Children's Home run by Cambridgeshire County Council in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report children's home: 2603668 1 Registered provider: Cambridgeshire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home, which is run by a local authority, provides care for up to four children with learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager re-registered with Ofsted in September 2020, when the home re- registered under new ownership.

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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 home on 26 January 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on Ofsted’s website.

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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: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children's home: 2603668 2

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improvement to be good

This is the first full inspection since the home registered under new ownership in September 2020. One child, with complex needs, has lived at the home since June 2019, when it was operated by the previous provider. The overall quality of care for this child has recently declined. Delays in arranging support that could improve the quality of the child’s experiences and ensure the child’s statutory entitlements are met have limited this child’s progress. The staff and the manager have struggled to meet the child’s complex needs. During this difficult period, there have been reduced managerial oversight and monitoring.

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improvement to be good

The child currently has no suitable education provision. This has been the case for an extended period. Despite the efforts of the manager to challenge the local authority, an updated education and health plan was delayed. A local authority outreach team supports the child with meaningful learning experiences in the community. However, recent restrictions that have been implemented to reduce risks to the child have meant that these opportunities are less frequent. This significantly limits the child’s progress and social experiences.

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improvement to be good

The child benefits from a well-resourced and maintained garden. However, many areas of the home require redecoration. The paint is worn and there is damage in several areas that has not been repaired. The child does not have adequate storage for clothing. The provider has failed to repair damage quickly and provide furnishings that meet the child’s individual needs. Overall, the environment is unwelcoming and is not homely.

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improvement to be good

The child has warm and positive relationships with the staff, who are committed to the child’s well-being.

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improvement to be good

The manager and the staff have ensured that the child has access to an independent advocate and a speech and language therapist. This helps the child to begin to express his views and understand his entitlements.

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improvement to be good

The provider has delayed arranging a suitable fire risk assessment. Although the fire risk assessment was identified as a recommendation at the monitoring visit in January 2021, it was not carried out until March 2021 and the findings were not shared with the registered manager until May 2021. Consequently, immediate actions that were identified as a priority have not been met. One fire door is damaged and does not provide adequate protection. Recent evacuation drills have not been completed within recommended time frames. The combination of these failures increases the risks to the child and the staff in the event of a fire. Inspection report children's home: 2603668 3 Safe recruitment processes are not consistently effective. Gaps in employment and reasons for staff leaving previous roles are not always explored. This could lead to unsuitable adults working at the home.

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improvement to be good

The staff use proportionate physical interventions. However, the monitoring of the supporting records requires improvement. Inaccuracies in dates and information that conflict with the home’s internal register reduce the reliability of some of the information provided. There are some delays in the management oversight of the records, which reduces the analysis and learning opportunities available.

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improvement to be good

The staff work closely with a wider network of healthcare professionals to address the child’s complex needs. Risk assessments and behaviour management plans are regularly reviewed in relation to incidents and are subject to external professional oversight. Difficult incidents have increased recently, which has resulted in the child being admitted to hospital. However, consistent and informed strategies to support the child have been implemented to reduce further harm.

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improvement to be good

The home has effective links with social workers and the designated officer. All staff have received suitable training in safeguarding children with disabilities. When allegations against the staff have been made, they have been managed appropriately. This provides assurance that there are suitable systems in place to safeguard the child.

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good

The manager is suitably experienced and child focused. She holds a relevant level 5 qualification in leadership and management. The manager is highly regarded by the staff team and recognises the improvements that are necessary.

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good

The overall quality of internal managerial monitoring is not good enough. The manager has challenged the organisation in relation to issues identified in the environment. However, the response from the senior management team has not been timely or effective. There are inaccuracies and delays in reviewing incidents, and shortfalls in the monitoring of recruitment records. This lack of oversight reduces the opportunities for the manager to make continuous improvements effectively.

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good

Visits by an independent person provide impartial scrutiny of the running of the home. The manager undertakes an objective internal review. However, this fails to consider consultations with children, families and external professionals. This reduces the capacity of the management team to fully understand the strengths and weaknesses of the home.

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good

Staff receive regular, challenging and reflective supervision. The staff are positive about the leadership and the support that they receive. Inspection report children's home: 2603668 4 The staff take advantage of a range of training courses to equip them with the skills to meet the individual needs of the child at the home. A high proportion of staff have the required level 3 qualification and others are making good progress to achieve this.

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good

External professional feedback is positive, particularly in respect of the effectiveness of communication. Inspection report children's home: 2603668 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

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

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there is a welcoming environment, damage is repaired in a timely manner and adequate bedroom furniture is provided that meets the child’s individual needs. 26 July 2021

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of 5 July 2021 Inspection report children's home: 2603668 6 exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s education and health plans are reviewed when required, and that support is given to source an alternative education provision when a child is excluded from school.

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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

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(h)) 26 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(1) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b)) 21 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which 28 June 2021 Inspection report children's home: 2603668 7 the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that recruitment checks include obtaining a full employment history and, when necessary, verification of why an employee left a previous role supporting vulnerable children or adults.

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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 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")— 28 June 2021 Inspection report children's home: 2603668 8 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. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that records of restrictive interventions are accurately maintained and include children’s views and managerial oversight evaluations within required timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (2)(b)(c) (5)) 2 August 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: 2603668 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambridgeshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Shire Hall, Cambridge CB3 0AP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Graham Puckering

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Andreia Alves Da Silva

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Inspector

Mark Anderton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2603668 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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