Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Halton

Assurance visit report: SC456729 1 SC456729

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns this home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has a registered manager, who also manages another of the company’s homes.

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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. 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: SC456729 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

Young people enjoy positive relationships with staff, which helps them to have a settled placement. Young people report that they missed seeing their friends and family during COVID-19 restrictions. However, it is evident that limited contact was made possible via staff endeavours and the creative use of technology. For one young person, this level of contact really helped him to come to terms with the restrictions.

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The care of children

Young people are encouraged to share their views about their care. One young person has met with family for the first time with the support of staff advocating on his behalf. This is helping him to make sense of his past, understand his feelings and plan for his future.

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The care of children

Despite the home’s continued work with education providers and communication with education provision throughout COVID-19 lockdown, not all young people have made progress with their education. For one young person, distance to school is a real issue. A social worker said, ‘Lockdown has not helped and he is often refusing to attend. There is no alternative in place and the young person is not on target to achieve his GCSEs.’ This remains a challenge for the young person in placement.

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The safety of children

Young people say they feel safe. On the rare occasion when young people leave the home unauthorised, staff act to ensure their safe return. On one occasion, the home felt unable to manage the presenting risks, to keep a child safe. This led to the home working with the local authority to transition the young person to a more suitable placement.

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The safety of children

There are appropriate boundaries in place in the home for young people to work towards. Risks have reduced for one young person since living in the home. He was able to say that this was because ‘the home has rules’ and the staff make him feel safe. Despite the progress in reducing some of the risks, there have been some challenges. One young person’s admittance to the home, contributed towards an increase in incidents of disruptive behaviour.

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The safety of children

On one occasion, neighbours called the police. On another occasion, staff had to intervene to protect one young person. This resulted in the review of day-to-day arrangements within the home. Positive direct work is being carried out with the young people and, as a result, the young people are now more able to manage and regulate their emotions. The number of reported incidents has reduced. The young people spoken to by the inspector said that they had no complaints or concerns. Assurance visit report: SC456729 3 Young people are helped to understand the risks of fire setting. The registered manager liaises with local authority fire safety personnel and continues to monitor fire safety risks on a regular basis. Consequently, fire-setting incidents have reduced, and young people are engaging with these wider agencies.

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Leaders and managers

The home continues to be managed by an efficient manager who also manages another of the company’s homes. She is supported by a deputy manager and a team of permanent staff, who demonstrate commitment to the young people.

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Leaders and managers

An extra member of staff on the rota helps to support young people during the COVID-19 restrictions. This has helped to improve stability in the home. Staff now work extra shifts across the week to reduce the number of personnel entering the home and the risk of cross-infection.

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Leaders and managers

Positive partnerships with wider agencies have continued. Strategy meetings and regular communication about care planning take place routinely. A social worker confirmed that staff have remained committed to do their best for the young people in their care. Staff actively advise and support young people to help them adjust to the COVID-19 restrictions.

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Leaders and managers

Requirements from the last inspection have been completed.

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Recommendations

 Where children placed in a home are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some other reason, the registered person and staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’ page 56, paragraph 11.4) Assurance visit report: SC456729 4

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspectors

Tracy Mese, Social Care Inspector Michelle Bacon, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC456729 5 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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