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 who may have some behavioural and/or emotional difficulties. The registered manager has been in post since December 2019.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place to review a compliance notice. This was served following shortfalls identified at the previous visit in January 2021. The concerns are in respect of leadership and management and safeguarding.

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This monitoring visit

Three children currently live at this home. A blended visit took place, which included a visit to the home to talk to children and staff. Video and phone calls facilitated speaking with managers and other professionals.

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This monitoring visit

Not enough action has been taken by leaders to ensure that all aspects of the compliance notice are met.

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This monitoring visit

The review of incidents lacks rigour. There is a failure to identify all concerns within incident records. When issues are identified, action taken to reduce risk is not timely or effective.

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This monitoring visit

Children are not experiencing consistent, nurturing care from staff. Staff do not fully understand the complex needs of children and, at times, children’s basic care needs are not met. The environment in which children live is not homely and the aesthetics require improvement.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers fail to ensure that staff are following children’s agreed plans. During this visit, two children remained in bed, despite both needing to be at school or engaged in education. One child was still in bed when the inspector left the home Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159868 2 after lunch. Staff were not observed to support and encourage children to get up. Staff failed to demonstrate nurture and attention. One staff member was unsure whether a child had been given a drink.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not demonstrate an understanding of the children’s complex needs. For example, the importance of the role of child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) for children is not understood. Recently, a child missed a CAMHS appointment because of problems with the homes car.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have failed to challenge paramedics and the police about decision-making which led to restraint and the child being handcuffed while suffering emotional distress. No action has been taken to prevent this from happening again.

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This monitoring visit

Some aspects of communication with other agencies have improved. However, leaders and managers do not always notify other agencies of all significant incidents or concerns in a timely way. For example, one social worker has not been provided with the full details of a serious and significant incident despite requesting this several times.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have developed a focused action plan. There is some evidence of improvements, for example within staff supervision. More time is needed to ensure that the required improvements are fully implemented and embedded into practice.

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Recent inspection history

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

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

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

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and 16 April 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159868 4 make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice;

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Requirement Due date

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

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) (ix)(c)(i))

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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. 31 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159868 5 (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

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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(b)(c)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h)) 16 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. 31 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159868 6 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

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 —

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Requirement Due date

is instigated; or 31 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159868 7 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 Estates 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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Inspectors

Tracey Ledder, Social Care Inspector Nicola Lownds, 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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