Children's Home run by Cambridgeshire County Council in Cambridgeshire

Information about this children’s home

This home provides short breaks for up to five children with a moderate to severe learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager were registered with Ofsted in September 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: Not previously inspected

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Not previously inspected

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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: 2602980 2

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The care of children

This home was previously operated by a charity. It was re-registered in September 2020 by the host local authority.

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The care of children

The transfer of ownership to the local authority has resulted in some issues. Most of these are now resolved, but they did affect staff morale at a challenging time. Despite this, staff and managers have been able to support children and families in a flexible and responsive manner.

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The care of children

Some families reported good care for their children and noted improvements in recent months. However, there has also been very poor practice. In one instance, a child was sent on a 30-minute journey to school in extremely cold conditions without his coat. This did not support the child’s dignity or their welfare or treat them with respect.

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The care of children

Families were broadly positive about the home and the level of communication that they receive. They generally felt that the staff have the ability to provide the right level of care and support for their children. Families are confident that their children feel safe and said that their children enjoy their breaks.

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The care of children

There are some areas of the home that need attention. The kitchen is worn and corridor walls are dirty. These issues detract from an otherwise satisfactory environment.

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The safety of children

Following a recent incident, staff did not raise concerns about the practice of a colleague in a timely manner. However, once raised, the issue was shared with safeguarding professionals quickly. The staff spoken with during the assurance visit were clear about the importance of raising concerns promptly.

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The safety of children

There have been relatively few incidents at the home. This is particularly positive given the level of change and unpredictability that children who thrive on consistency have had to contend with during the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been no physical interventions.

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The safety of children

When incidents occur, the recording is not always of a good enough standard. The monitoring and review of incident reports by the management team lack depth. As a result, opportunities to explore issues and improve recording are missed.

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The safety of children

Risk assessments are in place. However, COVID-19 restrictions have influenced the training that staff can undertake. As a result, there are staff who have not had some of the training that the risk assessments deem necessary. The management team has not ensured that the risk assessments have been updated to reflect this. Consequently, some factors identified as mitigating the risks are not realistic. Assurance visit report: 2602980 3

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Leaders and managers

The staff feel supported and their morale is improving, following a less stable period.

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Leaders and managers

Monitoring by the independent person is good. The independent visitor’s reports indicate that the visitor has a good knowledge of the needs and experiences of disabled children. The visit reports offer challenge and actions that have the potential to support improvement.

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Leaders and managers

The internal management monitoring and communication are not strong enough. Communication between members of the management team is not consistently effective. Some easily identifiable issues found during this assurance visit have not been picked up by managers or team leaders.

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Leaders and managers

The management team has not ensured that all staff receive regular supervision. When supervisors are absent, the supervisions are not covered by any of the other members of the management team. As a result, at times of heightened tensions and challenges, some staff have not received the supervisory support that they should have.

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Leaders and managers

The manager and senior managers are alert to some of the more significant issues at the home. They recognise areas they need to improve and are in the early stages of implementing plans to enable those improvements. However, it is too early to assess the effectiveness of these plans.

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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

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 17 December Assurance visit report: 2602980 4 understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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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

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)(h)) 31 January 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development; receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 31 January 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is well maintained and homely. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that risk assessments are clear, up to date and accurately reflect the risks for the individual child and the ways in which Assurance visit report: 2602980 5 those risks are mitigated. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambridgeshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Shire Hall, Cambridge CB3 0AP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Graham Puckering

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Inspectors

Ashley Hinson, Social Care Inspector Nigel Parkes, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 2602980 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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