Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report children’s home: 2594366 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for up to four children who may display complex emotional and behavioural needs.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in October 2020.

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

inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

p.1

inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and/or the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

p.1

inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2594366 2

p.1

inadequate

Serious safeguarding concerns were identified during this inspection. As a result, a notice of suspension and compliance notices under regulations 12 and 13 were issued.

p.2

inadequate

One child is considered to be at risk of serious self-harm and displays suicidal thoughts and behaviours. The inspection found that the registered manager and staff did not take the necessary steps to safeguard this child. These serious shortfalls meant that this child was not protected from harm. In addition, the child told the inspector that she had only been able to form relationships with some staff. This is, in part, due to a high turnover of staff. The child told the inspector, ‘I can talk to some staff but not others. I get annoyed when staff leave. I have a relationship with them but then they go.’

p.2

inadequate

Despite this, another child has settled well and has formed trusting and secure relationships with staff. This child has made good progress from his starting point. Staff provide him with good-quality and individualised care to meet his needs. The child attends education and has high aspirations for his future.

p.2

inadequate

Despite the COVID-19 restrictions, children have regular opportunities to spend time with those people who matter the most to them. Staff provide children with support to ensure that family time is a regular and enjoyable experience.

p.2

inadequate

One child is planning to return to the care of his mother. Staff have worked well to support the child and his mother. Staff communicate with the child’s mother effectively and involve her in the child’s care.

p.2

inadequate

Staff provide children with the opportunities to express their views and take these into account when planning their care. For example, the home’s consultant psychologist involves children in regular meetings to scrutinise their progress and set targets. This means that children understand their plans and can take ownership of them.

p.2

inadequate

Both children arrived at the home with poor educational experiences. However, the registered manager and staff have worked hard to provide boundaries and promote a culture of educational success. As a result, both children are back in education and are making good progress.

p.2

inadequate

One child requires specialist support in relation to his eating disorder. Staff work well with health professionals to provide the child with a tailored diet. As a result, he has gained weight and is increasingly able to discuss his condition and its emotional impact. Inspection report children’s home: 2594366 3 Staff work hard to provide children with a range of activities and enjoyable experiences. One child attends army cadets and enjoys playing football with staff.

p.2

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

Staff do not consistently follow protocols to keep children safe. For example, on three occasions, poor staff supervision and communication has resulted in a child going missing from care.

p.3

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

On one of these occasions, poor planning resulted in a member of staff being left alone with the child. This was not in line with the agreed staffing ratio of two-to- one. As a result, the child went missing from care. In addition, there were significant delays in staff notifying the police when the child went missing. This is despite the home’s missing protocol stating that staff should report the child missing immediately. These shortfalls mean that this child has not been effectively safeguarded and, consequently, was exposed to the risk of harm.

p.3

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

Following one incident of the child being missing from the home, they disclosed that they had been subjected to a serious sexual assault. This is currently being investigated by the police.

p.3

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

Following a serious incident of self-harm, waking night support was provided for the child. The registered manager made the decision to remove this support after one night. The registered manager did not seek specialist advice from the other professionals involved with the child when making this decision. This does not demonstrate that the registered manager makes well-informed decisions to keep children safe.

p.3

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

The registered manager does not provide the child’s social worker with clear updates following significant incidents. For example, after one incident, the registered manager did not inform the social worker that the child had expressed suicidal ideation or that the child had taken steps to act on these thoughts. This prevented safeguarding agencies from making an informed assessment of the risks to the child or to take effective action.

p.3

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

The oversight of records of children going missing and being restrained is poor. For example, records do not accurately reflect and analyse all attempts to de-escalate challenging incidents. Staff do not fully record why children were unsettled prior to the incident. This means that the registered manager is not able to make a fully informed analysis of these incidents.

p.3

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

One child said that some staff do not take steps to help her when her behaviour is heightened, and she is in crisis. In addition, the inspector found that on one occasion staff used unnecessary and disproportionate restraint on the child. Inspection report children’s home: 2594366 4

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have not ensured that staff have the necessary knowledge, skills and experience to provide safe and well-informed care. For example, the majority of the staff have not completed the home’s specialist mental health training. In addition, senior staff told the inspector that they have concerns about the experience, knowledge and skills of the staff team.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Records of staff supervision sessions reflect that some staff are concerned about the inconsistent care that children receive from colleagues. Furthermore, a member of staff told the inspector that some staff have the skills to settle the child when she is anxious, while others do not. As a result, challenging incidents can escalate, causing the child unnecessary distress.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

A consultant psychologist is employed by the home. The psychologist supports staff to implement the model of care. For example, children’s progress is tracked and evaluated to ensure that interventions are effective. However, a mental health practitioner’s post has been vacant since the home opened. As a result, staff do not receive the necessary specialist oversight of their practice to deliver care in line with the home’s statement of purpose. However, the provider has recently appointed an individual to this role.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has monitoring systems in place. However, while these identify some strengths and areas to develop, their overall impact is variable. For example, t he oversight of records of children going missing and restraint practice is poor. This lack of oversight was a missed opportunity to review serious incidents and improve practice.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager does not always send notifications of significant events to the appropriate agencies. As a result, external agencies cannot provide oversight and guidance when required. Inspection report children’s home: 2594366 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.5

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

p.5

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

p.5

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)) 12 July 2021

p.5

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.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. 12 July 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2594366 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received;

p.6

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)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(g)(ii)(h))

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.6

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 12 July 2021

p.6

Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.6

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: 2594366 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Cambian Childcare Limited, 5th Floor, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

p.7

Inspector

Gareth Leckey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2594366 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.

p.7

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.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8