Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Middlesbrough

Inspection report children’s home: 1229417 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. It provides care for one child who may have social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2019 and is working towards the relevant leadership and management qualification.

p.1

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.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 4 December 2019

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1229417 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/12/2019 Full Good 24/04/2018 Full Good 15/05/2017 Full Outstanding 09/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: 1229417 3

p.2

improvement to be good

The child is happy living in the home. She has good relationships with members of staff and trusts them to help and support her. This has allowed her to make progress, particularly in how she manages her own emotions, anxieties and frustrations. The child has developed a good level of security and stability, as a result of the confidence she has in staff.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child is developing her independence skills to prepare her for moving on from the home. She is very good at cooking, self-care and keeping her surroundings clean and tidy. Staff are helping her to improve in other respects, including budgeting. This work is valued by the child and by the professionals working with her. This means that plans that will meet the child’s needs in the long term can be developed.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child’s educational needs are not being met. Her anxieties about completing schoolwork are not well understood and supported. Staff talk to her about the importance of education, but potential solutions do not consider the issues that affect her the most. The child is not being helped to fulfill her potential, and this limits her prospects.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child is generally healthy. Staff talk to her about the importance of routine health checkups and maintaining a positive lifestyle. This input has seen improvements in the child’s diet. However, it has not yet resulted in the child attending regular health appointments. As a result, important aspects of her physical well-being are not being prioritised.

p.3

improvement to be good

The service benefits from the input of a dedicated mental health practitioner. Staff receive support and guidance about issues that affect the child. Targeted work on bereavement and loss has been particularly helpful during this period. As a result of this work, the child is supported by staff who have the specific knowledge to understand her individual needs.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff continue to help the child to maintain her relationships with family members. This is particularly important to the child. A family member told the inspector that they value this staff input. Staff are sensitive to the complexities of the child’s family visits and are flexible to the needs of the whole family. This support means that the child maintains family links that are crucial to her sense of identity.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child is consulted widely about what happens in the home. She takes part in recruitment events, provides her views on the home’s decor and chooses her own activities. This includes caring for her own pets and inviting her friends to visit. This level of involvement helps the child to invest fully in her home. Inspection report children’s home: 1229417 4

p.3

improvement to be good

The child has become safer since living in the home. She does not misuse substances, go missing or take part in antisocial behaviour. She recognises her own progress over time and is proud of her achievements. Staff continue to talk to her about these and other issues, for example, the impact of bullying. This work supports the progress the child has made and helps her to make positive choices.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff devise risk management plans, which they regularly update to ensure that there are clear strategies in place to manage and reduce any risks to the child’s safety. This process continues even when there are no current concerns. For example, staff know what to do should the child be missing from the home, because of the detail in these plans. This approach means that staff recognise and respond to the child’s actual and potential vulnerabilities.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff respond calmly when they are challenged by the child’s behaviour. They follow behaviour management plans, which are regularly discussed by the staff team. Physical intervention is not required, as the suggested strategies are effective. Although these incidents continue to occur, they are reducing in number and severity. This is an indication of progress from the child’s starting points.

p.4

improvement to be good

The registered manager cannot be assured that unqualified staff always know how to help and protect children. Although the child living in the home does not currently behave in a way that could cause her harm, this would not necessarily be the same with another child. Unqualified staff who have not completed the relevant qualifications are not fully equipped to understand and meet the complex needs of children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has not ensured that all staff achieve the required qualification for their role within timescales. This was a requirement at the last two inspections. The registered manager has not taken appropriate action to rectify this situation. As a result, the staff team remains largely unqualified.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager’s oversight of the home is not effective. It does not include the impact on the child of the lack of qualifications in the staff team. For example, there is no consideration about whether this affects the child’s engagement with her own education. This lack of evaluation does not suggest that the registered manager considers the gaining of qualifications to be important.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager provides visible support in the home. She is readily available to the child and to the staff team. All staff, including those providing short- term cover, are very positive about her leadership. The registered manager encourages staff to make their own decisions, but she offers guidance when necessary. As a result, staff feel confident in their roles, and this supports them to provide good-quality care to the child. Inspection report children’s home: 1229417 5 The registered manager understands the progress that the child makes. She is knowledgeable about the child’s successes and where further input is required. This means that most plans are revised when necessary. However, the impact of the care the child receives is not always clearly evaluated. This means that some plans are not focused on areas of greatest need for the child.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager advocates strenuously for the child. For example, the manager spoke to the social worker to make sure that arrangements for a holiday are agreed in good time. This ensures that such tasks are completed, and the child’s self-esteem is boosted by knowing that the manager argues on her behalf.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager ensures that staff receive regular supervision and appraisal of practice. The restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic have not affected this face-to-face support. Performance action is taken when the registered manager perceives an issue that affects the child. In such situations, progress is made. This improves the day-to-day care for the child. Inspection report children’s home: 1229417 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)) 30 June 2021

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(f))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should evaluate the impact on the child of staff not achieving the required 30 June 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 1229417 7 qualification, including the impact on the child’s education attainment.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.7

Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

p.7

Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

p.7

Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”).

p.7

Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(b) (4)(a) (5)(a))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This requirement is repeated for a second time. 30 June 2021

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered provider should ensure that children visit healthcare services, including the dentist, to promote positive self-care behaviour. When children are anxious about such appointments, creative solutions should be found to reassure them. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.11) Inspection report children’s home: 1229417 8

p.7

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’. Inspection report children’s home: 1229417 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

p.9

Children’s home details

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

p.9

Inspector

Jane Titley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1229417 10 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.

p.9

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10