Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Dorset

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159868 1

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Cambian Childcare Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

 This children’s home provides care for up to three children.  The provision cares for children who may have some behavioural and/or emotional difficulties.  The registered manager has been in post since December 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 23 and 24 January 2021

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This monitoring visit

This visit was undertaken because of increased concerns in respect of the arrangements to safeguard children. The last inspection took place in December 2019. At the time of this monitoring visit three children were living in this home. The visit was carried out virtually due to COVID-19.

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This monitoring visit

The stable staff team is dedicated and has the best interests of the children at the forefront of their minds. At times, they have gone above and beyond expectations. For example, following a positive COVID-19 (coronavirus) test result, staff remained in the home for 14 days to manage and reduce risks.

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This monitoring visit

There are concerns about aspects of the homes leadership. Poor practice is not always challenged in a timely manner. Assumptions are made that staff have carried out delegated tasks, when this is not always the case.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders do not always act to ensure that children are safe. There is a failure to identify, share and escalate concerns in respect of risks. This has left children in situations of possible harm. For example, an empty prescribed medication packet was found in one child’s bedroom. No action was taken to alert others. This prevented the adults that the child was staying with over Christmas from taking Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159868 2 safeguarding action. The child then took medication from that home and returned with it. Not enough has been done since to reduce future risks.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders fail to demonstrate an understanding of the complexities of child exploitation. One child who is at high risk of exploitation was recently driven and dropped off in a local town. They subsequently went missing. The child receives consequences when they go missing. The use of consequences fails to see the child as a potential victim, or to take account of the reasons why a child may leave the home without permission.

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This monitoring visit

Not all staff receive the information and training required to ensure that they can confidently care for children. For example, not all staff have received ligature training, which is a current risk for one child. Furthermore, not all staff understand the policy in relation to the safe management of medication, despite recent incidents. This does not protect children from risk of harm to their welfare.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders do not ensure that staff receive well-planned, meaningful supervision. Staff report that supervision is recorded on a template that is difficult to use. There is a lack of engagement from staff. Leaders and managers have failed to identify and respond to this. As a result, staff are obstructed from raising concerns or reviewing and improving their practice.

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This monitoring visit

At the request of the local authority, door alarms alert staff if children leave during the night. Also, the care plan for one child states staff are to call the police if the child causes significant damage. This has led to the child being criminalised. There is no planned date for these arrangements to be reviewed.

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This monitoring visit

Children are not always cared for in line with their plans. For example, one child should be supported to get out of bed in the morning in time for school. This is not being achieved by staff. On some days, the child is in bed until late afternoon.

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This monitoring visit

Children told the inspector that they like living here. They have strong, positive relationships with staff and can identify someone to talk to if they have any worries or concerns. They feel cared for and loved. One child told the inspector that the thing they like best is that staff ‘actually care’ about them. This gives the children a sense of belonging.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 05/12/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/04/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159868 3 21/08/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159868 4

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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—

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 31 March 2021

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; 31 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159868 5 help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e))

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(f)(h)) 12 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159868 6 The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 23 (1) (2)(a)) 31 March 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 31 March 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;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child — 31 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159868 7 is instigated; or

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nicola McClements

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Inspector

Tracey Ledder, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159868 8 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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Inspector

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