Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Stockport

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476261 1 SC476261

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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

The home provides care and accommodation for up to five children aged between eight and 18 years with complex behaviours due to early childhood trauma. The home is privately owned.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has a registered manager who is currently completing his level 5 diploma in leadership and management for residential childcare.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged requires improvement to be good at the full inspection in May 2019. An assurance visit took place in October 2020, at which no serious or widespread concerns were identified.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring inspection took place on 29 January 2021, in response to a serious allegation against a member of staff and concerns regarding the care arrangements for children in response to COVID-19 (coronavirus). Serious and widespread shortfalls were identified in the leadership and management of the home and the protection of children. Following this visit, nine requirements were raised and two compliance notices were issued under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard).

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to review the provider’s progress in meeting the compliance notices. The provider has developed an action plan to address practice shortfalls within the home. While some progress was noted against the action plan, the compliance notices were not met.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have reviewed and updated children’s risk management documents. However, not all staff have read these new documents. In addition, staff have not yet received training on risk assessments. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476261 2 Managers have reviewed and updated the home’s statement of purpose. However, this has not been shared with the staff team. Managers have not used team meetings or staff supervisions as opportunities to discuss changes in the risk management documentation or how the quality of care has impacted on the progress and experience of children.

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This monitoring visit

There are ongoing shortfalls in training. Managers have not ensured that all staff complete key training, such as first aid, complaints, recording and reporting, fire safety, conflict management, learning disability awareness, and health and safety training. In addition, staff have still not been trained in the home’s therapeutic model of care or completed training to support them to meet the individual needs of those children currently living in the home. This does not demonstrate effective leadership or assure Ofsted that managers and staff have the skills and knowledge to meet the specific needs of children placed in their care.

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This monitoring visit

On one occasion, the registered manager failed to take swift and effective action in response to an allegation made by a child. This demonstrates that managers do not understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding children.

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This monitoring visit

On the day of inspection, managers and staff failed to follow day-to-day processes put in place to safeguard children and staff. On the inspector’s arrival at the home, staff did not follow the risk assessment in relation to COVID-19, for example, they failed to ask the inspector any health questions and did not take her temperature. In addition, staff failed to explain the fire and safety procedures or ask the inspector to sign the visitor’s book. The inspector also noted that washing detergent was not stored safely in the home. This places children at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Some progress was noted in the home’s monitoring and review systems. However, the staff rota did not accurately reflect the planned and actual hours worked for all staff, including the registered manager who has been suspended from his management role. Managers are aware of maintenance issues throughout the property which are being addressed as part of the environmental action plan. Interim managers showed a good understanding of the shortfalls in the home and are motivated to make improvements.

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This monitoring visit

One child’s social worker told the inspector: ‘[Name of child] is making really good progress at the home and has been very settled in recent months. He has good relationships with staff, especially his key worker who knows him very well.’ All four children appeared occupied and settled at the home on the day of the visit.

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This monitoring visit

Following this inspection, one new requirement has been raised and the two compliance notices have been reissued. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476261 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 13/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/09/2018 Full Good 05/03/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 05/12/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476261 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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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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

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(iii)(iv)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff providing individual care to children, treating children with respect and delivering care in line with the statement of purpose. 11 April 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— 11 April 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476261 5 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

This refers to ensuring staff follow the home’s procedure for all visitors to the home.

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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

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

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff’s understanding and the implementation of each child’s risk assessment, ensuring that risk assessments are up to date and accurate and that staff take swift and effective action when there is a concern. 11 April 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—

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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— 11 April 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476261 6 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 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

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)(a)(c)(d)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring the manager ensures that staff deliver care in line with the statement of purpose, that staff are appropriately skilled to meet the needs of children and that there are effective monitoring systems in place.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring the statement of purpose is kept up to date and shared with Ofsted within required time frames. 11 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and 11 April 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476261 7 any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children have no unnecessary restriction placed upon them, and any restrictions are care planned, risk assessed and reviewed regularly.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that all staff receive supervision in line with the home’s policies. 11 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need 11 April 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476261 8 to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This refers specifically to the staff use of de-escalation techniques, the recording of any physical interventions and the manager’s evaluation of the effectiveness of each intervention.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)) 11 April 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476261 9 This specifically relates to the need for the home to maintain an accurate staff roster for hours worked.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

This refers specifically relates to the provider ensuring Ofsted are notified promptly of incidents. 11 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are provided with a homely environment that clean, tidy and well maintained. All areas of the home should be safe for children to use. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476261 10

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

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Inspector

Debbie Holder, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476261 11 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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