Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report children's home: 1257796 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It is registered for up to 11 children with ongoing mental health needs and who present behaviours that may prevent them from functioning in the community without continued support. There is a separately registered school on site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 28 September 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on our website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children's home: 1257796 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/07/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/06/2019 Full Inadequate 23/01/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 19/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff and managers have overseen improvements since the last full inspection. As a result, children are receiving a good quality of care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with children to develop trusting relationships. These relationships provide the opportunity for each child to begin to explore and develop their ability to manage their complex mental health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff support the children to attend and engage with education positively and at their own pace. This enables a sense of inclusion, whereby children feel in control of their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some of the children are making strong improvements in their well-being. The staff support children to attend health appointments. When children refuse appointments, the staff work with them to overcome barriers. Consequently, children’s health improves.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and managers have considerably improved the home’s physical environment over the past two years. As a result, children benefit from living at a home that feels more welcoming.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff listen to and respond to children’s wishes and feelings. Despite the COVID- 19 lockdown restrictions, the staff have provided the children with fun activities and learning opportunities, such as breakfast clubs, orientation walks and themed parties.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers do not ensure that children who are approaching adulthood have an independence plan. As a result, managers, staff and records lack clarity on children’s skills and knowledge. Consequently, staff and managers cannot fully support the wider network of professionals in making critical planning decisions. Inspection report children's home: 1257796 3

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children say that they feel safe. Risk assessments are comprehensive and provide practical guidance for staff to manage situations and mitigate the risks.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

When safeguarding concerns arise, managers respond quickly and effectively. There are strong relationships with the designated officers in the local authority. Management investigations have improved and are now thorough.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff support children to take calculated risks as part of their development. Staff use positive role modelling and their interpersonal skills to support children.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

When the staff use physical interventions, these are proportionate and used to protect children from harm. The staff are sensitive to the children’s needs and respond in a nurturing and caring way to ensure that children feel appropriately held physically and emotionally.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Managers undertake impact risk assessments before children move into the home. These have been of a poor quality. The assessments have not sufficiently evaluated children’s individual needs and risks, and the potential impact on children who are already at the home. Managers recognised this shortfall and are in the process of developing a new risk assessment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders are ambitious. Managers have high expectations of the home. Feedback from professionals is positive about the management of the home. There are good relationships and regular meetings with the on-site school. Regular multi-agency meetings take place and include external professionals when necessary. Staff report being well led, and the majority feel supported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers encourage children to access advocacy. An independent advocate visits the home weekly. The positive engagement with, and encouragement of, advocacy helps to mitigate some risks arising from the isolated location of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers encourage equality. The staff are sensitive to the children’s individual needs and the wider cultural needs of the staff and the children. The staff act as positive role models, demonstrating polite and respectful interpersonal skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff support the children to maintain positive links with their families and people who are important to them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from external professionals is very good. Their comments included:

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

 ‘The staff manage [the child’s] needs extremely well. I am really confident that [the child] is in the right place.’ Inspection report children's home: 1257796 4  ‘The incidents have significantly decreased in both number and severity.’  ‘The staff know [the child] really well. He is making a significant improvement.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External monitoring reports are thorough and provide challenge. Internal monitoring also offers challenge. Combined, these monitoring systems contribute to a home in which the necessary improvements have been made. However, some records continue to contain errors such as incorrect dates, and some handwritten records continue to be difficult to read. Unchecked, this has the potential to affect monitoring and planning for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Agency recruitment records are not always clear about what level of checks have taken place or why workers have left previous employment with children. Managers have not explored this potential gap. This lack of curiosity does not safeguard children so far as is reasonably practicable. Inspection report children's home: 1257796 5

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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

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. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff and managers have a clear understanding of and plan for developing children’s independence skills. 31 May 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that managers work closely with the placing authority to understand the child’s relationship history and the impact that the child’s arrival may have on the group living at the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.3)  The registered person should ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) Inspection report children's home: 1257796 6  The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’.

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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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Inspectors

Ashley Hinson, Social Care Inspector Leemya McKeown, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 1257796 7 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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