Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Tameside

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC430239 1 SC430239

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Cambian Childcare Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a large private company. The home is registered to provide care for up to five children or young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

In practice, the home cares for no more than three children or young people at any one time.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2020.

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This monitoring visit

This visit took place in response to increasing concerns in relation to young people going missing from the home and being at risk in the community. At the time of the visit, one child was living at the home. The visit was conducted both on and off-site due to COVID-19 (coronavirus) restrictions. The home was last inspected in November 2019.

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This monitoring visit

This visit found that, when children go missing from the home, staff respond quickly and effectively. This is reducing the risk to children by helping to ensure that they are found as quickly as possible and by working with them to reduce the risk of further incidents. To achieve this, staff coordinate their work well with other agencies and make good use of risk management plans. Effective responses by staff have included staff driving to other areas of the country to look for young people and bring them home. The one young person living at the home at the time of this visit told the inspector that she knew that staff did what they could to stop her from going missing and to try to find her when she leaves the home. This made her feel that staff cared about her and want to keep her safe.

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This monitoring visit

One child has recently left the home. This was because the staff team was unable to meet the needs or to ensure the safety of the two young people who were living Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC430239 2 together in the home, despite risk management plans being in place. As a result, the young person who has left the home has experienced further disruption in their life.

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This monitoring visit

Placement plans and risk management plans are in place and contain all relevant information. These are reviewed and updated regularly by staff. However, there is no evidence of management oversight and authorisation of these plans. This was a recommendation of the last inspection which has not been met.

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This monitoring visit

A number of children’s case records seen by the inspectors contain the wrong dates or have no dates at all. The authors of documents are not always recorded. As a result, staff are not accountable for the records they are writing. Young people are not being provided with a clear account of which staff have contributed to records about their care and when these records were produced.

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This monitoring visit

This is the manager’s first registered manager role. She has not yet established a clear system for her monitoring and oversight of practice in the home. The registered manager has not provided information to Ofsted in relation to safeguarding concerns in a timely manner. The statement of purpose has not been kept up to date. When amendments have been made to the statement of purpose, these have not been shared with Ofsted. This lack of systematic oversight of practice in the home means that the registered manager is not ensuring that there are sufficient checks and balances in place to evaluate the quality of care provided to children. She is also not meeting her own responsibilities in relation to the wider sharing of information, which assists in external scrutiny of practice in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Improvements in the quality of the environment was a recommendation at the last inspection and has not been met. Some communal areas of the home including bathrooms, the conservatory and the hallways and landing need redecoration and refurbishment. The stair carpet is not fitted properly. As a result, there is a risk that young people and staff may trip or fall. This means that children do not live in an environment that is well maintained or promotes a feeling of being valued.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 13/11/2019 Full Good 05/06/2018 Full Good 10/01/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 06/06/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC430239 3

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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, the 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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; a child protection enquiry involving a child— is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 30 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 30 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which— include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) This specifically refers to ensuring that records are accurate, dated and signed by the person making the record. 30 April 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC430239 4 The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child; and enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii)) This particularly refers to refitting or replacement of the stair carpet and redecoration or refurbishment of communal areas, including the conservatory. 30 June 2021

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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— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 30 April 2021

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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. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC430239 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Dawn Parton, Social Care Inspector Mandy Nightingale, Her Majesty’s Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC430239 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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