Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Dorset

Inspection report children's home: 1159868 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

This children’s home provides care for up to three children who may have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is currently an acting interim manager in post.

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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 1 June 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted 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: Inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Two compliance notices were issued following the full inspection on 20 April 2021. These related to the leadership and management standard and the quality and purpose of care standard. Inspection report children's home: 1159868 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/04/2021 Full Inadequate 05/12/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/04/2019 Full Good 21/08/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children's home: 1159868 3

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improvement to be good

Two children are currently living in the home. Since the monitoring visit on 1 June 2021, one child has moved on from the home. Despite this move taking place relatively quickly, the child was involved and supported by the staff. Unfortunately, the manager failed to ensure staff recorded how the child’s views were considered during this move.

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improvement to be good

Staff know the children well and are supporting them to make progress. For example, one child is being helped by the staff to understand their move to foster care, and one child who has not consistently engaged with education has successfully applied for a 12-week construction course.

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improvement to be good

The children are cared for by staff who are enthusiastic and committed to improving their outcomes. Although there have been a few changes to the staff team since the previous inspection, this has not affected the consistency of care. Staff spoke of how a change in the management of the home has ultimately led to improved morale and how this has had a positive impact on how they support the children.

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improvement to be good

Staff arrange appropriate time for the children to meet with family and friends. Visits for some have increased, enabling them to meet with extended family.

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improvement to be good

The children are encouraged to attend any necessary and routine health appointments. For one child, this remains a challenge, however, there is a plan in place to continue to support this child and their health needs as they move towards adulthood.

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improvement to be good

Staff respond well to the children when they are upset. They have a good understanding of the children’s needs and use well-written and clear risk assessments that support children’s safety inside and outside the home. However, despite this, staff have not been able to prevent one child from continuing to self- harm. Four incidents have taken place since April 2021 that ultimately led to the leaders and managers acknowledging they could not keep this child safe from their self-injurious behaviours. This child has since moved to a new home.

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improvement to be good

Staff know how to respond when a child is missing from the home. Records evidence the steps the staff have taken to discourage one child from staying away from the home, and they show a reduction in the number of times this child goes missing. There is a clear protocol in place that is ratified by the local authority and local police to safely return the child to the home on each occasion. However, despite the attempts by staff, this child has continued to go missing and remains at Inspection report children's home: 1159868 4 risk of criminal exploitation when he is away from the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff and the manager undertake a range of training in safeguarding matters. They undertake online courses while waiting for face-to-face training. This ensures that they have some basic knowledge of safeguarding practice.

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good

Since the full inspection on 20 and 21 April 2021,. An interim manager has been in post since 29 April 2021. With the support of senior leaders and an experienced registered manager from another home, the interim manager has been instrumental in making significant progress against the home’s action plan.

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good

The interim manager has demonstrated a commitment and desire to improve the outcomes for the children and the support staff receive. In particular, he is to be praised for stabilising the staff team. All staff spoke extremely positively about the interim manager

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good

The inspector found evidence of the determined attempts made by the interim manager to progress the actions that had been required as a result of the previously weak and ineffective leadership of the home. As a result, staff are now empowered and equipped to support the children in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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good

Leaders and managers have continued to complete regular reviews of all practice and procedures and revise the action plan accordingly. The inspector found sufficient progress has been made to meet the remaining requirements and two compliance notices. However, further time is required to embed the new systems, the leadership and management of the home and the practice of staff. The shortfalls identified during this inspection mean three new requirements are made. These relate to the quality of supervision records, the quality of records that plan the moves of children in and out of the home and the continued leadership of the home. These requirements do not have an impact on the safety of the two children living in the home. Inspection report children's home: 1159868 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 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

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

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the manager ensuring that they continue to use all monitoring systems to further develop the home and improve children’s outcomes. 10 September

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. 10 September Inspection report children's home: 1159868 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the manager ensuring records detail how staff have helped children to understand the process of moving in and out of the home, that records capture these discussions and that the children who live in the home are consulted when a new child moves in.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(x))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the manager ensuring that supervision records reflect the discussions and actions, and they are signed by the supervisor and the staff member being supervised. 10 September Inspection report children's home: 1159868 7

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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: Cambian Childcare Limited, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 1AG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nicola McClements

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Inspector

Linda Bond, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 1159868 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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