a college placement. Staff have liaised with colleges and supported the children with completing their applications. This support has enabled children to have future aspirations.

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The care of children

Staff have used the national lockdown period to enable children to learn new skills and try new activities. For example, children have taken part in garden improvements and played board games for the first time. When the end of school prom was cancelled, the registered manager supported the children to have their own prom in the home. Everyone got dressed up and a special pink vehicle was arranged. This has enabled children to not miss out on positive childhood memories.

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The safety of children

The registered manager has educated the staff around recognising the signs of danger. This has included guiding children in developing relationships that are safe and supportive. This child-centred support has helped children to recognise the dangers of going missing from home and to learn new ways of managing their emotions safely.

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The safety of children

Children have been helped to understand how to stay safe as a result of the COVID- 19 pandemic. Staff have appropriately challenged the children and helped them to understand the reason for the necessary restrictions.

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The safety of children

Staff work hard to create a homely, warm, kind and friendly environment. Staff make sure that they listen to children so that they learn more about their individual needs. As a result, the staff are knowledgeable, skilled and confident in how to keep children safe. Assurance visit report: SC478134 3

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager is new to the home. All professionals and staff speak positively about him and the level of support he has given to the children and staff team in a short period of time. One member of staff told the inspector, ‘We had a great group of people and he turned them into a team.’

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Leaders and managers

The manager has brought in a learning culture. This has taken the staff on a journey of improvement both in their skills and their knowledge. Consequently, children are being cared for by staff who are caring, supportive, kind, reliable, fair and patient. The registered manager regularly consults the children and stakeholders and uses this feedback to improve the care and experiences provided for children.

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Leaders and managers

The independent visitor has continued to monitor the progress and well-being of the children. Visits at the height of lockdown were carried out remotely. As the restrictions have relaxed, the independent visitor has returned to on-site visits. Children can always share their views with the visitor and any recommendations raised have been dealt with swiftly.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager provides staff with regular supervision. However, the records of the staff supervisions are not always up to date.

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Leaders and managers

The requirements made at the last inspection have been met. For example, the registered manager now ensures that staff and children are spoken to after a physical intervention. The six-monthly review of care now considers the views of children, and rotas now accurately reflect which staff are working on any given day. The registered manager has now ensured that staff who are working in the home have the skills and qualifications necessary for residential childcare.

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Recommendations

 It is good practice for a note of the content and/or outcomes of supervision sessions to be kept and to ensure that both the person giving the supervision and staff member have a copy of the record. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4) Assurance visit report: SC478134 4

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Cambian Child Care Limited, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Louise Battersby, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC478134 5 to achieve excellence in the care of children and children, 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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