Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Halton

Inspection report children’s home: SC456729 1 SC456729 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

A private company owns this home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager has been registered with Ofsted since November 2019. She also manages another of the company’s homes.

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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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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC456729 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/04/2019 Full Inadequate 02/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/06/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC456729 3

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improvement to be good

Three children live at this home. They have built good relationships with the staff. The children say they are happy and speak positively about staff at the home. There is a good rapport between the children and staff that helps to create a relaxed and homely atmosphere.

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improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to discuss their wishes and feelings and take part in weekly meetings. They know how to complain, and say that they feel listened to.

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improvement to be good

Children’s progress in education is intermittent and variable. Although managers are working proactively to secure suitable education provision for children, there is a need to ensure that there is an effective timetable that provides them with the necessary structure during normal school hours. Children’s personal education plans (PEP) need to be in place to enable staff to have a better understanding of children’s targets and attainment.

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improvement to be good

The children are well supported by staff to spend quality time with family and friends. Communication between staff and families is positive. This is helping children’s self-identity and sense of belonging to a family.

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improvement to be good

Staff spend dedicated time talking to the children about their health needs, such as the importance of personal hygiene. As a result, children’s health and hygiene have improved. However, some children require extra support in helping them to keep their bedrooms clean and tidy and to address their current smoking habits.

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improvement to be good

Children like to exercise, such as going out for bike rides, and this means that they are learning about healthy lifestyles. Some children are preparing for semi- independence, developing skills in cooking and washing. One child told the inspectors, ‘I make a banging roast dinner.’

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improvement to be good

Children are well supported by staff in pursuing their hobbies and interests but during the pandemic this has not always been possible. However, staff have kept children occupied in a good range of alternative activities, such as bike riding, trips to the beach, dog walking and an in-house ‘bake-off’ competition, which they enjoyed.

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improvement to be good

Children are able to talk to trusted adults about their concerns. They report that they are supported. Children are responding positively to the boundaries and structures in place. Staff are using effective strategies of positive praise and Inspection report children’s home: SC456729 4 incentives that are helping children to reach specific goals. This is helping children to take responsibility for their actions and, as a result, incidents have reduced. Furthermore, school attendance for one child has significantly improved.

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improvement to be good

Children benefit from living in a spacious environment. However, some areas of the home require attention. Although daily room checks are carried out, these are not effective. The inspectors found that not all living areas are being maintained to an acceptable standard of cleanliness and repair.

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improvement to be good

The manager ensures that children have privacy within the home. However, inspectors found that rooms, such as the kitchen and lounge, were locked at night. This means that children are unable to access all areas of the home.

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improvement to be good

All staff are suitably checked and vetted prior to starting work at the home. This ensures that children are not placed at risk.

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improvement to be good

Physical intervention is only used when it is proportionate and necessary to do so. There is suitable management oversight of such incidents and children are given opportunities to reflect on their behaviour.

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improvement to be good

Staff help children understand the risks of the internet and there have been individual work sessions completed with children on e-safety, bullying and substance misuse. However, staff need to further engage children to understand the risks of smoking and fire.

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improvement to be good

Staff know what to do when children go missing from care. However, incidents at this home are currently infrequent. They are also aware of their responsibilities should they encounter a child protection concern that includes reporting matters without delay.

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good

The home is led by a suitably experience and qualified registered manager and deputy. They are passionate and committed to improving the lives of children.

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good

Staff demonstrate insight into children’s needs and follow plans that are detailed and individualised to each child. However, there are some shortfalls in the manager’s monitoring and oversight of the home relating to the lack of action in keeping the premises in good order, ensuring that staff are working to children’s education plans, and meeting the actions identified through the independent visitor reports.

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good

There has been limited oversight provided from the responsible individual, which has further impacted on the monitoring and supervision of the home’s auditing, maintenance of the premises and records. Inspection report children’s home: SC456729 5 There has been an improved approach to matching children to the home. The transition of a child moving in to the home has been managed well in collaboration with the placing authority. The social worker is satisfied with the home and says that the child appears to be relaxed. The home is now more settled.

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good

Although there have been staff changes, the team is now more stable. Consequently, children are receiving consistency and continuity of care. The inspectors observed good interaction between the children, the manager and staff.

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good

Managers ensure that there are suitable levels of staffing in the home. However, the working hours, including those of the registered manager and deputy, are not shown on the roster. This is not safe practice for children as there is no clear record of who was working with the children at any given time.

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good

Staff find the management team supportive and approachable; they receive regular supervision and team meetings are well attended, with opportunities for staff to share information and reflect on their practice. While staff receive training, there are significant gaps that fail to equip them with the knowledge and skills to support children’s needs, such as in the safe use of an EpiPen, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, trauma and attachment.

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good

Requirements set at the last inspection are now met. Inspection report children’s home: SC456729 6

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

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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

That staff help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(x))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that PEPs for each child are obtained and that staff understand the child’s individual targets and support their attendance in school. 20 July 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—

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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

That the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health.

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to having effective strategies in place for managing children’s smoking habits and the associated risks in and around the home. 20 July 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC456729 7 This specifically relates to ensuring the home is kept to a good standard of cleanliness, repair and decoration.

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff receive all necessary training to include, ADHD, trauma and attachment.

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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

This specifically relates to ensuring that there is strong management oversight of staff training needs and accuracy of records, meeting actions set by the independent visitor, and premises checks. 20 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises. (Regulation 21(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to locks on doors in all communal areas of the home. 20 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(b)) 20 July 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC456729 8 This specifically relates to the responsible individual having strong oversight of the monitoring and auditing of the home.

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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. (Regulation 37 (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers’ and staff’s hours being clearly recorded on the rota. 20 July 2021

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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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC456729 9

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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

Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Michael Charnley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC456729 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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