Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in North Yorkshire

Assurance visit report: SC457435 1 SC457435

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned and operated by a private organisation. It is registered to care for up to two children who may have social, emotional and/or mental health difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since April 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has remained open throughout the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. One child currently lives in the home; another child recently moved from this home to another home within the organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Sustained effectiveness

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19, 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:  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: SC457435 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

Children develop trusting relationships with members of staff. They talk to their carers about the issues that matter to them most, including topics that are sensitive and personal. Children learn that members of staff will listen to them without judgement. As a result, children begin to feel settled and make progress.

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The care of children

The response of the staff team to the COVID-19 pandemic is positive. Members of staff talk to children about how to stay safe. Children keep in touch with family members and resumed face-to-face family time as soon as possible. This reassures children and their families.

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The care of children

The educational needs for one child are not met. Although members of staff ensure that the child is occupied during the day, these activities do not meet the child’s education needs effectively. Issues around the school-related anxiety that the child experiences are not being addressed, and alternative plans are not well thought out. As a result of these longstanding concerns, this child may not reach their academic potential.

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The care of children

Children are generally healthy in this home. They attend appointments, including for routine and urgent check-ups. However, the approach of the staff team to one child’s efforts to stop smoking was inappropriate. As well as being potentially harmful, the child was not given a clear message about adhering to the law.

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The care of children

The emotional health needs of children are prioritised by members of staff. However, on one occasion, the response to a child was made without consultation with appropriate professionals. The rationale for decision-making was confused and not based on an assessment of need. Although there appears to be no harm caused, managers accept that this practice was not acceptable.

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The care of children

Children provide their views about the care they receive. Weekly meetings are creative and appeal to children. Members of staff also use these meetings to discuss topics of global interest. Children learn that their views matter, which is essential for their sense of self-worth. They also begin to understand their place in the wider world, which helps them to develop an interest in the lives of others.

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The safety of children

Children are able to speak frankly with members of staff about safety, and children trust what their carers say to them. Members of staff use their positive relationships with children to help children to understand the risks to their safety and how to reduce these. As a result, children are missing from home less often, and their risks from sexual and criminal exploitation reduce. Assurance visit report: SC457435 3 Members of staff use risk assessments and the home’s policies as a framework to safeguard children. After any incidents, members of staff talk to children and use children’s views as the basis for follow-up work. This means that children know that their carers worry about them. Over time, this helps children to respond to the care they receive, and they become less vulnerable to harm.

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The safety of children

Members of staff use consistent boundaries with children to help manage behaviour. A child said that she understands the rules in the home and the consequences for any breaches of the rules. She feels she is learning from mistakes and the behaviour management plans support this view. This approach to behaviour management contributes to the progress that children make and to their safety and well-being.

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Leaders and managers

There has been no registered manager for the home for seven months. The deputy manager has had day-to-day oversight, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. A new manager is due to start work shortly. Senior managers accept that the delay in appropriate leadership has resulted in some of the gaps in provision identified in this assurance visit.

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Leaders and managers

There have been significant changes in the staff team in this period. The child currently living in the home told the inspector that staff ‘come and go all the time’. This does not give the child a sense of stability in her home.

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Leaders and managers

The staff team is small. Staff frequently work alone with the child living in the home. A risk assessment is in place and there are no safeguarding issues arising from this practice. However, new or inexperienced members of staff do not have the opportunity to learn from more knowledgeable colleagues. As a result, the child receives inconsistent responses to her needs from some members of staff.

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Leaders and managers

The staff team has received training in some key areas, including the impact of child sexual exploitation. This standardises the knowledge in the staff team to provide good-quality care for children.

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Leaders and managers

Members of staff receive regular supervision of their practice. In addition, the staff team meets with the company’s clinical psychologist to talk about the children’s progress. This approach helps members of staff to improve their knowledge of the impact on children of children’s backgrounds, individual circumstances and experiences.

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Leaders and managers

Significant difficulties arose at a point when the senior manager and deputy manager were both on leave. Insufficient thought had been given to management cover. Children were cared for by staff who were not confident in their roles and who were unable to manage children’s behaviour. This had a negative impact on the children’s well-being and progress at that time.

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Leaders and managers

Several complaints have been made about the care of children in recent months. The senior manager has investigated all complaints thoroughly. She made changes to Assurance visit report: SC457435 4 practice where necessary. However, more evaluation, regarding the impact that these complaints have on the quality of care for children, is needed to strengthen the oversight of leaders and managers.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)) 18/12/2020

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(i)(iii)) 18/12/2020

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. 18/12/2020 Assurance visit report: SC457435 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding; and

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(h)) 18/12/2020 Assurance visit report: SC457435 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Susan Fitzsimmons

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Inspector

Jane Titley, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC457435 7 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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