Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Herefordshire

Assurance visit report: SC457923 1 SC457923

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately operated children’s home. It provides care and accommodation for up to four young people up to the age of 18 who have a variety of challenging behaviours and complex needs. The manager has been in post since September 2020 and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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. 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.

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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. Assurance visit report: SC457923 2

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The care of children

Children benefit from having trusting relationships with the staff. Staff take time to get to know each child individually. Staff understand the difficulties in each child’s life and help to support them with these through regular ‘check-ins’ and chats about how they are feeling. This enables children to make progress with their social and emotional well-being.

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The care of children

Children continue to stay in touch with their family. Staff ensure that the use of video technology is available for regular communication during times of lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, one child continues to have weekly contact with their siblings using video calls. Staff have good relationships with parents and arrange for children to see their families when they are able to do so safely with social distancing.

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The care of children

Despite the many challenges faced by the COVID-19 pandemic, staff have continued to work closely with schools. One headteacher said, ‘Communication is good, and the home is clear with what [child] can cope with. We work together to make successful integrations with school.’ The good communication between staff and the child’s headteacher helps to ensure that the child’s emotional needs are understood and well managed.

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The care of children

Children share their views about their care. Staff encourage children to take part in weekly meetings where they discuss likes and dislikes. Staff support them to develop hobbies and interests. A new child who will be joining the home soon has been able to attend weekly meetings with use of video technology. This helps the child to begin to develop positive relationships with the other children and staff.

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The safety of children

Risk management plans are clear and effective. Plans inform staff of each child’s risks and how to reduce these risks effectively. Children understand the current risks of COVID-19 and the rules around social distancing. Staff regularly discuss with children their vulnerabilities and risks. This openness to talk allows children to reflect and to make safer decisions.

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The safety of children

Children benefit from consistent boundaries and expectations. Staff understand the complex needs of the children and alter their approach to suit these needs. For example, a child who presents a risk of going missing to be with family is encouraged to keep daily contact. Staff also regularly contact family members on the child’s behalf. This has enabled anxieties to reduce and minimised urges to become missing from care.

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The safety of children

Staff use a range of skills to de-escalate situations. Incident reports detail strategies used and offer clear justification when the use of physical intervention has taken place. Some reports fail to show the time, location and description of measures used and durations. This prevents managers from being able to clearly identify patterns in Assurance visit report: SC457923 3 staff’s practice and make improvements to the way in which staff manage children’s challenging behaviour.

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The safety of children

Staff are aware of the procedures to follow regarding complaints and allegations of abuse. Children receive support when making complaints and are kept up to date with progress and outcomes. All staff receive safeguarding training. This enables staff to understand the impact of abuse and neglect and to be able to respond to potential risks to keep children safe and protected.

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Leaders and managers

A new management team is in place in the home. Managers have met the requirements made at the last inspection. These include staff receiving supervision in line with the organisation’s policy and ensuring that recruitment is safe.

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Leaders and managers

Managers review plans for children to meet their specific needs. The manager has in place a detailed transition plan for a new child moving into the home, which includes ‘meet and greets’. This is completed in consultation with the child, staff and external professionals involved in the child’s care.

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Leaders and managers

Supervision sessions are effective. They are completed within required timescales. Staff take part in group supervision and use team meetings as a way of team reflection. This allows staff to enhance their practice and feel part of an effective team.

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Leaders and managers

Professionals confirm that partnership working is good. A social worker said, ‘I find the communication fantastic, I cannot fault it. If there is something they do not offer, the manager has gone out of her way to source it externally.’

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Leaders and managers

The independent visitor continued to conduct visits during the national lockdown due to COVID-19. These were conducted virtually by using video technology. This approach has enabled the independent visitor to continue to scrutinise records and identify shortfalls, which the manager has actioned effectively. As a result, the manager has continued to have a good insight into the home’s strengths and areas of weakness despite the impact of COVID-19.

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Leaders and managers

Managers have completed a quality of care review for the home. However, the manager has only completed one review covering a four-month period over the last year. This has created a missed opportunity to use self-assessment to evaluate the quality of care provided to children.

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Leaders and managers

Staff benefit from effective leadership and support. Staff talk positively of management and say they feel supported. Training is provided in a variety of formats to ensure that staff benefit from continued development. However, this training has not extended to ensuring that staff are knowledgeable about areas of risk such as self-harming and missing from care. This represents a missed opportunity to ensure that staff can fully meet the needs of children. To counter this shortfall during the COVID-19 pandemic, the manager has been creative in ensuring Assurance visit report: SC457923 4 that shortfalls in training are covered in team meetings and through risk assessments.

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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

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iii)(iv)(v)) 22/12/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person 22/12/2020 Assurance visit report: SC457923 5 intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should support staff to be ambitious for every child in the home and to gain skills and experience that enable them to actively support each child to achieve their potential. To ensure that staff understand and can meet each child’s needs, in line with their responsibilities, the registered person will need to have a high level of understanding of the needs of the children in their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.5). Specifically, managers should ensure that staff complete relevant training.

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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 Childcare Limited, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Kev Brammer, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC457923 6 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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